Page 47 of Salute, To Bravery
War must take it as a no because his hand slowly falls away.
“I understand,” he says, turning back to the door.
“You don’t.” I grab his shoulder and turn him back to me.
“There’s no way I could ever make you understand how sorry I am for my part in what happened…” he begins, and I put a finger on his lips to shut him up.
“I do not blame you, and I do trust you.” I drop my finger and grab his hand, twining my fingers with his.
“Show me.”
Chapter Five.
Warren
Iopen the door, letting Jess walk in ahead of me as I think over what to do next. I can’t break her trust after that display outside, and I have no way of changing the plan with Dare.
As if my thoughts have summoned him, my phone buzzes in my pocket to signal to me it’s time for the first switch. I ignore it and squeeze Jess’s hand in mine and pull her to a stop.
“Before we go in, I need to know how uncomfortable this makes you. No one will force themselves on you or expect you to do anything you do not one hundred percent agree to. In fact, we have some paperwork you need to fill out before we proceed. It’s as much to cover our asses as for your protection. But if you would prefer to leave after you read it over, I completely understand.”
She glances up at me with wide eyes. “I joined the Army at seventeen. How scary can the shit behind that door be?”
I smile at her, and my phone buzzes again. “I’ll go grab the papers. Wait here.”
She sits at one of the many booths in the welcome area, and I leave her there, looking like a deer in headlights. I push open the door and run right into Dare’s chest.
“FUCK,” I growl at him.
He’s bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet with excitement.
“I don’t think we should do this. She almost bailed, and I promised she could trust me in here.”
Dare lands on flat feet with a frown. “War, that’s not exactly consensual.”
I nod, pulling at my hair. “No shit!” I’m louder than I intend to be, and some of his employees look my way in concern.
“Ok, let me handle this.” He pushes me aside, but I grab on to him before he can go to her.
“I promised her she could walk if anything on the NDA made her uncomfortable. Do not make me a liar.”
My twin looks at me like I’m a fool. “You really like her.” He tilts his head as he surveys me closer.
“Yeah.” It’s as simple as I can put my feelings tonight.
I feel like a live wire ready to explode, and I’m desperately trying to keep the casualties to a minimum.
“We can’t hurt her.” I couldn’t live with myself.
She’s been through enough.
“You have my word. She will enter the club fully prepared to play or not at all.”
I nod and let him go.
I go over to the one-way mirror to watch them interact. Dare approaches her with a swagger I do not possess, but she doesn’t seem to see a difference yet. We may look the same, but our attitudes and speech are completely different. If it weren’t for the fact that we switched so much in our teens and twenties, I’d never think this would work.
I bite my thumbnail, wishing I could hear what was being said.
