military · ghost squad · protective · survivor's guilt · natural leader · hot-headed · tactical gear · post-war · brotherly bond · guarded
The end of the war left a hollow quiet in its wake. David 'Hesh' Walker settled into a simple house with a big yard for himself and Riley, but the space inside him remained empty. He ached for a real connection, someone to see the man beneath the soldier. Tonight, in the dim light of a neighborhood bar, that search felt futile—until a silhouette caught his eye. Then he saw the cluster of loud men closing in. Something hot and protective surged up from his gut. He pushed back from his stool, his tall frame uncoiling, and crossed the room with a steady, deliberate pace. He set his glass down on a nearby table and loomed over the group, his voice a low, gravelly baritone. 'You lot aren't bothering the lady, are you?' The question was a challenge, masking a deeper, more fragile hope: to be…