Page 96 of The Brigadier

A laugh escaped my throat. The sound was almost bitter, but I certainly didn’t feel any resentment toward her, just adoration for her deep thoughts and helping me get my head out of my ass.

Finally, I allowed water to trickle over my head, hoping that it would partially cleanse my soul.

As if that was possible.

There was so much to do, still concerned I wasn’t certain who I could trust. Yes, I had a few without families, like Danny and Maxim. The enemy wouldn’t be able to get to them, but what about the rank and file?

The one thing about that theory was that few rank-and-file soldiers knew much about me, the regime, or the business. I had a feeling whoever had done this knew too much about how organizations of this type were handled.

What could that mean if I was correct?

Yes, this would require intense planning and there was still a lot that was unknown out there, including who the fuck we were dealing with, but I did believe what she’d said about Tanner preferring to cut off his right arm. Maybe that’s why I’d fallen into such a state of utter shock.

Becoming weak.

Christ.

I was thoroughly disgusted with myself.

The clothes, I tossed. The shower was quick but I scrubbed the blood covering a portion of my arms and neck. Hard. As I watched the red swirling down the drain, I planted my hands on shower wall.

Could I be both a ruthless businessman in the old ways while maintaining some sense of decency?

I honestly had no idea, but I did know what I’d told Chantel I believed.

I wasn’t a good man. How could I be? I certainly wasn’t going to heaven when I died. I’d hurt or killed far too many people at this point.

Sure, I could say less than some in the world I was in, but what the fuck did that mean? There was no free ticket to get through the pearly gates. There was nothing I could do to become a better man.

And I shouldn’t have either Chantel or Damien with me, but if anyone believed they were going to find a way to take them from me, I wouldn’t hesitate to kill.

With my bare hands.

I finally had enough of being morbid, throwing back my head and raking my hands through my wet hair. Strategy was best. Working for vengeance only would do nothing but create additional bloodshed.

Damn, the woman was good.

The second I turned off the water, I sensed a presence in the room.

Her presence.

There was no mistaking her sweet scent, even altered with pool water. I grinned, taking my time and grabbing my towel from where I’d placed it over the back edge of the shower door. I also took my time rubbing water from my body.

Yes, I was tense.

Yes, I was angry.

However, my cock was fully aroused. That’s what the woman did to me.

All. The. Time.

When I finally opened the shower door, allowing additional steam to float into the room, I was, as usual, breath-taken by the sight of her beauty.

Chantel was leaning against the edge of the bathroom counter, her legs crossed at the ankles, holding a towel with one hand against her naked body. She had no idea how provocative she was, how alluring in her rather discreet mannerisms.

I sucked in my breath and she smiled coyly, dropping the towel away. I would never get used to the sight of her voluptuous body, including her long legs that were meant to be wrapped around me and me alone. When she was bold enough to open her legs, exposing her pretty pink pussy and swollen lips glistening for only her man to see, I became insatiable. Like some predator in the wild.

With one step, I was in front of her, shaking my head. “You should never tempt a wild beast.”