Page 57 of Gorgeous

“You Major Jameson?” he spits, sizing me up with a cold look.

“I am,” I say, not sparing him another look but instead opening my office door wider, inviting him in. His steps are slow, and his face contorts in pain as he takes a few measured strides before stopping and taking a labored breath.

“Do you need assistance?”

Not that I really want to help him. I feel like the tension is high, and after the scene with B, I can already tell he doesn’t like me. But I’ve been in his shoes before, and the days following discharge when you have no schedule, no orders, can be hard to manage. You’re angry at everyone and everything. That’s why what we have here at the McCallister Jameson Foundation can be a lifesaver for veterans.

“No,” he grits out between breaths. “I don’t need your fucking help.”

I shrug like I don’t give a shit either way and have a seat at my desk, waiting for him to take the last remaining steps into my office before taking the seat across from me in one of the wingback chairs.

“What’s the extent of your injuries?” I ask, not looking at his file but rather the pain etched on his face.

He belts out a laugh that borders on evil. “My injury, Major Dick, is that I only have one leg.”

“Do you suffer from phantom pain?” It says in his file he was caught in gunfire and could not get to the extraction point for two days. The muscles in his leg deteriorated from the lack of blood flow and the doctors had no other option but to remove it. His story—and the fact he called me a dick—has me staring at his right leg as he massages his knee where I assume a prosthetic is attached.

Fucking Anniston. No wonder she was enchanted. Not only does she have a thing for assholes but rehabilitation is her specialty.

“No,” he lies, meeting me in a defiant glare.

I think we can adddenialto his file.

“I see,” I mutter, chewing on the end of the pencil I was using for notes.

Kane makes an exaggerated sigh that makes me want to toss the baseball paperweight at him, aiming straight for the sneer on his face. “Let’s get one thing straight, Sergeant Kurtzman. You will address me as Major Jameson. Not Cade. Not dick.”

Kane’s eyes draw up slowly as he evens me with another look of contempt, but I keep going. If there is one thing I know how to do, it’s earn respect. No one, and I mean no one, will talk down to me.

“Even if I no longer serve in the Corps,” I drawl, glaring at the ass in front of me, “I am still a Marine and Iwillbe respected.” Kane narrows his eyes and I continue, “We have a hierarchy here. Those who fail to respect it will be terminated from our program.”

Kane scoffs and mumbles, “Whatever,” under his breath.

I stand up, looming over my desk, restraining myself from jumping over it and taking this asshole by the throat. In a voice calmer than I feel, I ask professionally, “Did Anniston tell you about the program here?”

The mention of Anniston’s name softens him a bit. “She said” —he chuckles a little—“that she could help me as long as I submit.” He smiles at the memory, and Igroan. Of course she phrased it that way. No wonder Theo already hates him.

I straighten and smooth down my shirt. “What she meant by submission is by following the rules of our program and submitting to her training regime. If you can’t do that, then you will not be admitted to the program. So far,” I droll on, watching as he kneads his thigh. I’m not even sure he’s aware he’s doing it. “You don’t seem to be very receptive to following rules.”

His glare reminds me of that damn X-Men movie Breck was watching last night where the guy shot red beams from his eyes. Fuck. Her superhero shit is wearing off on me.

“Listen, douche.” He stands awkwardly in front of the chair. “If dealing with assholes like you on a daily basis is part of the plan, I think I’ll pass. I was doing your commander a favor by indulging her. She was quite insistent that I come speak with you, but clearly she thinks more of you than she should.”

I clench the desk before I do something crazy like beat the fuck out of him and bloody my nice chair. Kane laughs, perceptive that he’s managed to get under my skin.

“I’ll show myself out. Thank your fine-ass commander for me.” The growl that comes from my own chest fills the small office with a promise of a fight if he keeps running his fucking mouth. He only chuckles and opens the door. “Tell her thanks but no thanks. I’m nobody’s bitch.”

By the grace of God, I let him walk out of the house in one piece and immediately text Theo.

You’re right. He is an asshole.

I quickly get a response back.Told you. Do I need to send acid to dispose of his remains or did you do the right thing again?

His ridiculous text makes me laugh.I let him leave voluntarily. Please keep Anniston busy so she doesn’t send more of his type down here.

Will do, Major Pain-in-the Ass. Have you gotten your dick wet yet?

Immediately, I’m brought back to the reality of being mean to Breck moments ago.Goodbye, Theo.

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