“I told her she was being a brat.” He sighs.
I stare at him. “Was that all?”
He shrugs. “Pretty much.”
I’m not entirely sure he’s telling me the truth, but Ghost isn’t the type of man you push. Instead, my mind circles back to the men Icanfuck with. I need someone, or three someones, to take out my frustration on, andthey’ll do just fine. I’m so pissed that Camile left without me even getting to say goodbye that a good old-fashioned fistfight is screaming my name. I need to exorcise some of my rage. I ought to wonder why I’m so screwed up about some girl I’ve only just met, but I don’t. I simply focus on the pertinent issue at hand.
“Did the Numbnuts put their hands on her?” I ask.
“Yeah, one of them had hold of her when I showed up, but I got the impression they’d been there a while, and so most likely they each had a turn. They were really trying to push Rook’s buttons, not harm the girl, but they were doing it via Camile.”
So Rook failed her, too? Jesus. I see red.
“Where are they now?” I have no right to make the demand, and I’m on thin fucking ice, but sheer rage is making me reckless.
“No fucking idea.” He scowls at me. “I’ve just revoked their privileges for a week, on Jack’s orders, and read them the riot act. I thought Jack would want to tear a strip off them, too, but since Jack is now gone…” He gestures toward the closed gate Jack and Camile just exited through.
I crack my neck, tilting my head left, then right, and use one hand to crack the knuckles of the other and repeat the process.
“Ace,” Ghost says, a warning to his tone, “whatever you’re thinking of doing, just don’t. There’s been more than enough shit today to last me a goddamn month.”
“Me?” I say, trying to sound innocent. “I’m not thinking of doing anything.”
“Do you take me for a fool?”
“No, never. No one would be stupid enough to think you’re a fool.”
“Then stop treating me like one. What are you planning?” He crosses his arms over his chest and stares at me.
“Just to have a little word in the shell-like ears of our three idiot friends.”
“Is thatallyou’re planning to do?”
“Come on, Ghost. Don’t tell me you’re not raging inside as well at the fact that those little fuckheads put their hands on her. I saw the way you were fully locked in on her in the canteen this morning.”
“I was assessing the situation,” he replies, all fake indignation.
“Assessing the way her tits looked in her top, more like.”
“That’s enough, Ace,” he warns again.
I ignore him and wonder where I’ll find the Numbnuts. “Where do you reckon they’ve gone?”
Ghost shakes his head. “Ace, you’re this close to getting revoked fucking privileges too.”
“Fine.”
But Ghost isn’t done yet; he’s got his Sergeant at Arms head on now.
“In case you forgot, Ace, I am the one who is in charge of fucking security, not you.”
“You might be in charge, but you should also listen when someone is trying to tell you something, and I’m telling you that you need to keep an eye on those three pricks. I don’t trust them.”
“You can distrust them all you like, but you still don’t take matters into your own hands. That’s an order, Ace.”
“Fine.” I hold my hands up. “I won’t do anything. Christ, I just need a goddamn drink.”
He watches me with an expression that says hedoesn’t buy one ounce of what I’m selling. “I swear to God, Ace.”
