King huffed out a breath. “Well, that sucks.” The room was large and painted white, with four more sets of beds, all empty, and medical equipment. “Where are we?”

  Leo shrugged. He took a seat on the edge of King’s bed. “We were only in the air for, like, twenty minutes, so still in Florida, I think. Dad was here when we arrived, though.”

  “Shit, your dad is here?” King jerked his arms forward to sit himself up and hissed at the pull from the IVs.

  “Whoa there, soldier. Where do you think you’re going?” Leo asked, trying to get him to lie back.

  “I can’t let him see me like this.”

  “Like what? Like you took on an army and were shot three times trying to save his son?”

  The scowl King received was fierce. Okay, yeah, maybe he wasn’t going anywhere.

  The door opened, and the guys came in, Ace’s smile wide when he saw King. “Look who’s finally awake. Hello, sleeping beauty.” King narrowed his eyes at him. “Glad to see your delightful disposition remains intact,” Ace added, his grin wicked.

  “Leave him alone, Anston.” Red nudged Ace to one side so he could check King’s vitals. “The guy just fought his way out of an impossible situation. How the hell did you do it?”

  Feeling more lucid, King shook his head. “I didn’t.”

  “What?” Lucky frowned, confused. “But you were beat to shit and shot. Leo said you fought a small army of men.”

  “That part is true, but I wasn’t the one who got us out.” King smiled warmly up at Leo, his heart swelling with pride. “That was all Leo.”

  Everyone gaped at him before their stunned gazes moved to Leo. Ace was the first to speak up. “How?”

  Jack gasped, his smile huge. “Mouse Trap!”

  King chuckled. “Yep.” He kissed Leo’s hand, loving the way Leo blushed at everyone’s awed expressions. King knew the feeling. He was in awe of Leo as well. “Leo lined up all the pieces, waited for the right opportunity, then let it loose.” Leo reached into his pocket and pulled out the little black handball. He tossed it to Jack, who caught it. “Leo was the one who got Bowers to send his guys downstairs, and convinced Heather to send out a distress call. He kept Bowers busy and none the wiser.”

  “How did you get Bowers to cooperate?” Lucky asked Leo.

  Leo cleared his throat and averted his gaze, knowing that was the part King was not impressed with.

  “He put a loaded gun with the safety off to his own head. Something he will never be doing again.”

  “Shit.” Joker shook his head. “And you guys say I’m crazy.”

  “You are,” Lucky said with a snort before turning his attention back to Leo. “Nice work.”

  The guys all chimed in, coming over to congratulate Leo and pat him on the shoulder, the back, or the cheek. It was obvious Leo was moved, his eyes glassy as he thanked everyone. King was a little misty-eyed as well. Must be the morphine. Yeah, definitely the morphine.

  Ace put his hand on King’s good shoulder, relief and affection written all over his face. “I’m glad your grumpy ass is okay. Why don’t you get some rest, huh? We’re going to meet with the General, get debriefed. I told him you’d be along as soon as you were able.”

  King nodded, appreciating Ace’s understanding. The last time King had been in a hospital, he’d woken up to learn the mission had failed and half of his brothers were dead. Not wanting to face the General like this had nothing to do with proving his masculinity or fearing he’d be showing weakness. It wasn’t about ego. It was about finally leaving the past behind him and moving forward, but to do that, he couldn’t be the same guy he’d been back in that hospital bed. He didn’t want the General associating him now with the man he’d been, because he wasn’t the same guy. Some things about him would never change, like keeping the memory of his fallen brothers alive, fussing over the ones who brought so much love and joy to his life, and being a grumpy ass. He’d never stop doing whatever it took to protect his family. What had changed, was the knowledge he no longer had to shoulder the weight of the world on his own.

  The guys left, and Leo kissed him sweetly. This one man had changed his world completely, yet the best parts remained. King parted his lips, inviting Leo to deepen the kiss. He cupped the back of Leo’s head, murmuring an “I love you” before he drifted off to sleep.

  The next time he woke, he was ready, and thankfully Leo didn’t argue. King had to wonder if Ace had said something, because Leo got him out of bed and didn’t ask questions as he helped King out of the hospital gown and into a clean pair of black tactical pants, black boots, and a black henley. A pair of crutches had been left by his bed, and King took one, adjusted it for his height then placed it under his right arm. Leo stood in front of King, the adoration in his eyes stealing King’s breath away. Leo kissed him again, short and sweet, but no less amazing.

  “Whatever happens, remember that when it comes to me, he’s a dad first and a General second. He respects you and admires you, Ward, just like I do. I’ll be right here waiting for you.” Leo took his hand, and together they left the infirmary. A couple of armed soldiers stood outside the door, and Leo turned to one of them. “Mr. Kingston is ready to see General de Loughrey.”

  The soldier nodded, and King left Leo with a gentle squeeze to his arm. He headed down the corridor of the black site—not all that different from the one where he’d first met Leo. The irony wasn’t lost on him. Except this time instead of being led into a bunker, he was shown to an empty room with only a one-way mirror on the right side of the wall showing the interrogation room that held Bowers on the other side. His wrists were in cuffs secured to the steel table in front of him by a chain, and his feet were secured to an iron loop in the concrete floor.

  “Ward.” The General’s smile was warm and welcoming as he held out his hand. King took it, taken aback when he was pulled into a tight embrace. The discomfort to his shoulder was well worth it, and he returned the big man’s hug, receiving a gentle pat on the back before he was released.

  “Sir. It’s good to see you again.”

  “It’s good to see you too, son. How are you feeling?”

  “Better. Thank you.” For the first time, King noticed the resemblance between the General and his son. The General was a much bigger man, tall with wide shoulders and salt-and-pepper hair, but he had the same boyish smile as Leo, along with that mischievous twinkle in his brown eyes. Eyes that were sharp and currently assessing him.

  Not ready to address the matter of Leo just yet, King turned to face the mirror. “Has he said anything?”

  “At the moment he’s more terrified of the man who hired him than he is of us, but that’ll change very soon. We’re moving him off US soil.”

  In other words, Bowers was about to disappear.

  King narrowed his eyes at Bowers. The guy couldn’t see him, but Bowers would know he was here. “Promise me you’re going to bury him in some hole where no one will ever find him.”

  “You have my word. I’m not going anywhere just yet.”

  “Does that mean you’re not retiring?”

  “They might be forcing me out, but it’s on my terms. I’m pulling in every favor owed to me to make sure Leo is safe, and that this kind of thing never happens again. Bowers might not be talking, but thanks to Heather, we have intel on a small cell of Russian spies we believe were behind this. She’s been communicating with us from the moment Bowers started blackmailing her.”

  All the pieces fell into place. “The encrypted message Jack found, the one she’d sent out…. She wasn’t communicating with the Russians; she was communicating with you.”

  The General nodded. “Heather’s a good kid. She’d made some stupid mistakes, but her working with the NSA instead of being prosecuted should have been a good deal for her. We’ve renegotiated the terms of her contract, and she’ll be working for my people now. Thanks to her, we have a team closing in on the Russian cell as we speak. Of course the Russian government is denying everything. I won’t go until I put down the bastards who hurt you and my son.”

  King was touched to be included, but what mattered was that Leo would be safe. “What about the program? Leo’s been worried about it.”

  “Really? Because he told me it was a complete failure.” The General gave him a knowing smile. “It’s been destroyed. I’m sure we can find other ways to protect our country without turning our own citizens into suspects.”

  King opened his mouth to express his relief, when Bowers stood, his gaze focused on the mirror. “I know you’re there, Kingston. How’d the General take the news that you’re banging his son? Bet that wasn’t what he had in mind when he asked you to guard his son’s body.”

  King balled his free hand into a fist, telling himself not to let Bowers bait him because that’s clearly what he was doing.

  “How was he, King? Bet he jumped at the chance to get fucked by a big bad Green Beret. Was it easy? Did you take advantage of his vulnerability, or was he so damned eager for your cock that he gave it up at the drop of a hat?”

  Thanks to the hefty painkillers in his system, King managed to storm out of the room, despite his crutch. He ignored the General calling out after him and slammed through the door to the interrogation room. He grabbed Bowers by the neck, his teeth gritted as Bowers gave him a shit-eating grin.

  “What are you going to do? Are you going to torture me into confessing all my sins?”

  King barely flinched, but it was enough for Bowers’s smug grin to grow wider.

  “Yeah, I know all about your little trip to London. Hey, I’m not knocking what you did. The guy had it coming. You put a serial rapist behind bars. By the time the guy gets out, his dick will be too shriveled and useless to do much of anything with. If he makes it that long.”

  “What’s your point?” King growled, shoving Bowers down into the hard metal chair.

  “My point is, you’re not Captain America, are you? Too much blood on your hands. Do you think you’re really the kind of guy the General wants for his son? He hid the kid, for fuck’s sake. To keep him away from all our fucked-up government shit, and there ain’t no one that fits the bill more than you, my friend.”

  “You’re right,” King said with a nod. “I’m not perfect, and maybe Leo does deserve better. You should be thanking him.”

  Bowers snorted. “For what?”

  King loomed over him, his gaze never wavering. “He’s the reason you’re still breathing through your nose. See, I’m a better man because of him. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a beautiful man who loves me waiting for me, and the rest of my life to look forward to. Enjoy the fiery pit of hell that’s about to become your new home.” King turned to leave, then paused. “What the hell.” He grabbed Bowers’s hand and broke two of his fingers, Bowers’s scream echoing through the room. With a satisfied grin, King headed for the door.

  “What the fuck happened to being a better man?” Bowers spat after him.

  “Guess I’m more of a work in progress.”

  Leaving Bowers to curse him and his ancestors, King rejoined the General in the viewing room and came to stand beside him. They watched as Bowers screamed and ranted at the top of his lungs, calling King every name in the book.

  “He’s wrong, you know,” the General said, putting a hand up to stop King’s protesting. “When I was informed my son would be working on a project for the NSA and Pentagon, you came to mind immediately. There was no one I trusted more to look after him, and no one who is better suited for Leo.”

  King stared at the General, too stunned to speak. When he finally found his voice, he spoke up. “He’s… incredible. I didn’t take advantage of him. I fell in love with him, and I’m going to do everything I can to be worthy of that love. He does make me a better man.”

  “You’re a good soldier, always were, always will be, but most importantly, you’re a good man. There is no one who would fight for my son the way I know you would. Leo is a genius, but as I’m sure you’ve seen, he needs someone who can help him with other aspects of his life. To make sure he doesn’t get lost in that big brain of his. No one understands him like you. Not even me. You two need each other.” The General put his hand on King’s good shoulder, giving it a squeeze, his eyes filled with emotion. “He loves you, Ward. You should have seen his face when he talked about you. Thank you. For making my son happy. It’s all I ever wanted for him.”

  King swallowed hard. “I have to tell him.”

  The smile fell from the General’s face, and he dropped his hand. He released a heavy sigh. “Ward….”

  “Please. I love him. If he and I are going to have any kind of future together, it needs to be built on trust and honesty. I can’t carry that weight anymore, and neither should you.”

  The General seemed to think it over. He closed his eyes for a heartbeat before meeting King’s gaze and nodding. “You’re right. I know you are. Go on. He’s waiting for you. I’ll talk to him later. Guess we’re going to be seeing more of each other.”

  The thought made King smile. “I’m holding you to that.”

  King excused himself and found his way back to the infirmary. The moment he stepped inside, his arm was full of Leo. His sweet man’s urgent kisses made him laugh, and he hugged Leo to him, mindful of his side as he savored the taste and feel of Leo’s plump lips on his. When they were forced to come up for air, King led him over to the row of chairs at the end of the room resembling a sort of small waiting area.

  “Leo, I have to tell you something.”

  “It can wait. I want to know when we can get out of here.” Leo went to stand, but King gently stopped him. He laced their fingers together, his heart in his throat.

  “No, it can’t. It’s important. Please.”

  Leo slowly sank back down, his eyes filled with concern. “Okay.”

  “What do you know about your mom’s death?”

  Leo flinched. “Why are you asking me that?”

  “Please, answer the question.”

  “That she was in Syria working on something classified for her job. There was an accident. An explosion on site, and she was… caught in it.”

  King nodded. “I know you’re going to have questions, but please, hear me out until the end, okay? It’s important. Can you do that for me?”

  “I’ll try,” Leo replied quietly, his rapt attention on King.

  “Thank you. Your mother was part of a covert operation put together by Washington and the CIA to gather intel in Syria along with Mossad operatives. They had suspicions of a facility being built for military purposes, and intel from both groups confirmed workers from North Korea were helping to build a nuclear reactor. There were complications during one of the raids, and your mother’s cover was blown. She made it to a safe house, and although the US government had already stated it wasn’t willing to take any military action, your father wasn’t about to abandon her.”

  Leo’s eyes widened, his expression one of stunned disbelief and his skin losing some of its color, but as promised, he remained quiet, so King forged ahead. “We weren’t supposed to be there, but we had our mission. Get in, find your mother, and get her out. A backup team would be close by in case we needed it.

  “The thing is, my unit and I were supposed to be the backup team, but our commander and the General went way back. The commander wanted to be lead team on this, but he would accept being backup if I wasn’t on board with taking the lead. It was up to me. He knew if I accepted, the rest of the guys would follow. How could I say no? We had to try. I approached the guys, told them about the mission and that I was in but that I understood if they weren’t. This was a black op, and if it went sideways, they might never see their families again.” King swallowed hard, closing his eyes for a moment, reaching deep for the strength he needed to break Leo’s heart. “They didn’t hesitate. If I was in, so were they. Despite the risks, they wanted to bring her home.”

  “What happened?” Leo asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

  “Someone betrayed your mother, and we arrived at the safe house just as Syrian intelligence got to her. We were ambushed.” King released a steady breath, his eyes shut tight as he tried to forget the smell of burning flesh, his eyes stinging from the dirt and dust, throat raw from the smoke as he bled out. “I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to make it out of there, but Red was determined to save my ass.” He opened his eyes, his gaze on his and Leo’s intertwined fingers. “When I woke up in the hospital, your dad was there. He told me your mother was dead. She’d been killed at the safe house. The backup team had been too late to save her, but they managed to get us out and avoid an international incident.” King felt the dam break, and he choked on a sob. “I’m so sorry, baby, I tried. We all did.”

  Tears streamed down Leo’s cheeks, and he pressed his lips together, shaking his head. “No.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Stop,” Leo pleaded. “Did you betray her?”

  King’s head shot up, and he stared at Leo, the anger in Leo’s eyes catching him off guard. “What?”

  “Did you betray her, Ward?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then why the hell are you feeling guilty for something you had no control over?”

  “Didn’t you hear me?” King grabbed his crutch, and pushed himself to his feet where he started to pace, albeit somewhat awkwardly. “We failed. I failed.” Not only had he cost his men their lives, but it cost Leo his mother. King couldn’t even begin to fathom how a grief-stricken General had broken that news to a tiny Leo.

  “Stop,” Leo snapped, stepping in front of King and taking hold of his arms. “How is any of this your fault?”

  “If I had said no, stuck to being backup, maybe she’d still be alive, maybe they all would be—”

  “Enough. Whether you went in as lead or backup, there was no guarantee what would happen. You had your orders. Your unit was going in regardless. You said it yourself. Backup arrived too late, so you would still be blaming yourself for her death, for not getting to her in time. There’s no winning for you in this situation, Ward. Maybe your men would have survived this op, or maybe you would have lost men trying to make it out or on another op. My point is there’s no way of knowing what could have happened at any time.