“Sergeant, I’d like to speak to her alone.”

I looked over to Alex, feeling the need to keep him nearby since my nerves were fraying by the second. He nodded his head then stood, giving me a covert smile as he made his way out of the room. I had never felt so vulnerable.

First Sergeant O’Hara watched Alex leave the room, then turned to me. I told him everything from the beginning—how Allen had blindsided me, to the attack, to Angelica, and then to the firewatch.

“And how did Sergeant Cruz factor into this?” he asked. His beady eyes looked suspicious.

“All I remember is hearing the firewatch, and him pulling Allen off of me. Then after their fight, Sergeant Cruz coming in.”

He was dutifully note taking, looking up every so often to gauge my expressions, which only made me melt more. His eyes were like an incinerator to my soul, and I was slowly being burned with every passing second.

“Alright. Because this is an on-going investigation, with the potential for brig time, we will be canceling your orders. You will be staying in Twentynine, where a new set of orders will be issued to you.”

For the first time since he had come and sucked the life out of the room, I had a reason to smile, only I couldn’t because that would have been inappropriate in his presence.

“Okay, First Sergeant,” I managed to croak out, still under the intense heat from his stark gaze.

His eyes closed in on me, locking me down like I was about to be viciously devoured. It made me slink down in the bed a bit, afraid of what was coming next. “I told you sexual harassment was a big deal with the Corps, and its turning into quite the shit storm. I have been digging through everything with Private Allen, and I have come across some very eye opening information involving you and another Marine.” My throat suddenly closed, and it became hard to breathe, like my lungs had been doused in gasoline and lit on fire. “So, I am only going to ask you once—is there anything you would like to tell me, right now before I dig a little deeper? I don’t plan on taking this shit lightly.”

His lifeless eyes continued to rip through me, sending my guilt to the surface. It almost made me come out and remove the weight of it all from my shoulders. A second thought quickly came to mind, and I shoved it back down with the bile that was slowly rising as I almost released it all, surely destroying Alex and me for good.

I managed to keep my mouth shut, simply shaking my head and trying hard to look back into those menacing eyes, hoping to pacify him even for just a short while.

“Alright then. I will continue to dig through this cesspool. But if I find more shit, and I fully expect to, hell is going to be paid. You understand that?”

My lip began to quiver, and I made a conscious effort to stop it, not wanting to show any signs of guilt or weakness.

He turned and walked out of the room. I could hear him speak to Alex, grumbling, “I’ll need to see you in my office in ten minutes, Sergeant.”

“Roger that, First Sergeant,” Alex replied, then strolled back into the room.

First Sergeant O’Hara stalked away from the room, hitting the ground hard as he set off on his mission to destroy everything that we had tried to conceal. My stomach hurt more than any other part of my body. I felt as if I were trapped inside of an ever expanding balloon that was nearing its bursting point. The walls were closing in, and I felt it deep down in my gut—we were so close to being busted.

The nurse walked back into the room. There was no doubt in my mind that she had deliberately stayed away until First Sergeant left. She sat the water down, looking curiously at me. I thanked her and turned to Alex, hoping to get a sense of what he was feeling at the moment.

He wasn’t feeling anything. He was just as nonchalant as he was before First Sergeant had arrived. I wanted to understand it, but I couldn’t. The thought of whatever was about to go down in that office terrified me, and I wanted him to be even a tad bit concerned.

“Hey, why do you look like your cat just died? You get to stay in Twentynine, did you hear that?”

My frustration couldn’t be contained any longer. I didn’t understand him. I was losing my shit on the inside, and he was calm as could be.

“Alex. You are about to face the man that could very well destroy us—destroy you.”

He moved swiftly over to me, staring those engulfing honey colored eyes at me.

“First Sergeant O’Hara is a man of great integrity, so he’ll do whatever it is he has to do. If that means he destroys me, then he destroys me, but he will never destroy us. Ever! You understand that?”

His vigor and the passion burning through his eyes calmed me, making me realize that his concern was not in what could happen to him, but what could happen to us. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck as he leaned down. Tears trickled down my face as I watched this man, who was so dedicated to the Corps, cast it aside because of his blinding love for me. It was overwhelming, and at the moment, too much to take.

“You better get over there and see what he wants.”

He pulled back, wiping my tears away. He kissed me, then turned and walked out of the room, leaving me in a conflicted and convoluted mess. I was thrilled that Alex was devoted to me and willing to put everything on the line, but I was also depressed that having everything with me meant having so little with the Corps. I lay back in my bed and turned on the TV to try and drown out the damaging thoughts. There was no way that Alex would escape this meeting unscathed, and I only hoped that our love was enough to overcome the outcome of it all.

Chapter 33

Alex

The drive over to First Sergeant’s office was short and quick. I didn’t give myself much time to think about whatever it was that he was going to say. When I got out of my truck, I was ambushed by one troubling thought that hadn’t factored into my thought process since all of this had unraveled—Cassie. I knew that the gauntlet would be brought down on me, but I didn’t know how far they would push it with her, and the only sickness I could feel since all of this started was where she would be when all of the dust settled.

I walked up to his office, confidently striding through the corridors, almost eager to know what he wanted to do about all of this. There was no way I’d be coming away unmarked, and I was ready for it, but I was also ready to lessen the blow for the girl that meant more than anything to me. I knocked on the door, then turned the knob and walked in, coming face to face with a steely eyed, First Sergeant O’Hara.

“Come on in, Sergeant Cruz,” he greeted, his voice low and clipped.

I walked in, standing at attention as he stood and walked around his desk, standing in front of me.

“At ease, Sergeant. Take a seat.”

I sat down in the chair situated directly in front of his desk. He took his seat, pulling out a notepad and skimming over some notes before looking up to me. The ice from his cold, hard stare began circling the room, knocking my hardened demeanor and concerted effort to remain unfazed by all of this off of the high horse I had placed them on.

“I’m very sorry to have this happen within your class. Private Allen is currently in the hospital, on twenty-four hour watch, and as soon as he is better and discharged, he will be transferred to the brig awaiting court martial and subsequent discharge. You have my word on that.”

“Thank you, First Sergeant.”

“As for Pfc. Bennett, her orders have already been cancelled, and she will be reassigned here. We will need her for the investigation into the sexual harassment as well as the assault.”

His eyes lowered as the walls came closing in, encasing us in the small bubble that held trapped, stale air. He was calculating whatever he wanted to say next, and my breathing picked up, anxiously awaiting the venom that was sure to come spewing from his mouth.