Page 55 of Maddox

Together and apart.

His hatred for me had been palpable, but mine for him had been as well. We’d blamed each other. While Kage’s call had been out of respect for our former friendship, I hadn’t needed his apology.

He’d been right all along.

I was to blame for getting members of our unit killed. I’d told him as much, although he refused to believe me.

We were both hardheads, at least according to our commander. That’s another reason Gray had called both of us for mysterious missions.

To get our heads out of our asses.

I laughed softly and took a long pull on the cold beer, suddenly thinking about the way Charmaine had wiped the bottle across her face. She’d looked so damn sexy doing it.

As I scrolled through other photographs of all the men in our unit, I realized I’d lost all sense of hope. Not just from what had occurred, but also from guilt.

Which was exactly why I’d warned Charmaine. I doubted she’d listen to me.

She was as hardheaded as I was. Maybe Gray was right and we could tolerate each other.

I laughed and suddenly found myself looking at my contact list.

What the hell? I’d done crazier shit in my life. I hit dial and closed my eyes, doing nothing more than listening to the sounds of the city below.

“This could become a habit. Almost like we’re friends.”

Kage’s voice forced a dark chuckle. “I think you and I know better.”

“Yeah, well. I doubt you’re calling at this time of night to reminisce about old times.”

I rubbed my jaw. “Your instincts are still on the money.”

“If that was true, our lives would be entirely different. What are you into?”

The debate on telling anyone about the mission had also weighed heavily on my mind. However, Kage had been forthcoming enough about the mission with which Gray had tasked him. If anyone could provide either advice or a clearcut warning, it would be him.

A man I’d learned to hate.

The irony was glaring.

“What do you know about Mercury Fulminate?”

He laughed. “That shit has been around since the eighteen hundreds. Rarely used because of its instability. But you already know that. Which means…” He hesitated. “Let me guess. The recent rumor mill is accurate.”

“Which is?”

“That some brilliant scientist figured out a way to stabilize various qualities, reshaping certain properties so the compound became more dangerous.”

“Where did you hear that?” I asked as I studied the street, constantly ensuring we hadn’t been compromised.

“You know how people talk. Plus, I still have a few old buddies I chat with. They keep me up to date.”

I didn’t laugh, nor did I answer.

“Shit,” he huffed. “Don’t tell me. You’re currently sitting in some shitty bar in some godforsaken country.”

“Staring down at one of those shitty bars from a safehouse.”

Kage remained silent for several seconds. “Gray called you for some mission.”

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