Chapter 5
LINCOLN
If I hadn’t known for a fact there was a party happening inside the lodge, I’d have thought the cars in the parking lot belonged to people who had parked and walked somewhere else.
There weren’t many empty spaces, but there also weren’t many signs of life around. No partygoers converged outside the heavy double doors leading into the hunting-style lodge. No one was moving around the parking lot. No music filtered out from inside.
Hell, there wasn’t even a sign saying “Welcome to the Tyrant’s Retirement Party.”
On the other hand, it probably wouldn’t have said that anyway, regardless of how true the statement would have been.
“You think they’ve thought about reinstating us yet?” Eden asked after I’d parked. He tipped his head toward the lodge. “They’ll all be here tonight. Maybe we’ll get an answer.”
The knot that had formed in my stomach days ago tightened. Dearest Charles hadn’t yet decided on a fitting, final punishment for us for saving those hostages. At the moment, all we knew was that we had been “suspended from eligibility to take part in any missions in the field.”
My knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. I knew he was behind it. I also knew it was bullshit.
“You’re welcome to ask Charles,” I said, slowly peeling my fingers away from the wheel.
Eden chuckled darkly. “I know better than that. If I ask him tonight, he’ll probably serve my walking papers himself tomorrow morning.”
He might just do it anyway. “Who knows? Maybe the party’s put him in a good mood and he’ll tell us himself that he was the one in the wrong.”
“Have you been drinking?” My friend scoffed. “We probably shouldn’t even have come to this party, but if you’re as drunk or high as that statement made you sound, we definitely shouldn’t go inside.”
“Relax.” I let my lips curve into my trademark smirk as I reached for the door handle. “I’m sober. We have to be here. Charles may be a first-class asshole, but he’s still a Navy man. A brother.”
A soft snort sounded from his side of the dimly lit cab. “A Cain and Abel brotherly situation, but sure. Our brother.”
“Let’s just go. It’s all part of the politics we have to play to keep us from getting demoted.” Hopefully, but I didn’t add that last part.
“Sure. Let’s go play the political game, but if we get kicked out, you’re buying me beer for the rest of the night.”
“We’ll see.”
Eden and I climbed out of the truck and trudged across the empty lot. Dirt crunched beneath our feet, and the warm glow of the lights from inside lured us closer to the lodge—and into the lion’s den.
Charles wouldn’t be happy to see us, but I doubted he’d kick us out. Despite my reputation, there were other higher-ups who liked me. Those who had worked with me respected me, head honchos and foot soldiers alike.
I was also counting on it that Charles wouldn’t want to cause a scene at his own party. Regardless, we’d have to tread lightly.
Three stone stairs carried us into the wooden structure of the lodge. We were met by stuffed animals, not of the plushie variety, and chandeliers shaped like antlers hung low from the ceiling.
The corridors were quiet, but I’d attended a party here once before. I knew where to go. Eden fell into step beside me on the worn, blood-red carpets inside. “It’s weird, don’t you think? I can’t hear a thing.”
“Maybe they’re all standing quietly in line to kiss the ring of the self-appointed Torture Master.” I shrugged. “Or maybe the man doesn’t like music. We already know he doesn’t like it when other people talk. He has a thing for his own voice but his voice only.”
“I could see him not liking music,” Eden said while we walked. “Can you imagine what it must be like living with him? I wonder if his house even has a TV or a radio in it.”
“I don’t want to imagine living with him.
” A shiver passed through me when I even thought about what it must be like.
“I think he has a TV, though. He probably spends every night in an armchair with a hairless cat on his lap, laughing maniacally at old videos of recruits he broke physically, mentally, and spiritually.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s true,” Eden said. “He probably even has a highlight reel.”
Solid carved mahogany doors loomed ahead of us.
The party would be in there. I turned and walked sideways, grabbing the handle of one of the doors when we reached it.
“Remember to keep your head down when we get in there. We need to keep a low profile until we’ve been seen by the right people. ” Eden jerked his head in agreement.
Unfortunately, that plan went up in smoke the second I twisted the knob and threw the door open, striding into the venue like I didn’t have a care in the world. On the other hand, we got seen by almost everyone right off the bat.
Confidence was key, after all. Or at least it would have been had the entire room not had their heads bowed in prayer when we busted in.
An older, ex-commander I recognized from the photos at the training center stood behind a raised podium. His head snapped up when the door banged against the wall, and his eyes opened as his blessing of the hands that had prepared the food trailed off.
My feet slammed to a stop when all the pieces suddenly clicked into place. This was why there was no one outside, no one in the hallways to use the bathrooms, and no music or chatter. Fuck.
Eden sucked in a sharp breath behind me. I heard him let out a string of whispered curses, but I didn’t think anyone else was within hearing distance.
The retired commander’s spine straightened, and his eyes narrowed. It was suddenly very clear that he must have been one of Charles’ mentors. The glower he gave me was definitely familiar.
Every other eye in the room had opened by now as well. And every one of those hundreds of eyes was on us.
Slowly realizing that the man was waiting for us to move before he continued his prayer, I smirked and gave a little wave before hauling ass to the side of the room. Eden gave an awkward wave of his own as he hurried to follow me.
Once we joined a group of our peers sitting near the bar, I caught a thumbs-up sent to me by Anderson James. He was one of our team members and had suffered under Charles with me and Eden years ago.
Generally, Anderson played by the rules. But like many others, he’d both gone with and been saved by my supposed harebrained schemes many times. I knew he had my back on this one.
A very distinctive, exaggerated huff from one side of the room prompted me to look toward Charles’ table. I met his hazel-eyed glare straight on, but as soon as he’d shaken his head and bowed it again, my gaze landed on the girl sitting next to him.
Unlike Charles, she hadn’t closed her eyes again. She looked at me, her full pink lips tugging into a mischievous but slight smile.
Shoulder-length jet-black hair brushed the tops of her bare shoulders. Instead of the sleek, formal look most of the other women in the room had favored, her hair had soft, messy waves in it.
Similarly, her dress didn’t quite match the others’ either. It was a striking emerald green that brought out her eyes, cut in a way that revealed cleavage I’d love to bury my face in.
No straps marred the smooth, golden-tanned skin of her shoulders. Which meant the only thing keeping her dress up was likely a single zipper. Easy enough to undo.
She had dainty, beautiful features, but the smile and the way she lifted her chin just slightly when she caught me looking hinted at a bold personality wrapped up in that delicate package.
I hadn’t come here with the intention of bagging someone, but I wouldn’t object if she wanted to fuck me in the coatroom.
I had no idea who she was, but I was going to find out.