Page 18 of Protected By The Green Berets

“Where are you going, Princess?”

I looked over, shock replacing my anger for a brief moment. Him coming after me was the last thing I’d expected him to do. Probably thought he’d get into trouble with his bosses. “Back to the base.”

“It’s seven miles that way.” He pointed down the road.

My feet wanted to sob at that information. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how beat down I was, both emotionally and physically. I kept walking in silence. I watched him out of the corner of my eye. Why was he here? He clearly fucking hated me and wanted me to quit. So why was he walking beside me with his hands shoved in his pockets?

“This is how Green Berets are trained,” he told me after a couple minutes of silence between us.

“By beating them down until they feel like a worthless sack of shit?” I snapped. After the words were out, I wished I could pull them back. Not once, before now, had I let him see that he was getting to me.

He was studying me with an inscrutable look on his face. “Yeah, actually,” he finally admitted. “You’re broken down to be built back up as a team.”

I stopped and faced him. He didn’t seem fazed by my glare. “This isyourteam. I’m just the addition who was forced on you, remember? A tool for you to use.”

He cocked his head and his lips quirked upward. “If you’re coming on a mission with us, you’re a part of our team. It’s my job to make sure you’re ready. You have to be ready, Z. This isn’t a game. You could die over there.”

I took a deep, steadying breath. “You’re right, but I’m not a noob. I’ve been in the CIA for ten years. I know how to handle myself.”

“So I see.”

It was the closest he’d come to admitting I wasn’t completely worthless and my stupid heart swelled inside my chest. One threadbare compliment and I was preening for this man. Was I really this desperate for his approval? Pathetic.

Heart thumping, I resumed walking. “Go back to the range. Finish your training.” My mood was still sour and I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of forgiving him for all the shitty things he’d said to me over the last week.

“It’s over. Are we walking all the way back? Or can we get in the Humvee?”

I glanced over as it pulled up. Alden was driving and I could see the other two in the back seat. They must have cleaned the range and packed up while we walked.

“Be my guest,” I muttered. There was no way in hell I was giving in now, even when my aching muscles begged me to. My pride was too big.

“But you’re not getting in.” He didn’t phrase it as a question, so I didn’t answer. He waved Alden past and we both watched as the Humvee drove off toward the base.

“Why did you do that?” I asked, suspicion coloring my words.

“If you’re walking. I’m walking.”

God dammit, now I can’t even stop to rest.

“Feeling bad for being such an asshole?” I was testing his limits and his sharp look told me I was getting close to crossing a line. He was a man who liked control. He was used to getting his way and he didn’t like me talking back.

Too damn bad, I don’t like him treating me like a piece of crap.

By the time we got back to the base the sun was beginning to sink down past the horizon. We headed straight to the chow hall for dinner. We hadn’t spoken again on our trek back. He was done explaining his actions. I wasn’t sure I believed that he was trying to integrate me into the team, or at least I didn’t think that was the only reason for his attitude. There wasn’t much I could do about it at this point.

It was strange. The silent walk back to the base together had somehow managed to ease some of the tension between us. It almost seemed like we’d called a truce. I doubted it would last, but it meant I got to eat my meal in peace and that was good enough for me.

CHAPTER9

Rush

It was four in the morning and I was double checking that all of our personal belongings had made it on the plane. There was hardly enough space with all the shit Alden was sending over. We’d been given minimal room on this flight, but we’d made use of every inch.

This flight would bring our gear over to Iraq. We would be on a separate plane, leaving in forty-five minutes and it would be taking us to Seoul. I looked over as the rest of my team walked up.

Each of us had a small backpack that would tide us over until we got into Iraq and could claim all our stuff. Excitement shone on Z’s face and she was looking around as though she couldn’t decide what to look at next.

“Everything set?” Keller asked.

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