He’d spent the first handful of days glued to his bed, pouting of course, butlistening. After that, he’d continued with his obedience by taking it easy and observing rather than directly engaging. His willingness had come from a promise we’d made: if he healed, he could chase me, but I wouldn’t allow such strenuous engagements until I was certain he was better.
My father had almost caused his death, and I’d done nothing but watch behind a tight mask. While Thorne seemed to pay no mind to his added scars, I’d counted.Countedeach new nick on his skin as a reminder of what I’d caused. A reminder that I’d carry within my chest, because he’d earned more than eight marks at the hands of my father, and some from me—which I still wasn’t happy with myself about.
My fingers curled, nails digging into my palms as I surveyed the outdoor training yard to spot a floundering Liam. The heat of midday was starting to fade, but at this pace, we’d be out here until it completely vanished.
“I’ve seen you race to Simon faster than you’re running on my track,Liam.” Fuck me. I hated resorting to cheap tricks, but the quicker he completed training, the faster we could rest. The faster Thorne and I could?—
A sharp whistle tore through the air, a laugh tumbling from Matt. “Fuck, that’s a dig.”
“You want me to talk about you,Matthew?” I lifted my chin, jerking it toward the end of the track. “You’re fucking four laps behind Thorne, and two behind Liam. Maybe youdoneed something in your ass to push you along.”
“Okay, first off, no one asked you,” he started, picking up pace by a pathetic hair. “Second?—”
Not winded in the slightest, Thorne cut him off. “If we are being politically correct, you did ask by opening your mouth, moron.”
Liam’s laughter floated in the background, a tune that ignited me to dig further. “Maybethat’syour problem. Fucked too many times in the ass and not in the mouth.”
On the opposite side of the track, Matt lifted his arms, offering paired middle fingers in my direction. “Someone needs to knock you from your high horse, Valens, because you’re fucking unbearable sometimes.”
“Sometimes? I prefer to be knocked down, but not from a horse.” I grinned, lifting my hand to usher him forward. “Maybe save your energy for running instead of using it to rile up your commander, who, might I add, is fucking tired of looking at you.”
“Yeah,” Thorne added, slowing his pace as he finished his final lap. “Keep running, dumbass.”
“Like you have a stick up your ass!” Liam yelled from behind, slightly winded from laughing.
“I hate all of you, by the way.” Matt’s retort rolled across the field, his hitched breath confirmation of his failing pace.
“Lies.” Thorne corrected, running a hand down his sweat-covered face. “And with that shitty rhythm you’ve got going, I’m beginning to wonder how you keep up in the bedroom, Harveil.”
“With pauses,” I added. “Just like he’s doing now.”
Liam finished his lap and collapsed to the ground, his laughter untameable. “God, stop.”
“Yeah, Liam. Matthew just stops right before the finish.”
Thorne nudged his boot against Liam’s side. “To be frank, your slow ass has nothing to brag about either.”
“Good thing I’m a bottom.” Liam winked, his laughter heightening as Thorne playfully kicked him.
The two continued their banter as Matthew finished his rounds. Inhaling deeply, he lifted his chin, looking at me as he spread his arms. “There. Happy,commander?”
“No. If the general saw everyone’s training display today, he’d kill us. I needallof you to put in the work, and right now you’re all acting like whining bitches. This isn’t a squad, it’s a fucking?—”
“Valens.” The sharp, humorless voice crooned from behind me, my stomach sinking with the realization.
How long had he been watching?
“Sir.” I saluted my father, replacing my frown with a scowl, hoping it masked the undeniable twitching beneath. If he had seen their joy, however brief, we were fucked.Iwas fucked. Thorne was fucked—fuck.
“Knowing you were busy with whatever today’s regimen is, I only wished to stop by to see how your men were performing, and I brought a guest with me.”
A guest?
My heart hammered in my chest, but as soon as the man stepped around my father, every ounce of me wished for nothing more than to collapse to the ground in relief—Simon.
Strolling forward, he walked with a newfound air of confidence. With a prosthetic fitted perfectly to his leg, it was almost like the incident never happened, almost like he didn’t nearly die in that explosion. With a cheeky grin, he glanced between the four of us, lifting his brows in amusement as his hands sank into his pockets.
“Long time no see, assholes.”
