Ruin’s Embattlement (Tenillo Guardians AIMC #19)
Tanner
7%
These last few months of active duty and processing out of the Marines were going to drive me insane.
While I enjoyed my time in the Corps, I was ready to go home.
I needed to take up my duties as a prospect full-time so that I could get on with my life.
I was more than ready to be an Ares Infidel.
I knew my family, extended and otherwise, was happy that I was coming home.
Well, everyone except maybe one—Desi.
She and I hadn’t been able to repair the damage caused to our friendship.
I took the bulk of the responsibility for that.
Since the day I said what I did about Shane, she had frozen me out.
She went out of her way to avoid me whenever I was home.
If she couldn’t do it, she would barely say a handful of words to me and make sure we were never alone. I fucking hated it.
After I got home, I hoped we’d find a way to be friends again.
Repairing the damage when I was home for such short stints was impossible.
The truth was, I missed my best friend.
Sure, I had friends here, but they weren’t Desi.
A knock on my door had me calling out, “Come in.”
The door swung open, and in came one of my closest Marine buddies, Konrad.
He was grinning.
Shit.
That didn’t bode well for me.
“Get your ass in gear, Fulton. You, me, and some of our guys are going out tonight, and we’re not taking no for an answer. You haven’t been out in a while, and the ladies are crying all over the base and town. We need you to sucker the ladies in for the rest of us.”
I rolled my eyes at his teasing.
If you listened to him, you’d think he never got female companionship, which was a lie.
“You guys don’t need me,” I protested.
I hadn’t been feeling like going out for a while.
“You either come quietly, or we’ll drag you kicking and screaming. Come on. The gang is going to miss us. Let’s go have fun.”
I kept trying, but in the end, he guilted me into going.
I consoled myself with the knowledge that I’d be home soon.
As much as I liked my gang, I loved home and was ready to rejoin that life.