Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother Chapter 82

Eric’s laughing so hard his drink nearly spills. We’re tucked into the corner booth of a small bar that smells like fried onions and cheap whiskey, the kind of place we used to haunt during leave. Feels like another lifetime ago, and maybe it was.

“So we’re out in this godforsaken canyon in the middle of nowhere,” Eric says between wheezes, “and Murphy’s like, ‘Let’s try the ridge instead of going around,’ and we’re all like, ‘That’s stupid, Murph, you’ll blow out your ankle,’ but noooo—he’s a mountain goat now.”

I shake my head, laughing. “Didn’t he trip twenty seconds later?”

Eric nearly chokes. “Face-planted so hard his helmet cracked! Swear to god, man, he rolled like a cartoon character. Straight down the slope. Took out both med kits, a comms unit, and Tank’s ego on the way down.”

“Tank’s ego survived,” I mutter, smirking over my drink.

Eric grins, but then checks the time on his phone. “Shit. Almost midnight. If I’m not back in ten, my fiancée’s gonna commit actual murder.”

“Guess she loves you.” I lean back. “Somebody’s gotta.”

He laughs and slaps a few bills on the table. “You sticking around?”

“Nah,” I say, tossing mine down. “I’ll head out.”

We do that awkward side-hug thing where we’re both trying not to crush each other’s injuries—his arm’s still bandaged, mine is mostly healed but sore.

“Drive safe,” he says, heading for the door. “You good to drive?”

“Only had one,” I nod, and he vanishes into the night.

I slip into my car, flick on the ignition—and check my phone.

Two missed calls. Penny.

My stomach drops. The time stamps are from ten minutes ago. I call back immediately.

She picks up fast. “Asher?”

“Penny,” I say, sitting up straighter. “Are you okay? Why did you call?”

She doesn’t answer right away.

I hear a sniffle.

“Penny, what’s wrong?” My pulse spikes.

“I didn’t know who else to call,” she whispers.

Fuck.

“Are you with Tyler?”

A pause. “Y-yeah.”

I grab the wheel like it might stabilize me. “Okay. Don’t move. I’m coming.”

I flick open the app. The tracker I installed on Tyler’s phone lights up on the map like a goddamn flare. I punch the gas and fly down the highway. If a cop pulls me over tonight, I’ll take the damn ticket. I don’t care. I’ve got one priority and she’s waiting at some house surrounded by beer-soaked strangers.

The house comes into view, lit up like Vegas.

There’s people passed out on the lawn. A guy’s throwing up in a bush. Music thumps from the walls, and a girl’s dancing on the railing.

And there—near the stairs—is Penny.

She looks so small it makes my chest ache. I park like a demon and get out, striding straight for her.

She sees me and stands up fast, clutching herself like she’s not sure whether to cry or bolt.

I try not to let my eyes drag over her, but damn. That outfit. The hair. It would wreck me if I didn’t feel like I was about to kill someone.

“What happened?” I ask, trying to stay calm.

She hesitates. “How did you know where we were?”

“Tyler’s tracker,” I say. “Now tell me what happened.”

She’s too shaken to talk. So I scan her instead.

There’s still a healing cut on her cheek, faint but visible. I lift her sleeve. Nothing. She doesn’t even flinch—she’s that out of it. That scares me more than anything.

Then I check her other arm, lift her sleeve up—and stop.

Her wrist is red. Ugly red. Deep.

My throat closes.

I step back to get a better look, and that’s when I see it—her thigh. Same angry red mark.

No.

“Who did that to you?” I ask, voice low and deadly.

She shakes her head, silent.

I crouch in front of her, gently but firmly. “Penny. Give me the name of the fucking asshole who hurt you.”

She blinks. “I… I called because Tyler—he’s out of control.”

That slams into me harder than a punch.

“What do you mean?” I say, standing back up.

“He’s so drunk, Asher. Like, throwing-up, barely-standing drunk. And still drinking. He got mad when I said I wanted to leave. Told me to go home if I wasn’t having fun. Mila’s gone. I had no way to get home.”

I press my mouth into a hard line. She’s spiraling, so I interrupt.

“Where is he?”

“Downstairs.”

I hand her my car keys. “Go. Sit in the car. Lock the doors.”

“I—”

“Penny. I’m not asking.”

She flinches and nods, taking the keys with shaking fingers.

As she walks toward my car, I turn back toward the house.

I’m going to murder someone.

Inside, it’s chaos. Bodies everywhere. The air smells like sweat, booze, and god knows what else.

The basement is louder—music, yelling, slurred singing. I head down.

Tyler’s there, laughing his head off. Beer pong. Red solo cups. He’s swaying.

People notice me. “Hey! Army guy’s back!” someone yells.

Rebecca stumbles toward me, barely wearing a dress. Her makeup’s smeared, her eyes glassy. “Hey, you,” she purrs, running a hand down my chest.

I grab her wrist and move her aside.

Tyler hasn’t seen me yet.

I tap his shoulder.

He turns—and holy hell. He’s wasted. His pupils are blown wide. He grins. “Big bro! Come drink with us!”

“Time to go,” I say flatly.

“What? Nooo, man. C’mon, have some fun.”

“Who hurt Penny?” I ask.

“What?”

“You didn’t see anyone hurt her?”

“No! What are you talking about?”

“Her wrist. Her thigh. Tyler, look at me.” He's so wasted his gaze keeps drifitng away from me.

“I didn’t see anything,” he mutters.

Then Zoe, from what I remember, pipes up from the corner. “I mean… maybe it was you, Ty. You were pretty rough when she got all dramatic and wouldn't shut up. Not saying she didn't deserve it.”

Some of them laugh.

I don’t.

I scan the room. “Whose house is this?”

“Mine,” this guy says, raising a hand.

“How drunk are you?”

“Not like… blackout.”

“Can he stay here tonight?”

He nods. “Yeah, of course.”

“Then do whatever the fuck you want. But if he drinks one more drop, I’ll call the cops. You hear me?”

The whole basement freezes.

The guy gulps. “Yes, sir.”

I turn and storm upstairs, still shaking with fury. Outside, I see her in my car, huddled in the seat like she’s trying to disappear.

She looks up when I open the door.

“Let’s get you home,” I say, soft this time.

She doesn’t answer.

But she’s safe. And that’s the only thing keeping me from turning around and burning that whole fucking house to the ground.