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Not a lot of things rattled Jake these days. Not since he learned to compartmentalize and deal with things later behind closed doors, usually under the spray of hot water where it hid his tears.
But seeing him always brought a rare feeling in his gut that Jake couldn’t ignore.
The need to obey no matter what.
To be good.
Bradley’s gentle hand pressed against the space between Jake’s shoulder blades the second Jake stopped without notice. He was certain Bradley could feel the knots forming in his hunching shoulders.
“You good?”
Nope. Not even a little bit anymore.
Words, however, remained locked inside Jake’s glued-shut mouth. While the dark shadowy monster that ruled Jake’s life for so long approached in haste, Jake searched for any exit route they could take to escape before they were intercepted by—
“Jacob?”
His heart stopped in mid-beat the moment he heard his name leave his personal monster’s lips. The urge to straighten his stance to straight as a board flooded his every vein. Self-protective habits from long ago rushed in behind, reminding him what he had to do to survive the encounter.
“You must be Admiral Seresin,” Bradley commented at Jake’s side. He held out his hand to Jake’s father in that nonthreatening, polite manner of his that always caught people off guard when Bradley would turn at a drop of a hat if he decided one wasn’t worth his time.
“I am,” remarked Jake’s father. “Who might you be, though, son?”
Bradley’s smile sharpened as he shook Admiral Seresin’s hand firmly. “Your future son-in-law if your son plays his cards right someday.”
Jake held his breath, feeling all blood rush from his body.
“My future . . . I . . . I’m afraid I don’t follow.”
Jake’s father’s stormy blue eyes locked on Jake at once. “You’re dating?”
Well, it was a better answer than the one he figured his dad would say.
“We are,” Jake replied, leaning back into Bradley’s hand still on his back. He’d take all the strength Bradshaw would give him here. “And it might be a little early to say this again and all, but I love him, too. So, yeah, I’ll definitely be playing my cards right and put a ring on him. Sorry to disappoint, of course.” There was no ounce of him that even sounded the least bit sorry, however.
His dad’s eyes darted from him to Bradley then back to him.
“Oh. I, uh, I see.” His father forced a small smile to Bradley. “Well, then, it’s a pleasure to meet you, young man.”
“Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw,” Bradley offered when it was clear Jake’s father was looking for a name to put to the face.
Jake caught the instant look of recognition flash in his father’s eyes and scrambled for words to stop the train wreck from happening.
“Bradshaw? Your callsign isn’t Rooster by chance, is it?” asked Admiral Seresin.
“It is, sir. I’ve separated from the Navy recently, however.”
“You’re the man my son risked his life for two years ago. The one he saved in that shitty ass captured F-16.”
“I am, sir,” Bradley replied, holding the stormy blue gaze. “In fact, I wouldn’t be standing here today if it weren’t for Jake’s heroic actions that day.”
Jake’s stomach rolled in anticipation. His father never found anything he ever did heroic. In fact, the words ‘idiotic’ and ‘reckless’ usually were used to describe Jake’s actions according to his father.
“Dad—”
His father waved his hand at him, stealing all the words from Jake’s mouth again.
Obedience at all costs. All times. No matter what.
Obey or be punished. That was the rule.
“If you’ll excuse us, however, we have to be going. My fathers and mom don’t like it when we’re late to dinner. You understand, don’t you, sir?” Bradley asked, pulling them away the second Jake’s father dismissed them with another sharp wave.
Jake didn’t need to be told twice.
He focused on Bradley walking beside him as they rushed to the familiar Bronco. Each step it became a little easier to breathe thankfully.
The second their vehicle doors shut, cutting them off from the rest of the world, Jake let out the breathe he had been holding since they left. His lungs burned, but relief pooled into his belly.
“Your fathers and mom?” Jake repeated, glancing at Bradley. “You’ve never once called Admiral Kazansky, Mav, and Mama Mitchell that before.”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t know that,” chuckled Bradley, placing his hand on Jake’s thigh and rubbing it. “I’m sorry if that worried you, though. I just thought I’d take a page out of Mel’s book and poke the bear a bit before we left.”
“Yeah, well, the next time you do that, could you give a man a little warning please?”
“Deal.” Bradley then leaned closer before he kissed Jake softly. “I meant what I said, though. Play your cards right, and I might be persuaded to marry your sorry princess ass.”
“Oh, honey bear, you couldn’t afford my princess ass.”
Bradley chuckled. “We’ll see.”
It was funny if he looked back on it now.
The first time Bradley lost his temper on him, Jake had been reminded of his father’s temper, of all the times when Jake displeased his father growing up. Those moments with Bradley still bothered him, yes, but they were in a much better place now. He could recognize those scary moments as what they were with Bradley—mistakes, outbursts to release pressure that had built up, regrets later.
Jake wasn’t Admiral Seresin any more than Bradley was his father.
They were their own people.
But unlike the first time, they had a path now, a shared end goal in mind.
And they were working through their trauma together.
They were slaying their monsters side by side.