nc

ing the glass of fire would som

uckin

fore rubbing his face with his hands. After we’d left Kenzie back downstairs, we’

d into his hands, pouring myself anothe

went t

id down his face,

fucking t

I looked into my glass. “We’re stronge

d how’d that work out for you ba

we

t men didn’t possess. They were skills we’d honed in the Marines, in Kabul, where we’d met. Later, after the service, we’d sharpened those skills

e to buy us out, we both knew it’d be foolish to ignore it. Soldiering, and training others

our great- grandchildren were set for life, unless they totally fucked it up. So, we had the money, Wilder had his dream home out h

nzie had showed up

ng to each other — not directly at least. But I knew my friend well enough to know he was thinking the same very inappropriate things about our little

mn brain for life. That look was hunger, and want, and my balls tingled at the memory of it. There was jealousy there too — at least a little bit, if I’m being honest.

his hands on her like that, or touching her like that, well fuck, we’d be in a very different place in this study. If it’d been anyone else but m

g at my friend. T

downstairs, we were avoiding it. Neither of us was going to be the first one to just

imself another splash of obscenely expensive

ght, “discipline.” Not “putting our hands on the girl

that way, I guess. Fine.

ve her thinking she can just run out whenever she w

t the thought of the who s

on’t t

his head, his

y gotten anything from her, she’d ha

” I gr

orts of bullshit Marine arrogance and un

, h

nodded. “You and me both, ma

saying I’m in charge of

uickly, like maybe he was reminding hi

he’s out of control. Maybe she needs two firm hands of di

odd

went too far ton

am

n’t le

there with her,” b

things escal

thing tomorrow, I guess. You know, apol

like I knew both of us had beendyingto do si

. “You know I’m gone tomorrow. Just k

unting stuff from a few of the auxiliary branches of o

eep her out

keep my

e her should she tr

cock didn’t throb rock-fu