“You’re safe with me, Bean. I swear it. I’ve got a big ol’ farmhouse on several acres of land. It’s quiet, and I have a few spare bedrooms. I’ve even got that media room downstairs with the huge screen that you can lose yourself in. I don’t know if you’re a TV watcher, but if so, you can catch up on all the shows you’ve missed in the last year. The latest season of Stranger Things was amazing, though I still think the first season was the best. But if staying in my house weirds you out too much, I can rent an RV or something and park it alongside the barn. Although that wouldn’t be my first choice, since you’d be much safer in the house…”
Sierra realized that Grover was almost babbling, his words coming out quickly. He’d obviously given this a lot of thought, and the fact that he was going out of his way to lay out all her options, to make her feel safe, soothed something deep down inside her.
She put her free hand on his arm, making him pause for a moment.
“Sorry. I don’t mean to pressure you into anything. But if you decide to come to Texas, I promise it wouldn’t cost you anything. I’ll make sure you have a place to stay and food to eat. It can be hard acclimating to life after being in captivity, and I just want to give you a place you can do that without worrying about a job, or money, or what people think. There’s no judgment in our circle, I can assure you of that.”
“Thank you,” Sierra said. “Your offer means more than I can say. I…I’m not ready to make a decision right this second though.”
“I understand. And…just so you know, the offer to go to The Refuge still stands. You know, the place in New Mexico? The last time I looked it up, I saw they allow POWs to stay for free. No questions asked, for as long as you want or need. They have therapists, and daily activities you can participate in or not. The place looks absolutely amazing, and if you need it, it’s there for you.”
“You were a POW too,” Sierra said.
Grover blinked. “Yes. I guess so. Although I’m not sure I’d qualify since I purposely put myself in that situation…and I’d do it again if it meant getting you out of there.”
Sierra felt overwhelmed, but knowing she had Grover on her side made everything seem a little less…scary.
As if he knew how hard it was to think about her future, Grover changed the subject. They talked about nothing important, and he made sure she ate several times during the long flight. At one point, Sierra woke up with her head on Grover’s shoulder. She’d fallen asleep, and he’d pulled her into his side, letting her use him as a pillow.
He was considerate, kind, protective…and Sierra knew she’d already fallen head over heels for him. She had no idea if it was because of their situation—the fact he’d traveled halfway around the world and put himself in danger to find her. That would probably make anyone fall in love. But the last thing she wanted was to latch on to him solely because he’d rescued her. That wouldn’t be fair to either of them.
When they finally landed, Sierra was a messed-up jumble of emotions. She was elated to finally be back in the United States, sad that her time with Grover was about to end, nervous about what the doctors might say regarding her health, and completely unsure about what would come next in her life.
They all shuffled out of the plane, and as soon as they stepped into the fresh air in Washington, DC, Sierra shivered. Her brain knew it wasn’t that cold out, but her body had acclimated to the extreme heat of the Afghani desert.
Sierra felt a jacket being placed around her shoulders. Looking up, she saw Grover smiling down at her.
“Figured you might be chilly, so I had it ready,” he explained.
Sierra had dated plenty before accepting the job in Afghanistan. She’d even had a few long-term relationships, but no one had ever been as in tune to her needs as Grover, and she’d only known the man a matter of days. It was almost scary.
He didn’t take her hand as they headed for the small building near where they’d landed—obviously not the main terminal, which suited Sierra just fine. She did feel the light press of Grover’s hand on the small of her back, which was extremely reassuring.
Right before they entered the building, a man came out. Sierra had never seen him before, but all of the guys around her obviously knew him.
“Tex! What are you doing here?” Trigger asked.
“Good to see you, man!” Lefty said.
“Can’t believe it. Tex in the flesh!” Brain teased.
Everyone shook the man’s hand, then he turned his attention to her. Sierra studied him. There was something about the man that seemed to command respect. He stepped toward her, and she absently noted his slight limp. He held out his hand, and Sierra automatically reached forward to shake it.
“Welcome home,” Tex said quietly.
“Thanks.”
“Things from here on out are going to move pretty fast,” he told her. “I recommend just going with the flow. Don’t overthink things and don’t talk to the press until you’re ready. They can wait; your mental health is more important than giving them a story. And if you don’t want to talk to them at all, that’s okay too. I’m happy to deal with them for you, if you want, but you can let me know later. For now, I’ve got something for you.”
Sierra’s head was spinning. She didn’t want to deal with the press. Not at all. She might just take the man’s offer on that. She didn’t know him, but if Grover and his team trusted and respected him, she would too. She automatically accepted the object Tex was holding out to her.
Looking down, she realized it was a phone. A brand-new, top-of-the-line model. “Um…I don’t think I can accept this.”
She heard Lucky snort lightly from next to her. “Look how cute she is, trying to refuse a gift from Tex.”
The man himself grinned and went on as if she hadn’t spoken. “It’s got an unlimited data plan. It’s attached to an account I own, but don’t let that weird you out. When you’re back on your feet and ready to think about such mundane things as cell phone plans, it can be switched over to your own account. There are no strings attached. The phones are paid for by donations to veteran groups, as are the accounts themselves. There’s no time limit on using it either, so don’t go feeling guilty for having it, all right?”
“But I’m not a veteran.”
“Like hell you aren’t,” Tex retorted without hesitation. “You might not be in the military, but you sure as fuck went through hell as a result of wanting to serve your country. I’ve already programmed all of these guys’ numbers into the phone, along with their women’s. Mine is in there too, as is Brick’s…the guy from The Refuge. I’ve taken the liberty of making you a reservation there, as well.”
Sierra opened her mouth to explain she didn’t think she needed to go to any kind of camp, ranch, or retreat for PTSD, but Tex held up his hand, stopping her.
His voice gentled. “You’ve been free for two-point-three seconds, Bean. Trust me when I say demons have a nasty habit of sneaking up on you when you least expect them. I also scheduled Grover to join you in Los Alamos.”
“Tex,” Grover growled.
“Don’t you start too,” Tex told him. “I know what you did, and why, but that doesn’t negate the fact that you were kept against your will and tortured. Visiting The Refuge and talking with Brick, Tonka, Spike, and the others will do you both good.”