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Prologue

SLIPPING INTO THE ICU UNIT of the private military hospital wasn't an easy task It would be considered insane from most men's point of view Even a SEAL's But that was exactly what former Lieutenant Ian Richards of the Navy SEALs did

Under the cover of night, he ed to slip into the hospital, uard at Nathan Malone's door dozed off before he slipped in, in the guise of an orderly

His first sight of his friend nearly stole his breath

Sweet Jesus Nathan was in so es he looked ht easier on the eyes than the naked, ravaged SEAL they had dragged out of Fuentes's compound four months before

Tortured, beaten, sliced and diced His face had been so disfigured it was hard to tell he was human, let alone the friend Ian had known for the better part of his life

How the hell Nathan had survived the nineteen ed constantly on the powerful date rape drug known as whore's dust, and encouraged repeatedly to rape the woht to hiathered indicated he had never taken one of the women locked in the cells with hi with his pumped into his system

Ian knew better Nathan was strong Too da to let Fuentes win like this But he had to be certain

Even after the months Ian had been away, been considered a betrayer, a Judas to his friends, and overnment, Ian had had to return to assure himself Nathan would survive

Ianbetween it and the curtain that had been pushed back to allow the guards to see all but a very sht by Nathan's head His covered, wrapped head

"Dah?" he asked his friend, knowing Nathan couldn't hear hi he could

Hell, so on the inside of a teaotten used to the rown to trust the alone once again

Long ago, Nathan and his faht, with only his screa hi iven Ian a friendship he had never known before that

And nohen his friend awoke, he would believe that friendship had been betrayed

He grie at the situation he had been forced into Because of blood Because so about where he came from, he could only control where he went And where Ian was heading, Nathan or Durango teao

Ian could only go alone

"We had a wild ride huh, bro," he whispered, his voice nearly silent, but the breath of the words easing a part of him

Nathan was unconscious, co past his lips eased Ian Maybe, just maybe, his friend would hear a part of them, know, understand, that beneath the near silent whisper was the truth It had been a wild ride, and noas over

He reached out, let his fingers touch his friend's shoulder as a grin tugged at his lips

Nathan "Irish" Malone All smiles and wild blue eyes, a man who as a boy had saved his life