Page 306 of 5+Us Makes Seven

“Do I sound like I care?” the man yelled.

“Who am I speaking with?”

“You will know my name soon enough. For now, understand you need to come back to Afghanistan and finish what you started.”

“Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Put Aamir back on the phone.”

“Beware, Mr. Anderson. We have eyes all around the world watching.”

The call ended. I put the phone in front of my face and stared at the screen, still unable to believe what had just happened. Did Max have something to do with it?

If he did, it would explain why he had reached out to me out of nowhere nearly a year after we got out of the military because things were too hot to continue.

I pushed Afghanistan out of my mind, hoping this was just a dirty joke because Max was still bitter that I refused to go into business with him again.

I began replaying some of the better moments from the night before. Unlike other women, I found myself still captivated by Jade.

After finishing my coffee, I left my apartment and walked a few blocks to the nearest Central Park entrance. Why hadn’t Jade told me the truth?

I bounced the question around, unable to come up with an answer. Determined to confront her about it, I sent a text message in the early afternoon.

“Your place or mine tonight?”

“Start at my place ;)”

The winking smiley set off something in me. The more I thought about her not telling me about Max, the angrier I became. Would she lie about other things?

Did lies of omission not count?

My thoughts went back and forth the rest of the afternoon as I ran some errands then returned to my apartment for a nap before going to meet her.

TWENTY

Cooper

By the time evening rolled around, I had myself worked up, ready to go off on her about keeping secrets from me. The closer I got to her apartment, the more upset I became.

Sure, she was a good lay, but it wasn’t worth this game she was playing. What the hell had I been thinking? I hit the buzzer for her apartment around six o’clock.

After confronting her, we would either fuck our brains out or I would leave and go get drunk on my own. She buzzed the door open right away. I opened it and went inside.

On the elevator ride up, an apparent housewife, her hair still in curlers, turned to smile at me. I smiled back and nodded in recognition, hoping she got off before me.

We stopped. The door slid open and she got out, glancing over her shoulder. I hit the button to close the door, preparing to give Jade a piece of my mind.

I had given her too much of my time already. If she didn’t come clean about everything, I would kick her out of my life. It was that fucking simple.

The elevator door slid open on her floor. I stepped out and headed toward her apartment. With each step, I prepared myself for the confrontation.

She wasn’t expecting me to ask her about Max, which gave me an advantage in the coming battle of the sexes. I loved fucking her, but I wasn’t about to let a woman walk all over me.

I rapped on the door three times. She opened it a few seconds later, a smile on her face. Her wet, curly hair made her look even more hot, not to mention the half-open robe exposing her soft cleavage.

“Hey, you’re early. Come in. I just got out of the shower.”

“Yeah, we need to talk,” I said, walking in and shutting the door behind me.

“Can you talk in the shower?” she teased, pressing her body against me.

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