Chapter 486 [ 483 words ] Chapter 486: “Brenna, that was such an incredible experience, wasn’t it?” one of them gushed, her eyes fixed on Brenna with a predatory gleam. “Your father must be so proud.” “We should all get drinks to celebrate our return,” another chimed in, already pulling
Chapter 485 [ 512 words ] Chapter 485: Brenna turned, a smile of pure, saccharine sweetness on her face. “It is,” she said brightly. “My father, Declan O’Malley, insists on it. If you need a lift, I can ask his driver. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” The name, Declan O’Malley,
Chapter 484 [ 506 words ] Chapter 484: Inside the vehicle, Jarrod watched her shrinking figure in the rearview mirror. The moment she was out of sight, the softness on his face vanished, replaced by the cold, hard mask of the commander. He turned to the man at the wheel.
Chapter 483 [ 486 words ] Chapter 483: Caroline’s eyes burned, and she fought back the tears that threatened to spill over. He saw the glisten in her eyes. For an instant, his expression shifted as if he wanted to wipe the tear away himself, but his injured hands made
Chapter 482 [ 514 words ] Chapter 482: The sheer audacity of it, the scale of his unilateral decision-making, left her reeling. Her mind was a whirlwind of shock and a rising tide of protest. “But I never wanted to be a soldier,” she said, the words feeling weak even
Chapter 481 [ 518 words ] Chapter 481: Caroline watched the organized chaos, the feeling of loss in her chest growing with every passing second. She couldn’t stop herself. She reached out and touched the sleeve of his uninjured side, her fingers curling lightly into the fabric instead of trying
Chapter 480 [ 558 words ] Chapter 480: He leaned back against the tent pole, his right arm still locked across his chest in the heavy brace, his splinted left hand resting stiffly against his thigh. He looked no less arrogant for being physically restrained; if anything, the stillness made
Chapter 479 [ 492 words ] Chapter 479: She rose carefully and kissed him first. It was not frantic, not a repetition of the night before, not another attempt to turn fear into bruises and heat. It was slow, deliberate, and painfully restrained, a farewell he could carry without either
Chapter 478 [ 471 words ] Chapter 478: That was all. No conquest. No sudden rush of hands he did not have. No reckless attempt to steal another night from bodies already bruised and overdrawn. Just the truth, clean and painful between them. Caroline swallowed hard. “I hate that I
Chapter 477 [ 530 words ] Chapter 477: Suddenly, the tent flap was pulled aside. Jarrod stood silhouetted against the bright lights outside, his large frame filling the entrance. He stepped inside, bringing a chill of the night air with him. His right arm was still locked against his chest
Chapter 476 [ 503 words ] Chapter 476: Jarrod ignored them all. He walked directly to Caroline. He reached out and, with a gesture of casual intimacy, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. The simple, possessive touch was a declaration louder than any words. Ashley’s face tightened,
Chapter 475 [ 489 words ] Chapter 475: Caroline looked up. “What kind of questions?” “About you. Your clearance status. Your marriage. Whether Colonel Romero gave you preferential treatment. Whether anyone has documented how often you’re alone with him.” The pieces clicked into place with a cold, clean logic, but
Chapter 474 [ 509 words ] Chapter 474: A short, disbelieving laugh escaped Caroline’s lips. “Oh, come on, Evelyn. Don’t be dramatic. He’s my mentor. We have a professional relationship.” “Trust me on this,” Evelyn insisted, her gaze steady. “I know that look. He’s interested. And not just a little.”
Chapter 473 [ 506 words ] Chapter 473: The mortification was so intense it was almost a physical pain. Of all the people to see her like this, it had to be her mentor, the man who represented professionalism and respectability. She dropped her hand from her collar, forcing herself
Chapter 472 [ 527 words ] Chapter 472: And then she saw them. A constellation of dark, purplish marks bloomed across the pale skin of her neck and just below her collarbone. They were stark, deliberate, and screamed of ownership. Her face exploded in a hot flush. That man. He
Chapter 471 [ 547 words ] Chapter 471: A low, guttural sound was torn from his throat. He captured her mouth again, but this kiss was different. It was no longer about reconciliation; it was about possession, a raw, primal claiming. He did not lift her. He couldn’t. The brace
Chapter 470 [ 539 words ] Chapter 470: The kiss ended, but they didn’t part. He rested his forehead against hers, his breathing ragged, his eyes closed. The scent of him, dust, sweat, and something uniquely Jarrod, filled her senses, a grounding, intoxicating aroma. He could not lift his hand
Chapter 469 [ 458 words ] Chapter 469: She stilled. His mouth tightened, as if he hated every word before he forced it out. “I wanted to see that it mattered. That another woman putting her hand on me wasn’t just an administrative nuisance you expected me to handle. I
Chapter 468 [ 575 words ] Chapter 468: The intensity of his stare made her skin prickle, but she forced herself to walk forward, letting the tent flap fall shut behind her, sealing them in. She stopped on the other side of the central table, meeting his gaze. The ache
Chapter 467 [ 579 words ] Chapter 467: Her boots crunched on the gravel path, each step a small, definitive sound in the chaotic symphony of the camp. The hurt from the mess tent still sat heavy in her chest, a dull, aching weight that made her breath catch every