Page 13 of The Brigadier

Vadim sucked in his breath and whistled. “You didn’t…”

“We… Got a little close. Too close. Carnally close.”

“Oh, shit.”

“Don’t remind me. We didn’t know. We weren’t paying attention. It was impetuous.”

“I’ll say.”

“There was so much electricity soaring between us we were completely drawn to each other. Even now, my thoughts definitely aren’t pure.”

Aleksander tried to keep from laughing, even walking toward the bar as an excuse, although it wasn’t even noon. I might need to join him at this point. I threw him a nasty look and caught Vadim’s, pointing my finger at him. “You know how to jump into the fire with both feet,” he teased.

“Don’t look at me that way. Need I remind you that Caroline, your lovely now wife was and still is one of your grown daughter’s best friends?”

“Uh-huh. At least she wasn’t family.”

“Neither is Chantel! Not like that!” Now I was snapping. Next, I’d be growling.

Vadim was also amused and I was suffering. What the fuck was I going to do? Avoid her. That should be easy. We wouldn’t be running in the same circles.

“My friend, let me give you a piece of advice. You’re close with Vissarian. Right?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, to a point. He’s my half-brother, but we haven’t spent much time together.”

“But you have a good relationship.”

“Very much so.”

“One that you don’t want to fuck up. Right?”

“Of course not. I know what you’re doing,” I told him.

“I’m trying to save your butt and your heart. Don’t touch the girl. Again. Under any circumstances.”

Aleksander coughed. “For what it’s worth, I agree. And don’t you dare remind me who my wife is. It worked out great.”

After a lot of trials and tribulations at the time.

“There are lots of decent fishies in the sea,” Vadim added.

I just glared at him. “You know what bad luck I’ve had with women.”

He chuckled. “Okay, you have, but your niece, or whatever you want to call her isn’t the way to go.”

“She’s not my family that way. No blood relations.”

“Do you think Vissarian will see that?”

Groaning, I closed my eyes briefly. “Hell, no. I think I’m going to work off some unwanted energy.”

“How?” Aleksander asked, now openly laughing.

I threw him my middle finger. “First, I’m going to use my magic on a bad loan shark. After that, I’m headed home to my gym.”

After that, I just might drink myself into oblivion to avoid thinking.

CHAPTER 6