I ran my thumbs over my chin as I thought over what he had just said.
“One problem.” My words sounded flat. Brad thought he knew what I was thinking.
“Bro, Gracie will be keen. I saw the look in her eyes this morning after your sex session.” He leaned forward and playfully punched my shoulder.
“It’s not Gracie.” My eyes narrowed in warning to not fucking push me.
“What then?” He sat back, knowing he was pissing me off by talking about my sex with Gracie.
“Ari. The house. Memories. Nightmares. The whole fucking goddamn reason I left that place, Brad.”
His face paled and his hands scrubbed over his face. My eyes looked past him to where I could see through the window, the wind moving the rosebuds, causing them to dance before my eyes.
“Fuck me, Kaden, sorry man. I didn’t, well I didn’t even think about that.”
Brad stepped closer to me, his war torn and beat up hands on my beat up and now useless legs.
“Think about it though, the new fucking memories that could be made.”
Before I could answer him, a nurse entered and coughed in an attempt to gain our attention. There was no need, we had both sensed her as soon as she entered the room.
Soldiers. We were fucking soldiers. Men who never shut off from our surroundings.
Tactile and strong.
“Lieutenant James.” Her voice was soft, squeaky.
Brad choked on his coffee. The golden liquid flew from his mouth, over his face, up his nose and hit me and Nurse squeak.
“What the fuck ,Brad?”
“Shit, sorry, butLieutenantthat shit gets me every time.”
“What’s up doll?” I asked. Her eyes were wide, skin pale.
“Oh shit, do I have the wrong….?” she looked down at her file as Brad started to choke on more coffee and laughter.
“No, darlin’ you don’t, Brad’s just being a dick.” I sent a glare in Brad’s direction.
“Oh, fuck they don’t know do they?” His eyes widened with shock and I shook my head. There was no need for them to know I was a Sargent in theatres of war.
“Time for physio is it, doll?” I attempted to push myself up from the chair and swing my body into the wheelchair she brought to me. I didn’t yet have the strength.
“Hey dickhead, make yourself useful and help me into the chair.” I was fucked off that I couldn’t do it.
After last night and this morning, I was fucking exhausted and sore. I was struggling to move past the pain and for me, with my training and mind control that was saying how damn excruciating it was.
My best mate squeezed my shoulder in reassurance, he’d be well aware of how useless I felt. I might add though; it was the fucking stitched up and throbbing shoulder he squeezed. He hefted me up and into the chair before straightening and addressing the nurse.
“Casanova is a little sore and tired today, babe, he had a rather long and eventful night and morning.” Brad laughed and winked at the nurse.
“Fuck off.” I bit out at him as he walked from the dining hall.
“I’ll be back after you finish physio, Kaden.” He turned to the nurse. “And also for your number, babe.”
The nurse’s cheeks flushed beet red.
I shook my head, some shit with Brad never changed.
