Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129027 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Wow, I just realized how hungry I am.
“What are you doing?” Drew whispers under his breath. Like a ventriloquist, his mouth barely even moves. “You know you’re just antagonizing her.”
I give a little, imperceptible shrug. “I’ve still got to do what’s right for me. I can’t destroy myself just to make her happy. See how much calmer I am?”
He looks at me, his brows furrowing the tiniest bit in clear confusion. “You’ve been different lately.”
I smile at him. Widely. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
SIXTEEN
ISAAK
Watching from the sidelines as Kira’s forced to sit up straight and act right is one of the most painful evenings I’ve ever endured.
It’s apparently good that I’ve never been around folks this rich or entitled before because instead of going into the military, I might’ve ended up in prison for choking one of the motherfuckers out. Sure, I’ve gotten in my share of fights, but I’m not usually given to violent impulses.
These people, though. Damn.
I come from regular folks. If they want to insult you, they do it the old-fashioned way—get drunk and yell it to your face. The brawling and furniture breaking starts, and after, it’s either more beer for all or you sleep it off in the drunk tank.
But this shit is next level. The whole room has polished white granite walls and tile floors, so the sound echoes. Between the tinkling piano music, I can hear whispered conversations bouncing over to my corner from all over the room.
That Carol is a trip and a half, which I knew from before in the dressing room. Turns out she’s just a duck leading all the other ugly ducklings around the pond, and none of them are ever gonna turn into swans.
Except Kira, who’s been swanning over all their asses the whole time, no matter how many dour, beige dresses her mother stuffs her into. God knows what she’s doing with that dumb bastard in the tux beside her, besides him being slick as snot.
The hors d'oeuvres are still being passed around when a tall, elderly man with trim white hair and an expensive suit approaches me.
“Hello, son,” he says affably. “You’re military, am I right?”
“I was.” I keep my affect flat. Who is this guy?
He smiles winsomely. “I can always tell. You’ve got a different stance than these other college boys.” He nods to the other security personnel standing around the room. It’s clear there are people of importance here. “How many tours?”
“Two.”
“Thank you for your service.”
I give a perfunctory smile.
“I never served myself. Flat feet, you understand.”
It’s difficult, but I keep my eye roll internal as he continues, “But we made sure all you boys were armed to the teeth. I served at Ratheon for forty proud years.”
I shift to look over his shoulder, eyes always on Kira. And so I don’t punch this asshole in the face. I’m all for supporting the troops, but this fuck-head strikes me as a warmonger who’s made all his money off other people’s suffering.
“Sorry, can’t talk, I’m on duty tonight,” I say, hoping he’ll get the drift and move on.
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Kira’s my daughter.”
That surprises me enough to shift my eyes back to him for only a moment before centering them back on Kira again.
“And?”
“And her mother tells me you are quite the valiant protector.”
“Just doing my job.”
“Of course, of course. Frankly, I’d prefer to have a former soldier who’s actually seen some action looking after our girl than some asshole grunt with no real combat experience if you know what I mean.” He says it under his breath like we’re part of the same club.
We’re not. He was not my brother out in the sandbox. Considering the political connections in this room, this asshole was probably part of the powers that be that sent us there in the first place.
But I’m not some jackhole in my 20’s who needs to pop off every time some asshole in a suit thinks he knows me.
I know how to keep my cool. “I will keep your daughter safe.”
“Of course. Of course.” He pats me on my shoulder with too firm a grip, then clenches and squeezes. “I also heard you’re looking to set up your own private security agency. It’s hard to make it in this town. I should know, I’ve got several friends in the biz. A recommendation from me could really make you or break you.”
His friendliness is tinted with warning, and I get it now—why he came up to me like this.
I should’ve known. It’s always this way with guys like this, isn’t it? They think their influence is so all powerful because for so much of their life, it was. The truth is, he’s a dinosaur now. The world is moving on and leaving men like him behind. But not soon enough.