Page 70 of The Marine

His hands go to his hips. “Explain.”

“Her father died.”

“Did you kill him?” he asks, but he knows the answer to that.

I’ve killed. We both have.

The enemy—not innocent civilians.

That’s what we are trained to do, among other things.

“No. But her mother thought I was responsible. Long story short, I punched him the night before. Next day he dies of a heart attack. She tried to link the two things and failed.”

After a moment, Josh nods. “Let me guess. He hurt Briar.”

This is why we’re brothers. Not for a fucking second did he question any of that. And he quickly figured out what happened.

“Correct. And from what I learned, he had all her life.”

“Piece of shit.” Josh shakes his head and then, like a dam breaking open, I can’t stop goddamn talking.

“I was going to marry her. Maybe not immediately, but I knew she was the one. She always has been. For ten damn years I’ve been trying to get her out of my system, Josh. Ten fucking years. Now she’s here. What are the damn chances? The fucking long years and a thousand dates with women who I don’t care about.”

The truth is, I didn’t realize just how much Briar was living in my heart and soul every single day until I saw her.

Correction: until I kissed her again.

Maybe not even until this very minute now, I’m confessing.

“Well, second chances and all that. Go for it.” Josh shrugs as if it’s that easy.

I hesitate for a moment and then tell him the rest.

“She’s married.”

He stares back, rubbing his jaw.

“Okay, well, this is the part where I tell you I heard you in the bathroom.”

Crap.

“Please tell me you didn’t tell Cassy.” I curse, and he shoots me thatfuck offlook.

“Listen, you’re my best fucking friend and I’d die for you, but I’m not going to let you ruin your life by messing around with a married woman.”

This is why I didn’t want to tell him. Not because he has better ethics than me—hell, maybe he does— but this whole thing is complicated.

Not that he’s wrong.

Hell, even I don’t know what I’m doing. Partly because Briar won’t be honest with me about what’s going on with her and her husband.

To be fair, I spent the time we were going to talk between her legs licking her sweet wet pussy.

“They’re separated.” I say in defense.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I fucked her in her bed,” I reply without thinking.

---