Page 72 of SEAL of Valor

God. I take a deep breath. I don’t put much stock in faith anymore, but right now, I don’t know what to do. I know that I can’t do this alone, and there’s no one else here. So if You’re there. If You care. Please help me. Please protect Reese and the rest of my team. They all believe in You, even if I struggle to see much of anything good anymore. They’re there, and they need You. I need You. Please. I don’t know Bible verses, but please bring us through this. I want to try. I really do. I’ll go to church, and I will do whatever You call me to do. Please.

A tear slips down my cheek, disappearing into my beard as I keep my head bowed and try to find the strength to breathe. I haven’t prayed since Reese left town.

I just assumed if God was up there, He had no interest in listening to me.

But now, what else can I do?

We need a miracle, and if He does exist and He is up there, then He is who we need.

So, I keep my head bowed, begging a God I haven’t spoken to in years for mercy.

“Weston?”

Swallowing hard, I straighten and do my best to wipe the fear from my face as I turn toward Reese. She’s staring at me from where she’s sitting, her hair a tangled mess, my blood smeared all over her dress. There’s some on her cheek, a little on the side of her neck. But she’s never looked more beautiful.

I cross over toward her and slide down the wall to sit beside her. “Hey.”

“How do you feel? We should check your injuries.” She wipes her eyes.

“Sure, but can we just sit for a bit?”

She narrows her gaze on me. “Yeah, okay.”

I stare at her, memorizing every line of her face so it’ll be the last thing I see when Brenda pulls that trigger. Even with as much anger as I’ve carried, there was always a part of me that dared to hope there was still a chance.

No matter how many years passed, it was what I clung to.

Which is why I never bothered to date. I knew, from the moment I met her, that Reese Faye was the only woman I ever wanted. No one else holds a candle to her in my eyes. And even though I’ve loved her from afar, it’s been the one good thing I’ve ever done.

“I’m scared, Weston. I don’t think I’ve ever been so terrified.” Her voice wavers, so I reach down and take her hand, threading my fingers through hers. It’s funny; even after all this time, it feels so familiar.

“You’re going to be fine, Reese. You’ll get out of here, get married, have all those kids you always wanted.” I turn toward her again. “You’ll see.”

Tears slip down her cheeks, and her bottom lip quivers. “What about you?”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” I tell her softly.

“I’ve worried about you since I was thirteen,” she replies.

I smile, but it dies quickly. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. It’s my biggest regret, Reese. That I let you go through losing”—I stop abruptly, the pain still so fresh— “our baby alone.”

She leans forward and rests her forehead against mine. “Now I know you don’t think there’s any hope.”

I laugh softly. “I meant what I said, Reese. There’s hope for you.”

“I don’t want to survive if it means I lose you,” she whispers, tilting her face so she can look up at me.

I reach out and cup her cheek, the pad of my thumb brushing against her soft skin. My gaze drops to her lips. It’s wrong to even be considering kissing her, given that I’m a dead man walking. But the desire to taste her lips even one more time⁠—

The door opens. I reluctantly release her as half a dozen armed men come into the room right before Brenda, Ash, and Max step in. Max holds two black hoods in his hands, a sadistic smile on his face.

“Well, come on, now. You know the drill. Hands in front of you, feet together, Cowboy.” Brenda snaps her fingers.

I glance over at Reese again. “It’ll be okay.”

God, please let it be okay. Please let her be okay.

Silent tears are already falling down her face as I put my wrists and feet together but keep my gaze trained on her.