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“What’s wrong?” Jay Bird asked, narrowing his eyes.
Playboy shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “Vice Admiral Alley. He’s trying to force Gabby out with a medical discharge.”
The whole team went quiet for a beat, and then the outrage kicked in.
“You’re fucking kidding me,” Bear muttered, his face darkening. “That bastard.”
“We’re gonna have to do something about that,” Nails said, shaking his head. “Can’t let him pull that kind of crap.”
Before the conversation could spiral, their commander, Derek Connors, walked in with a familiar figure beside him—Tink, the former SEAL turned security firm owner. Derek was smiling, likely eager to hear about how the team’s training had gone, but that smile faltered when he saw Playboy’s expression.
“What’s going on?” Derek asked as he sat down, Tink taking the seat next to him.
Playboy quickly filled them in on what had happened with Gabby and Alley, his voice tight with frustration. By the time he was done, Derek’s face was hard with anger.
“I’d take Gabby on my team in a heartbeat,” Derek said, shaking his head. “Even with her leg. She’s one hell of an operator. Shit, even everyone in the SEAL community knows it. Word got around quickly about what she did, putting her life on the line for you guys.”
Playboy nodded. “And it’s not just her physical skills. She’s got her intelligence certifications, too. Alley’s just trying to screw her over.”
Tink, who had been listening intently, raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. “It sounds like the Coast Guard would be making a huge mistake if they let her go,” he said, his tone thoughtful. “Even if she can’t handle the day-to-day operations in the MSRT, her intelligence background makes her highly valuable. They’d be stupid not to keep her.”
Before Playboy could respond, Bear’s phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen, then looked up with a grin. “Jocelyn just texted me. She and Clover are still at the hospital with Gabby. They ordered some food to be delivered.”
Playboy’s mood shifted slightly, a sense of relief washing over him. “Good. At least she’s not alone.”
Bear pocketed his phone, looking at the rest of the team. “We’re back early, so why don’t we head over to the hospital after this?”
The whole group nodded in agreement, determined to support Gabby in any way they could.
???
As Playboy and the team approached Gabby’s room at the end of the hallway, Playboy could hear the sounds of laughter and conversation seeping through the closed door.
“Sounds like a party in there,” Duke commented, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
Playboy chuckled. “Wouldn't expect anything less with those ladies together.”
He pushed the door open, and the sight that greeted him warmed his heart. Gabby was surrounded by her closest friends—Jocelyn, Clover, her nurse Selena, and even Autumn was there. They were all laughing, plates of food in their laps, the room filled with an air of joy and camaraderie.
“Hey, look who decided to join us,” Jocelyn called out, spotting the guys.
“About time you boys showed up,” Clover teased, waving them over.
But Playboy’s attention was solely on Gabby. She looked radiant, her smile brighter than he had ever seen. And then, to his utter shock and amazement, Gabby set her plate down, slowly uncovered her legs, and stood up.
Playboy's breath caught in his throat as she took a few tentative steps toward him, her new prosthetic leg moving smoothly with each step. She walked with determination, her eyes locked on his, a proud and triumphant smile on her face.
“Gabby...” Playboy whispered, awe and pride evident in his voice.
She reached him, and he couldn’t contain his happiness. He enveloped her in a hug, lifting her off her feet and spinning heraround. “I'm so proud of you,” he murmured, his voice choked with emotion.
Gabby laughed, the sound like music to his ears. “I did it, Tanner. I really did it.”
He set her down gently, his hands still on her waist as if afraid she might disappear. “You did more than that, Gabby. You're incredible.”
“Actually, you’re the incredible one,” she told him. “Thank you for calling the girls and my team and having them there to support me. It helped a lot.”
“I’d do anything for you. You know that,” he said, hugging her close.
