Page 65 of Criminally Yours

He swallowed the searing burn tightening his throat. “Yes, and a couple of people from the town nearly got caught in the crossfire. We tried to keep enemy casualties to a minimum. It wasn’t as badthat time”

“That time?”

“I’ve seen and done things I can’t forget, things necessary for survival, but that haunt me.”

She squeezed his fingers. “Things that give you emotional and physical scars?”

“Yes.” His voice wobbled, and he couldn’t clear his rasp. “But the scars you saw were from the interrogation after I was captured. My captors whipped me with a stick with a metal ball attached.”

She sucked in a breath. Her pulse thrummed faster against his wrist. “Were there times you thought you’d die?”

“You try not to let those thoughts in. You plan your survival. If you let anything encroach on that, you’re useless to yourself and your squadron.”

She snuffled like she was crying as she asked, “How long were you captured for?”

“A week. I spoke to others who’d been there longer. One man was there for five years. But I got through it. I was rescued. I came away with burns and scars, but my body was intact.”

“How could you survive that mentally?” Her voice was hoarse, and he pulled her closer.

“I remembered the things I loved the most. I imagined the sunsets I’d see when released. I attempted to write a future.” In the worst moments of his life, she was the only future he’d been able to imagine.

“Thank you for telling me.” She rubbed her thumb against her cheek, her shoulders quivering with sadness. “It breaks my heart you experienced that,” she said, her voice cracking with sobs.

He brushed kisses against her hair. “Don’t cry, baby,” he whispered. “I’m safe now. It’s okay.”

“Your experiences have helped you care for people.”

He shook his head. “No. I don’t do that. I’m the grumpy one on the team.”

“I’ve watched you do it when you’re not acting like a dickhead.”

He chuckled and sighed. His limbs loosening. “I used to be worse than I am now. When I first came home, I was an arsehole to anyone who dared mess with my routines or my way of working.”

“What changed?”

“Therapy. My counsellor helped me to work through some of my shit. And my parents made a difference by loving me for who I was. And Liss—or rather Liss and Bear—watching them together gave me hope that life wasn’t just about pain and pushing people out.” He kept everyone at a distance to hide from his darkness, but now Millie was in his life. “Would you believe I was difficult and grumpy with Liss when Bear and I first looked after her? I was so fucking rude.”

“Of course I would.”

“You’re such a brat.” His laugh rumbled through his chest, opening it up to little beams of hope. “Well, seeing Liss and Bear together changed me.”

“Does she know?”

He bit his lip. “I presume so.”

“You should tell her. She’d love to hear that. And you need to tell your parents, too. People don’t share how they feel enough with those who count.”

“I will.” He cleared his throat, willing the thickness away. “Something else helped, too. I became a bit of a social media lurker. I liked to learn different things.”

“You can say you watch porn. We all do,” she teased.

“Is that right, Sunset? Tell me more.”

“Get lost.” He barked out a laugh. “So if not porn, what do you lurk on?”

“Just social media stuff.” She yawned andsnuggled closer. “I’ll tell you another time. We’re tired, and it’s been a hell of a day. We’ve got to leave early.”

“You’re such a tease.”