SEALed Forever Read online

  SEALed Forever

  Bone Frog Brotherhood Book 3

  Sharon Hamilton

  Sharon Hamilton’s Book List

  SEAL Brotherhood Series

  Accidental SEAL (Book 1)

  Fallen SEAL Legacy (Book 2)

  SEAL Under Covers (Book 3)

  SEAL The Deal (Book 4)

  Cruisin’ For A SEAL (Book 5)

  SEAL My Destiny (Book 6)

  SEAL Of My Heart (Book 7)

  Fredo’s Dream (Book 8)

  SEAL My Love (Book 9)

  SEAL Brotherhood Box Set 1 (Accidental SEAL & Prequel)

  SEAL Brotherhood Box Set 2 (Fallen SEAL & Prequel)

  Ultimate SEAL Collection Vol. 1 (Books 1-4 / 2 Prequels)

  Ultimate SEAL Collection Vol. 2 (Books 5-7)

  Bad Boys of SEAL Team 3 Series

  SEAL’s Promise (Book 1)

  SEAL My Home (Book 2)

  SEAL’s Code (Book 3)

  Big Bad Boys Bundle (Books 1-3 of Bad Boys)

  Band of Bachelors Series

  Lucas (Book 1)

  Alex (Book 2)

  Jake (Book 3)

  Jake 2 (Book 4)

  Big Band of Bachelors Bundle

  True Blue SEALs Series

  True Navy Blue (prequel to Zak)

  Zak (Includes novella above)

  Nashville SEAL Series

  Nashville SEAL (Book 1)

  Nashville SEAL: Jameson (Books 1 & 2 combined)

  Silver SEALs

  SEAL Love’s Legacy

  Sleeper SEALs

  Bachelor SEAL

  Stand Alone SEALs

  SEAL’s Goal: The Beautiful Game

  Love Me Tender, Love You Hard

  Bone Frog Brotherhood Series

  New Year’s SEAL Dream (Book 1)

  SEALed At The Altar (Book 2)

  SEALed Forever (Book 3)

  SEAL’s Rescue (Book 4)

  Paradise Series

  Paradise: In Search of Love

  Novellas

  SEAL You In My Dreams (Magnolias and Moonshine)

  SEAL Of Time (Trident Legacy)

  Fall From Grace Series (Paranormal)

  Gideon: Heavenly Fall

  Golden Vampires of Tuscany Series (Paranormal)

  Honeymoon Bite (Book 1)

  Mortal Bite (Book 2)

  Christmas Bite (Book 3)

  Midnight Bite (Book 4 Coming Summer 2019)

  The Guardians (Paranormal)

  Heavenly Lover (Book 1)

  Underworld Lover (Book 2)

  Underworld Queen (Book 3)

  Audiobooks

  Sharon Hamilton’s books are available as audiobooks narrated by J.D. Hart.

  About the Book

  At forty years of age, Special Operator Tucker Hudson re-qualifies and joins SEAL Team 3 but must leave behind his young bride. He steps into a dangerous deployment in Central Africa to hunt down a drug and child sex trafficking warlord. But the hazardous duty is made even more perilous by the knowledge that his best friend and team buddy, Brawley Hanks, suffers from effects of his previous deployments.

  Brandy Hudson knows her big man with his huge heart must do what he’s called to do to protect his team both in the arena and at home. She hopes that his sacrifice will not prove too precious. But she also knows this comes with being the wife of an elite warrior. He’s the man she’s searched for her whole life.

  Their relationship will be tested while they stay connected during his deployment and afterwards. Brandy knows she must brace herself for whatever happens when he comes home.

  But life is not always fair as tragedy strikes their SEAL family, and rocks the foundations of their love to the core. Will they be the couple to survive, or will one of them be left behind?

  Book 3 of the Bone Frog Brotherhood.

  Begin Reading

  SEAL Encounter (Bonus Novella)

  Dedication

  About the Author

  Table of Contents

  Copyright © 2019 by Sharon Hamilton

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. In many cases, liberties and intentional inaccuracies have been taken with rank, description of duties, locations and aspects of the SEAL community.

  License Notes

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Author’s Note

  I always dedicate my SEAL Brotherhood books to the brave men and women who defend our shores and keep us safe. Without their sacrifice, and that of their families—because a warrior’s fight always includes his or her family—I wouldn’t have the freedom and opportunity to make a living writing these stories. They sometimes pay the ultimate price so we can debate, argue, go have coffee with friends, raise our children and see them have children of their own.

  One of my favorite tributes to warriors resides on many memorials, including one I saw honoring the fallen of WWII on an island in the Pacific:

  “When you go home

  Tell them of us, and say

  For your tomorrow,

  We gave our today.”

  These are my stories created out of my own imagination. Anything that is inaccurately portrayed is either my mistake, or done intentionally to disguise something I might have overheard over a beer or in the corner of one of the hangouts along the Coronado Strand.

  I support two main charities. Navy SEAL/UDT Museum operates in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Please learn about this wonderful museum, all run by active and former SEALs and their friends and families, and who rely on public support, not that of the U.S. Government.

  www.navysealmuseum.org

  I also support Wounded Warriors, who tirelessly bring together the warrior as well as the family members who are just learning to deal with their soldier’s condition and have nowhere to turn. It is a long path to becoming well, but I’ve seen first-hand what this organization does for its warriors and the families who love them. Please give what your heart tells you is right. If you cannot give, volunteer at one of the many service centers all over the United States. Get involved. Do something meaningful for someone who gave so much of themselves, to families who have paid the price for your freedom. You’ll find a family there unlike any other on the planet.

  www.woundedwarriorproject.org

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Sharon Hamilton’s Book List

  About the Book

  Copyright Page

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19<
br />
  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  SEAL Encounter

  Title Page

  From the Author

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  About the Author

  Reviews

  SEAL Prayer

  Chapter 1

  Navy SEAL Tucker Hudson squinted across the beach bonfire that roared taller than any of the men on his SEAL Team 3. He was back—at least in all the ways he could be at forty years of age. A retread. He’d survived the landmines of past deployments and the vacancy of those years off the teams, as well as the grueling BUD/S training re-qualifying for his spot. He was ready for his first mission as a new silver SEAL, as the ladies called him. He was a Bone Frog, one of the old guys on SEAL Team 3.

  He was ready for the do-over. Told himself he deserved it. But just to add a little gasoline to the fire in his soul, his childhood best friend, Brawley Hanks, was failing. And that’s what ate at him.

  Brawley had just spent six months in rehab while Tucker completed his SQT, SEAL Qualification Training. His chief, Kyle Lansdowne, had misgivings about allowing Brawley to go on the next mission to Africa, but since Tucker would be there, his LPO had overruled a suggestion from higher up to sit him out. This didn’t help Tucker’s nerves any. He knew it was his job to cover all that up and make those jitters disappear.

  He watched the ladies dancing around the bonfire and looked for his wife of two months. Brandy cooed over Dorie and Brawley’s little pink daughter while Dorie showed her off. The toddler was fast asleep. Several of the Team’s kids jumped to get a look at the child until Dorie knelt and let them stand in a circle and check her out.

  Their particular SEAL platoon tradition made them gather at the beach before a new deployment. All the wives, the kids, the close girlfriends, and occasionally parents were there. But only those on the inside, in the know. Some had lost loved ones. Some had been injured. Some had suffered too much. But these were the people who held them all together—who would hold Brandy together while he was gone.

  The past two years with Brandy had been the hardest but most rewarding years of his life. When he was a younger SEAL, sometimes the ladies made him nervous since he didn’t have anyone to come home to. But now that he did, now that he could actually lose something dear to him, it made this little celebration all the more special. He’d missed those evenings under the stars in Coronado, surrounded by life and the promise of living forever.

  No one else would understand this kind of SEAL brotherhood, Tucker thought. You had to live it to know how it felt to be part of this family. You had to cry and celebrate with these people, tell them things would turn out, somehow. The miraculous would happen, because it always did. That’s who they were. There wasn’t any other group in the whole world he’d rather be a part of.

  He’d tried doing without before. He knew better.

  Tucker studied the beautiful, round face of his new bride and all her other curves that enticingly called to him by firelight. It seemed she grew more and more stunning every day. Her eyes met his, and he glanced down quickly, embarrassed that he might look like a teenage boy. But that’s the way he felt. He was back to being the big, quiet kid the Homecoming Queen or head cheerleader came over to tease. It used to happen a lot in high school and he’d never gotten used to it.

  Chief Petty Officer Kyle Lansdowne took up a seat next to him. His chief was the most respected man on the team, even more than some of the officers, who were never invited to these events. Kyle had worked hard to make sure Tucker came to his squad. Although slightly younger than Tucker or Brawley, Kyle’s experience leading successful campaigns through sticky assignments made him one of Team 3’s most valuable assets.

  “You nervous?” his LPO asked.

  “You asked me that the day of my wedding, remember?”

  Kyle nodded.

  “I was nervous then.” Tucker took a pull on his long-necked beer. “I know what I’m getting into this time.” He smiled, which was reflected back to him.

  “Well, you know what they say about leading men. Don’t ask a question you don’t know the answer to first.” Kyle clinked his bottle against Tucker’s.

  “Hey, meant to give you a big congrats on making Chief.”

  “I have the best fuckin’ platoon on the Teams. Makes it easy,” Kyle said with a wink.

  “Easy? You fuckin’ said easy? That’s B.S. and you know it.”

  They clinked glasses again and watched the children fawning over Brawley’s daughter, still sleeping by the firelight, tucked in Dorie’s arms. Kyle’s two were right in the middle of them. Brandy gave Tucker a sexy wave.

  “You got a good one, Tucker. I’m really happy for you,” Kyle whispered, continuing to follow the ladies.

  “You bet I did.” Tucker meant every word he uttered. He’d always liked women he could grab onto and squeeze without breaking half her ribs. Brandy had the heart he did and that fierce joy of living, which also matched his own. And she’d earned that because of how she’d fought for every ounce of respect she so richly deserved. She spoke her mind. She loved with abandon, and he was damned lucky to have her in his corner. He was also grateful she let him go off and be a warrior again, just when most friends his age had wives ragging on them to quit.

  And that was okay too. The SEAL teams were a revolving door of fresh and old faces, and internal dramas played out every day all over the world. It was sometimes hardest on the families. Men had to consider all of that when they played Varsity.

  Kyle searched the crowd.

  “I haven’t seen him in about twenty minutes,” Tucker mumbled. It worried him, too, that Brawley wasn’t nearby. “I think he might have gone to get more beer, but that’s just a rumor.”

  He knew Kyle suspected he was making up a safe story, which is why he didn’t say a word. Then his chief slowly turned, facing him. “You let me know if he gets shaky, and I thoroughly suspect he will.” Kyle’s voice was low, avoiding anyone else’s ears.

  The two men stared at each other for a few long seconds.

  “I got it, Kyle. He’s not on his own.”

  “And you only risk a little. Don’t let that go over the edge.”

  “We don’t leave men behind.” Tucker knew Kyle understood what he meant.

  “No, we don’t. I want you both upright. Both of you, Tucker.”

  “Roger that.”

  They gripped hands. Then Kyle broke it off and punched him in the arm.

  “Dayam, Tucker. You can stop drinking those protein shakes anytime now.”

  Tucker liked that thought but dished some trash talk back. “Lannie, it ain’t protein shakes. It’s her,” he said, aiming his beer bottle at Brandy. “You should see how she works me out.”

  Kyle stood up and then murmured, “I can’t unsee that, dammit,” and disappeared into the crowd.

  Tucker hoped Brawley would show himself soon. His “ghosting” wasn’t a good sign. He should be at Dorie’s side. Tucker kept searching and then finally spotted Brawley pissing into the surf, which meant he was drunker than he should be.

  Come on, Brawley. You’re gonna get us both killed.

  Brandy was still occupied with the women, and Kyle was having a little nuzzle time with Christy while carrying one of his two on his shoulders. Tucker scrambled to his feet and strolled toward his best friend, who was now throwing rocks into the ocean. His jeans were wet, and he was barefoot.

  Brawley Hanks grew up alongside Tucker’s family in Oregon. He couldn’t ever remember a time when they weren’t best friends. Always competitors when it came to sports and girls, even enlisting in the Navy the same day, they attended the same BUD/S class. They’d planned on getting out after their ten years, but close to the end, Brawley met Dorie, and, well, the poor guy couldn’t help himself and got hitched up. She had pushed for the re-signing bonus so they could buy a nice house in Coronado. A beautiful
, classy girl with all the wildness Brawley had, Dorie was missing his self-destructive bend.

  Tucker wondered at first if their marriage would survive, but as Brawley showed all the signs of getting seriously embroiled in a lusty kind of full-tilt love that made him go stupid and do dumb things like buy flowers, Tucker became convinced his friend had finally been tamed and had given up his wandering ways.

  Except that after his last two deployments, Brawley returned to his old ways—being the bad boy he’d always been before he met Dorie. He drank and chased too much. And although they had high hopes for his rehab, Tucker wasn’t as convinced as Brandy or Dorie that his bad days were behind him.

  “Hit any fish yet?” he asked Brawley.

  “Fuck no,” Hanks replied, slurring his words and letting go of another smooth, flat stone. It didn’t skip like he’d been aiming to do.

  “You know the more you hit the ocean, that ocean is gonna get you back, Brawley.”

  “I’m registering my complaint.”

  Tucker had to proceed with caution. He was at one of those turning points. But if Brawley lost it, at least he’d lose it here and save Kyle the trouble of having him sent home in shame. It sucked to be thinking this way just a day from deployment, but it was what it was. No sense sugar-coating it.

  “I think your registration is going to the wrong department. Got your branches of service mixed up, Brawley. You should take it up with the man upstairs. Have you had that conversation recently?”

  Brawley squinted back at him, as if the moonlight hurt his eyes. He did look like a big teenager, albeit a lethal one.

  “I wear the Trident. Poseidon and Davy Jones are my buds. The man upstairs has given up on me.”

  His challenge hit Tucker in his stomach. You dumb fuck. Where are you goin’?

  He walked to within inches of Brawley’s hulking form. Inhaling deeply, he worked to calm himself down so it would be effective. He knew he only could say this once, so he made sure Brawley didn’t misunderstand his steely stare.

  “I’m going to remind you that you brought a daughter into the world. What kind of a world do you want her to grow up in, you old fart? You want her to grow up with an angry son-of-a-bitch for a father like you did, Brawley?”