Page 3 of Leave Me Behind
I am only a weapon. A rabid dog running from an inevitable death shot.
It’s perhaps the government’s darkest secret, the underside of the special forces that does all the dirty work they don’t want to sully their hands with. Anti-terrorism, foreign combat, black market weapons raids. We get sent to stop it all and we don’t get a lick of credit.
Basically, when it’s all summed up, we’re suicide squads. The generals only want to make sure we get the missions done. They don’t give a shit about us.
Eren takes my hand and gives it a light shake. “The feeling is mutual,” he says.
He leans his head against the chair and stares at me. His eyes are so unrelenting, piercing me and daring me to look away. I’m the type of person who can’t hold eye contact for more than a few seconds, but with him, I don’t feel the urge to pull away. He’s searching my eyes for something, studying me closely.
“Nice neck tattoos,” he says with a smile.
My hand goes to my neck. “Thanks, they hurt like a bitch when I got them.”
“I bet, but they look great. Got someone waiting for you in California?” he asks boldly.
I shake my head. I’m sure he can see the flush across my cheeks. “Nope—just work. No one special there.”
Or anywhere.
Eren lifts a brow and tilts his head. “You’re too pretty to be without a special someone.” The kid sitting behind us kicks my seat and I blink like an idiot at his words.
He thinks I’m pretty? Being in the military, the only comments I get from men are: “nice ass,” “you’re fuckable,” “love the long dark hair to grab onto,” and “you have dick-sucking lips.” But then there was Jenkins, and, although he never once told me I was beautiful, he certainly made sure I knew it with his stolen glances and heady kisses.
But when I think of Sergeant Jenkins, I only remember the blood he was drenched in that final night. After seeing him the way I did in Patagonia, it’s difficult to recall his beautiful blond hair and the rare smile he spared for only me.
I blink away the flames that lick at my memories.
“How about you?” I ask. I’m sure Eren has a family or at least a wife. My eyes flick to his hand as I think it.No ring.
“Nah. I don’t do relationships.”
That piques my interest. Is he military? He must notice my curious stare and cracks a smile.
“I’m in the army,” he admits. I can tell he doesn’t want to speak on it too much, so I don’t pry. I don’t mention that I’m a trained killer as well. I’m supposed to be discreet with the squad I’m joining, so I keep it out of the conversation. But the thought of it reminds me of the hell I’m heading toward.Malum Squad.The dark forces team they send when they can’t send any of the other suicide squads. Malum, who fucked Riøt when they didn’t show up to the checkpoint before shit hit the fan in Patagonia.
“Thank you for your service,sir,” I say slyly. His eyes widen with a flicker of interest that pulls at his lips. He wouldn’t be anyone I’d run into at the base, right? I highly doubt it. Normally, I wouldn’t flirt with fellow servicemen because it always ends badly, but the guys I normally work with aren’t model worthy. They are depraved and murderous, like me.
I think he’s in the clear.Besides, there’s no way he could be in the dark forces. He doesn’t have the hardness about him.
Eren laughs at that and shakes his head. “I’m just some low end officer. Oh hey, Bradshaw’s awake,” he mutters, looking past me. I follow suit and glance at the man on my other side, the other thigh that presses against mine. I’m met with those icy blue eyes again and that intimidating scar under his left one. The discoloration is just shy of his lower eyelid, but he doesn’t appear to be impaired by it at all.He’s lucky to have evaded a blade that close.
Jenkins wasn’t so lucky. I shudder at the memory of the blood that spilled from his chest. My fists close over my thighs and I try to blink away the last images of him in my head. I should remember him as the soldier he was, not how he lookedwhen I left him on the battlefield. He told me to leave him there and I did. I followed his final orders.
I’m haunted by that the most, the realization dawning over his eyes that I was leaving him there just as he commanded. He gritted his teeth in acceptance and smiled.
The ache will never cease, it only grows.
I force my fingers to unfurl.
Bradshaw looks at me calmly with his cold demeanor still intact. The uninterest that radiates from this guy is unreal. They are twins, no doubt, but now that I see them both up close, their eyes are different shades of blue and their personalities couldn’t be more opposite. Like fire and ice.
“Nellie.” I offer my hand to shake his like I did with Eren but Bradshaw just levels me with the same callous look. He doesn’t even seem tempted to shake it.Jesus, what’s with this guy?
Eren nudges his shoulder against mine. “He’s an asshole to everyone, don’t take it personally.” Bradshaw doesn’t reply or even seem offended. He simply pulls his headphones back over his ears and closes his eyes. His lashes are long and grace his pale skin. I stare a moment longer than I should. Admiring his ethereal features before returning my attention to Eren. He grins. “You want to join us for a few drinks tonight? Or do you have somewhere to be?”
He’s inviting me out? A flutter skates across my chest. There’s really only one person I’m worried about running into before tomorrow. They call him Bones. He’s rumored to be the cruelest man in the dark forces. Apparently he likes breaking open ribcages and literally pulling people’s hearts out. Sometimes their bones. Hence the disturbing code name he bears.
Unfortunately, he’s my partner on Malum and I’m not sure how I’ll survive.
