Derek raised a hand, cutting him off. “Then she’ll handle it, Ace, just like she’s dealt with everything else in her life. And all of us here will be there to make damn sure she’s not alone.
Your job is to focus on getting the team in and out safely. This op isn’t designed to drag out. Quick insertion, get the job done, and extraction. If nothing goes sideways, you’ll be back before you know it.”
Ace let out a slow breath, the weight on his chest shifting but not entirely lifting. “And if something does go sideways?”
“You know the answer to that as well as I do,” Derek said, his voice quieter but no less resolute. “We adjust. We adapt. And you trust that Alex has the same grit she’s known for. Think positive, Ace. This mission will go off like clockwork, and everything will be fine here at home. Hell, if you’d feel more comfortable, I can talk to Tink and have one of his guys stay with her.”
Ace grinned. “I think we both know what Alex would say to that.”
Derek belted out a deep laugh. “Yeah, you’re right. When I was there the other day just visiting, she seemed in a hurry to kick me out.”
Ace chuckled. “Yeah. She’s in what she calls a nesting mode. It is fucking crazy.”
Derek just nodded. “Well, let’s just say that I’m only a phone call away. Plus, Tenley’s next door and Bailey is just down the street. The other ladies aren’t too far away either.”
Ace nodded again, though the gnawing doubt in his gut didn’t completely subside. He respected Derek more than anyone else in the world, but the stakes had never felt this personal. His heart was back home, and for the first time, the separation felt unbearable.
“Once the mission is complete, I’ll personally see to it you’re on the first transport home.”
Ace nodded, though it didn’t ease the tension in his chest. “Thank you, sir,” he replied, his voice even.
Ace stood up, and so Derek followed, placing a hand on Ace’s shoulder. “Get your gear together, then go home and spend some time with Alex. That’s an order.”
Ace allowed himself a small smile, the corners of his mouth tugging upward despite the storm swirling inside. “Yes, sir.”
As he walked out of the room, his steps felt heavier. But the thought of Alex waiting for him with that determined spark in her eyes gave him enough resolve to push forward.
As soon as Ace walked into the team’s gear room, all eyes were on him.
“You okay, Ace?” Skittles asked.
Ace nodded. “Yeah, I’m good. Let’s all just get our shit ready and head home to spend some time with our families before we meet back here.”
Ace looked over at Potter and Irish. “Do you guys want to meet at my house and just ride together?” he asked since they all lived on the same street.
“Sure,” Irish said.
“Sounds good,” Potter replied.
After a good half hour of getting things in order, Ace headed toward the parking lot. Climbing into his truck, he gripped the steering wheel tightly.
As he drove home, the streets of Virginia Beach rolled by, glistening under the holiday lights strung up along the roads. Houses were adorned with wreaths and lights, reminders that Christmas was just around the corner.
This is one part of his job that he fucking hated. Having to break the news to Alex that he was leaving was always tough. However, this time, it was worse.
He knew Alex would understand—she always did. But this time, he worried the understanding wouldn’t make it any easier.
CHAPTER TWO
The house smelled of fresh pine and cinnamon, and despite her swollen belly, Alex moved through her and Ace’s Virginia Beach home with an excited energy as Christmas music played softly.
She walked down the hallway and opened the door to the nursery. The baby’s room was nearly perfect, decorated with grays and whites—not because she and Ace had picked a color based on gender, but because they’d wanted a neutral, calming space. After all, they didn’t know if they were having a boy or a girl, and they didn’t want to. All they wished for was a healthy baby, and the surprise would be a gift they’d unwrap together when the time came.
She walked over to the dresser, folded the three pairs of tiny socks, and placed them in the top drawer.
She still couldn’t believe that in a matter of a couple of weeks, she and Ace would be parents. In the last few weeks, she had experienced so many different emotions, especially with how busy she was.
She suddenly felt a little flutter of anxiety. She was used to handling so much, managing every detail of her charity foundation that served veterans and military families, especially SEAL families like theirs.
