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Prologue

Years ago, behind enemy lines

The gun felt right in ainst the dusty wall of the stone shelter where aited, watching

We were pulling out It was our last day in the camp, our last day in country Conflict hadn’t ended, but ere handing over the fight to the local military Still, ere Marines First in, last out Our final job was to provide support, watch for any sign of ambush, before we made our way to the airfield

The one ahead with the convoy, but I stayed back with our CO He was a good leader, and we’d been together since the beginning While I sat on the gritty floor, he stood by the squarestaring out at the miles of tan desert I was pretty sure I knehere his mind was

Bending , I rested an ar about home?”

Derek blinked once and looked down before turning steel blue eyes ontime with only a week at Christmas”

“Women make you soft, soldier”

His h at his reaction I was pretty happy to be headed ho on me

“You’re the only shithead I’d let get aith a crack like that”

Calling each other “soldier” was an ongoing joke between us

“It’s because I’m your best man You’d have lost an arm without me”

He exhaled a laugh, and I put the butt ofthe shoulder strap around my wrist

“Keep talking, fucknut” His elbow bent, and he pinched his top lip “I’ll be waiting to laugh when a sweet pair of baby blues knocks you on your ass”

“Not happening” Using uy”

Derek’s arm dropped, and he slad to be pulling out Only I’d be back Being stateside was just a break for me

I walked over to stand by the“This is my life, and it’s no kind of life to share”

“Are you questioning ht?”

“Not at all, Lieutenant Alexander You’re a great Marine But guys like you do your tiet married, have kids”

“You’re a lifer”

“Dahtened ive one hundred and ten percent is not to have so on me”