Page 4 of Twins for the Secret Prince
“You can’t refuse. All it takes is one phone call and we’ll have you released from military duties.”
Pieter was so frustrated that he wanted to scream. Instead, he stayed as calm as he could and said, “Aren’t you forgetting something? I have dual citizenship. If you try to force me to come back here, I can choose to live in the United States.”
His father snorted. “You think we’re going to believe that you’d rather live there than here, in the palace of Laagestein?”
“If you’re forcing me out of the military here, I’ll join it there.”
“Pieter, you don’t know what you’re saying,” his mother said, looking devastated.
“You wouldn’t,” his father said. “I’ll make the call first thing in the morning. We’ll have them pack your things and send them here.”
“If you make that call, I’m leaving. This is no bluff.”
Pieter’s parents exchanged looks, and then his father sneered. “Fine, you go and see how much fun you have over there. You’ll be back here with your tail between your legs in no time.”
“We’ll see about that,” Pieter said, striding out of the room without a backward glance.
CHAPTER 1
EVA
Eva stood, arms crossed, and watched the new recruits as they ran past, completing their tenth lap of the perimeter. She watched as Private Sully slipped in the mud, not for the first time. And then, also not for the first time, one of his fellow recruits turned and offered him a helping hand. Eva was proud of the female recruit who’d prevented Private Sully from falling face-first in the mud, but she sighed nonetheless at the pattern that was already being established.
Part of her wanted to pull the female recruit aside and put a word in her ear about how difficult it was going to be for her in the military. She wanted to tell her it was unlikely to change; she’d go on lending a hand up to men at every turn. Not only would she not be recognized for it, but those same men would crawl over her to positions of power. Positions that she deserved.
A woman in a man’s world. Eva had accepted, after almost ten years in the military, that it would always be this way. But it didn’t mean she had to like it. And, when she saw history repeating itself over and over, she couldn’t help but feel the onuswas on her to try to change things. She knew that she’d failed to change much, if anything, all these years later. And it stung.
“Sergeant Bailey? Lieutenant Marshall wants to see you in his office.”
Eva saluted her fellow sergeant as he stepped into her place, hoping he didn’t see her flushed cheeks. When he’d called her name, for one terrifying second, she’d had the feeling someone had read her mind and was about to mete out punishment for her mental insubordination. But she knew that was ridiculous. She could be as rebellious in her thoughts as she wanted to be. And she often was. It was an effective coping strategy.
She knocked once, sharply, on Lieutenant Marshall’s door and waited for him to tell her she could come in. He didn’t invite her to sit down, but she could tell by his relaxed body language that she hadn’t been called to see him for any wrongdoing.
“How are the new recruits, sergeant?” he asked as he straightened a stack of papers on his desk.
“Doing well so far, sir. Some were a little rough around the edges when they arrived, but they’re already showing signs of improvement.”
“Good to hear. If anyone can smooth out rough edges, it’s you, sergeant,” he said, nodding his head and looking her directly in the eyes.
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“I called you in to let you know that one of the senior officers is stepping down. Imminently. That means there will be a promotion available to sergeant major. I have made it knownthat I believe you to be an excellent candidate. But nothing is handed to us on a silver platter, as you know, sergeant.”
“Yes, sir,” Eva said, trying to stay composed as her stomach flipped at the news.
“Let’s just say more than a few eyes will be on you in the next few weeks, looking to see whether you are up to the challenge. Work hard and show what you’re made of, and I believe you’ll be in with a good chance of becoming sergeant major.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you for your support, sir.” Eva stood even straighter, her head held high.
“It’s over to you now, sergeant. Show me, and more importantly, the senior officers, that my faith in you is well-placed.”
Eva gulped, fighting the feeling of panic building in her chest. She put on her best look of self-confidence and said, “Yes, sir. I’ll prove to you and the senior officers that I’m not just capable of being an excellent sergeant major, but the best sergeant major Alaska has ever seen.”
“Very good, sergeant. You’re dismissed.”
Eva saluted the lieutenant and walked quickly along the corridor away from his office and shut herself into the nearest bathroom stall. She punched the air, both with pleasure that her commanding officer had suggested her for promotion and out of frustration. How could she work any harder than she already was? She was burning the candle at both ends, working long hours, making sure to stay as physically fit and strong as she possibly could, and now she had to domore?
She didn’t know how she was going to do it, but she’d have to find a way. Shewouldfind a way, she knew, because shealways did. Being a female officer required levels of strength, stamina and ingenuity that were almost superhuman. The word made Eva smile. Yes, that was how she was going to do it, she decided. She’d be even more superhuman than usual. Super-duper-human.
