Page 22 of Iron Willed Warrior

Dean grinned. “You going to stay here and chat? Work out your differences?”

“I don’t think we’re being given any other choice,” I pointed out. “I sense a conspiracy.”

“You’re right about that. River has been texting me nonstop for updates, and Keira has orders from Owen to lock you two in a room until morning if necessary. I hear you’re on a strict timetable? They want you to be best buds and prepping for the op by tomorrow.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Cole said.

I lifted an eyebrow. “We will?”

“Yep.” Cole tapped the table by his empty shot glass, and Dean poured another. “You should leave the bottle.”

Dean glanced at me.

I made a beckoning motion with my fingers. “Every Marine worth her salt can hold her liquor. Bring it.”

The bottle thumped onto the table. “Then I’ll put it onRiver’s tab.” With a wink, Dean spun and headed back to the bar.

“Guess we have to find a way to get along,” Cole said, pouring me another shot.

“And we have to do it fast.” Whether we liked it or not.

It was going to be a long night.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Cole

The next shotslid down even more smoothly than the first couple. I still wanted a cigarette, but whiskey was the next best thing. Took the edge off enough.

Of course, several hours of cooling my temper had helped with that, too.

Brynn was across from me, tracing a finger around the rim of her empty shot glass. Conversation and laughter continued, the rest of the bar oblivious to the two of us.

“Another?” I asked.

She nudged her glass across the table. Amber liquid splashed, filling the small cup to the brim.

Somehow, we had to get to know each other. But with this woman, I didn’t even know where to start.

“Just gonna sit there and drink me under the table?” I asked.

“At least we’re not arguing.”

A smirk tugged at my lips. “This is true.”

One of us would have to open up first. Seemed that it was gonna be me. We’d already had two disastrous attempts at making a first impression. So far, Brynn and I hadn’t made itthrough one conversation without someone getting pissed. But maybe the third time was the charm.

After Brynn had stormed out of Keira’s house earlier, River had taken me to Dean’s place with strict instructions.Fix this. As if this whole debacle was my fault. Well, calling herhoneyhad been all me. Not my finest moment.

But one thing had kept rattling around in my head all afternoon.

They’d found the head of Stillwater.

They knew his name. The man ultimately responsible for what had happened to Luciana and her daughter. I wanted him bad. Wanted himdead, if I could help it. This op would get me there.

And I’d meant what I said, too. It was a terrible idea for Brynn to go undercover against the head of Stillwater by herself. This was going to be a dangerous mission. Fatal if our covers were blown. But Stillwater wouldn’t just make Brynn disappear. They’d make her suffer first. Could I really let her face that alone if nobody else was going to step up?

Pouring us each another shot, I thought,Here goes nothing.

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