Page 21 of Indirect Attack
Greg took another step back to his credit, but that was the extent of his self-preservation as he settled his glare on Ben again. “You’re just a dumb jarhead. Why don’t yet get fucking lost.”
I heard the struggle behind me before I saw it, whirling to find Ben’s Marine buddy pushing him back away from Greg.
“Cool it,” I heard the hissed words, then again, “Cool off, Rusev. This guy isn’t worth it. I’ll see if I can find someone else to talk to.”
For a moment, Ben looked like he was going to shove the other Marine aside, his eyes full of fire as he glared daggers at Greg. Then he threw his buddy off and stalked back to the Humvee, hauling open the door and jumping inside.
The excitement over, everyone began wandering away, so I was the only one who saw Ben hang his head to rest his forehead on the steering wheel. It was a gesture I remembered well, one I’d seen after he’d gotten into a fight with one of his brothers or his father—one that meant he was trying to calm himself down and beating himself up about the way he’d reacted.
Something about the gesture sparked something in me, a desperate need for my oldest friend, someone who had once been my best friend, to know the truth. I needed to know he knew what had really happened that night, and I didn’t want him hearing it from Greg.
When I jumped into the Humvee’s passenger seat, Ben looked up, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Jasmine? You can’t be in here.”
“Well, I am, so what? You’re not the only one who needs to get away from Greg the Egg.”
Ben stared at me for a moment, then finally blinked. “Do they really call him that?”
“No.” I flashed him a grin. “It just popped into my head and seemed right for the moment.”
Ben remained staring for another heartbeat. Then I saw his expression break like a storm finally releasing rain, and he chuckled, shaking his head.
“I’m serious. You can’t be in here, Jasmine,” he repeated, running a hand through his hair.
“I’ll get out in a second, but not before I tell you what happened with Greg that night. Yes, he was my boyfriend at the time, but I was about to break up with him. I didn’t ask him to go out to talk to you that night—he did it by himself. He’s jealous and petty and has a Napoleon complex the size of New York City. He’d seen your pictures and heard me talk about you and knew you were a threat. I broke up with him while you were driving away, and the only time I’ve seen him since is in a professional capacity. I swear. I tried to text and call you that night, but you never answered.”
I took a deep breath to refill my lungs after the rush of words I’d been rehearsing over and over for the past three years. They’d all come out in such a rush, tumbling and bumping together, and I wasn’t even sure if they’d made sense, much less how Ben would react. I watched his face for a reaction.
But his expression remained carefully neutral, telling me nothing at all.
“Thank you for telling me.” Ben’s words remained polite, and he took a deep breath. “I’m off duty as soon as I get back to base,so we can meet at the hotel later like we’d planned if you’re still up for it.”
I’d expected some kind of response from Ben to my admission, maybe relief or anger or something. Anything. But this chilled response wasn’t it, and confusion and doubt settled in the pit of my stomach. Perhaps he didn’t care at all anymore. Or he’d found someone else, and this was just a catch-up with an old friend.
“Yeah, sure.” I felt myself deflate. “I’ll see you tonight.”
The other Marine was coming back toward the vehicle as I slipped down from the high perch, and he nodded as I stepped back to allow him room inside. The door shut, the engine roared to life, and then they drove away.
As I watched the Humvee disappear, the unsettled feeling from earlier returned. And yet, I still couldn’t parse it out or figure out exactly what it meant. What was it about Ben that gave me a sense of unease?
Something prickled on the back of my neck, and I turned to see Greg watching me with a smile that was part sneer, part smirk. I didn’t dignify the look with a reply but turned to find the dig transport truck to take me back to the hotel across the city.
I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing his expression sent a shiver down my spine.
Chapter 11
Ben
“WHO THE HELL WAS THATguy?”
Except to say he hadn’t found anyone to talk to, Michaels, the Marine who had come with me to the dig site, had kept quiet until we had finished bumping through the gates.
“Old history.” My reply was short, making it clear I didn’t want to talk about it. My mind was still reeling from the confrontation and everything Jasmine had told me in the Humvee, the physical sensations like a vise around my chest making it difficult to breathe.
“Apparently not that old.” I could see Michaels’ eyebrows nearing his hairline in incredulity from the corner of my eye.
“He’s just some asshole,” I answered.
