CHAPTER ELEVEN
NOAH
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My eyes don’t leave Tyrell as he shifts to stand behind Quinn after she moves. That fucker thinks he can harass her, but he has another thing coming. I’m not under the same restraints as I was when enlisted, and if he’s stupid enough not to work that out, then I’ll be happy to enlighten him.
With my fist.
Not that Josh or Aidan would let me rough the guy up. Not that anyone needs to know it was me.
In saying that, I don’t want to fuck up my new career or upset Quinn. While she despises the guy, I know she wouldn’t like me breaking a few of his limbs.
She would, but she wouldn’t admit it.
“You were emailed the program outline, so should be familiar with what we will be doing over the next fourteen days. There are two free days, so you can leave the compound or stay here and chill,” Josh says, then glances at Cole, Marshall, Ryder, and me.
“These are your trainers. All highly experienced warriors.”
Ryder has shown up to see how things are being run, but he’s now heading up the new national bodyguard program, so will be disappearing soon.
I have a feeling Josh would’ve liked the former Delta Force operator to be involved given his background and experience but since Ryder married Savannah and she had their baby, leading time-consuming courses is unlikely to give him the flexibility that he needed or time at home with his wife and baby.
Plus, she’s one of the biggest stars in the world, and with that comes a whole lot of things. Including a lack of anonymity.
I’d love that problem.
Not the fame.
Being a dad and husband. I never felt like this until I met Quinn, and it’s weird to say it, given we’ve never dated, but sometimes you know. I’ve heard other guys say it. She walked into my platoon, and I wanted her in my bed and on my arm from that moment on.
I just took a while to admit it.
Then her father essentially told me to keep away from her, and when he’s the colonel, you can’t argue.
Quinn was the reason I left, but so was Colonel Parker. He never did anything, so to speak, but a promotion should have been mine, and it never manifested.
I know why.
So does he.
I considered what I’d do about it for a few weeks and then realized I didn’t give a fuck. Fighting him would ruin ever being with Quinn, so I let it go.
She is far more important.
Now here she is inside the first BHS training camp. Dropped in my lap, until Tyrell turned up. He’s a curveball for sure, but this boyfriend is the biggest challenge.
Are they serious?
Telling her to dump Mike probably wasn’t my finest moment, but neither did she swoon when I asked if she was in love with him.
She’s not.
A fucking accountant. What the hell is she thinking? I guess I should be grateful. It won’t last. A woman like Quinn needs a man. An alpha.
She needs me.
She belongs to me, and over the next two weeks I’ll prove it to her.
“Aidan, my co-founder, also a US Marine. Marshall, former Green Beret. Cole Zimbardo, fellow soldier. Noah Jenkins, former captain that some of you know and have previously trained under. Ryder, former Special Forces, and me.” Josh props a foot on the step in front of him and turns to a mobile whiteboard.
“Commander Hawke, Navy SEAL veteran,” Aidan shared, knowing Josh wouldn’t do it. SEALs are renowned for being humble, and while not always, Josh leans heavily into it most of the time. Unless he wants to intimidate. Honestly, his size and the way he carries himself does the job, regardless.
“Retired SEAL is fine; I’m not seventy.” Josh rolls his eyes, and a bunch of us snigger. “Okay, let’s get stuck in here.”
For the next thirty minutes, he takes the trainees through the plan and who will be leading which course.
“Fuck. I’m looking forward to this.” Marshall crosses his arms, grinning.
“Ditto,” Cole swigs from his water bottle. “You led a bunch of training, right, Noah?”
“Yup,” I nod, keeping Quinn in my one-eighty vision as they all break up and step into their assigned groups. “With the right GI’s, it’s really fulfilling. My advice is keep an eye on anyone not being a team player.”
“Always. That shit shouldn’t happen.” Marshall shakes his head.
“It does; that’s my point. You know the drill: someone wants the promotion, they’ll step on top of others to get it.” I glance around at the soldiers, taking measure of each and every one of them. “It can get dirty.”
I was preempting Tyrell trying to pull some shit over the next two weeks. I had no doubt he would.
“Yeah, the bullets might be rubber, but the bodies are real.” Cole nods. “I get it. Hey, did you hear about the breach over in the far boundary overnight?”
My brows lift. “No?”
“Didn’t trigger the alarm, and the fence was snipped.”
The hell?
“Who found it?” I ask.
“Ryder’s pup,” Cole shares. “He started going nuts, so he let him loose and then followed. Josh is pissed.”
I bet.
“Anything on the camera?”
Cole shakes his head. “The entire boundary is fucking huge, obviously, so the cameras move. The guys back at base are going through it, but I haven’t heard anything.”
He means Travis.
“Who the hell would be stupid enough to break into this place? And why?” Marshall asks as Ryder wanders over with said dog.
“Hopefully we’ll find out soon. Batman lost his mind the moment I let him out of the car.”
I blink. “Your dog is called Batman?”
“Yes,” the Delta Force deadpans me.
I try not to laugh.
I’ve seen him with the German shepherd a handful of times, and it’s the most well-trained dog I’ve ever seen. I was unaware of its name.
I glance at Cole and Marshall, who are scratching their heads, pressing their lips together, trying not to laugh, and it’s killing me.
Ryder is badass, and some guys keep their distance, but I’m not that smart.
“Better than Robin, I guess.” I glance down at the gold and black canine. “Does he have a Batmobile?”
Cole begins chuckling.
“Want me to let him off the lead so he can show you?” Ryder asks.
Batman lets out a sharp bark.
I choke on my breath. “Nope. All good.” And because I can’t help myself, I add, “As long as he has a license.”
Ryder breaks. His lip twitches, and he shakes his head, letting out a laugh. “How are you still alive, brother?”
“I’ve been told it’s my pretty face, but you never know.”
“Thick skull, more like it.” Marshall punches my arm.
I’m still smiling when I glance around and find Quinn watching me with intensity and the familiar desire she fights so damn hard to ignore and hide.
Caught ya, sweetheart!
“See you on the battlefield, gentlemen.” I side-eye Batman and wander over to speak to my future wife. I’m halfway there when Tyrell steps in my path.
Fool.
“Captain Jenkins, can I have a word?”
“Go ahead,” I reply coolly.
“I know you don’t like me, and I could’ve gone straight to Commander Hawke about this, but I wanted to be a man and talk to you directly.”
That won’t make him a man, but telling him penis extensions are available these days is probably inappropriate.
“This isn’t the Army, Tyrell. Josh said he wants to be directed by his first name. And you should speak to him about any concerns you have.”
This fucker is trying to manipulate me, and I’m not playing his games.
“You and Quinn have a history.”
“She was in the same platoon as you under my command,” I clarify.
“Correct. But she was promoted faster than anyone else, and...listen, I need to talk frankly here; there were clearly favorites—”
Fuck this.
“Your inability to accept that a woman has skills greater than those of the men around her is astounding, Tyrell. I highly recommend that you don’t make that mistake here.
At BHS, we assess based on performance and results.
I would focus on your fitness and how you conduct yourself.
” I lean in. “But go ahead and cry to the Navy SEAL and see how that works out for you.”
He blanches. “That’s unprofessional.”
“Is it? Or do we want soldiers with bigger balls than I’m seeing right now out there fighting our enemies?”
“Excuse me?”
“Not once during all those years did Quinn come crying to me for preferential treatment, which is what you’re doing now.”
“I am asking for fair treatment.” Tyrell crosses his arms defensively.
“We haven’t started day one yet. If you think you can manipulate or intimidate me, XO, you have very much underestimated me.” I hold his angry gaze.
I count five beats before he continues.
“Something is going on between you and Quinn. Eventually, you’ll slip up, and then I’ll prove it.”
My smile starts slowly and grows, unnerving Tyrell until he takes a step back.
“Dismissed,” I snap, despite no longer being his CO. In other words, fuck off, you little piece of shit.
He takes off, and my gaze drifts over to Quinn.
She’s chewing her bottom lip, worrying it as I knew she would be.
I hate that she’s right.
When—fuck—if we end up together, Tyrell will attempt to discredit all she’s achieved. No matter what I say, I have to respect her feelings. As a man, I will never understand it completely. But that doesn’t mean I am going to let what we feel for one another pass us by.
There must be a middle ground here.
The BHS team starts setting up, so I leap into action and help. For now, it’s best if I give her space and not stir up Brooks any further.
She’s so close, but still so far away.