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“Get! Out!” I shout, pointing again towards the tent flap.

Rose’s face gets all scrunchy and small like it does when she’s truly livid – an expression I know she hates because it’s not her most attractive look. She’s a beautiful girl, but when she getsreallymad, there is a very stark resemblance to a very small, very angry chihuahua.

“Would you lower your voice, Cole?” she snarls. “You areembarrassingme!”

I laugh at her – I can’t help it – a huffing, frustrated sound as I raise my hands to my hair and knot my fingers in it. “I don’t give a shit, Rose! If that’s what it takes to get yououtof here –“

She leaps to her feet, her hand reaching for my face, eager to cover my mouth and shut me up while she brings her body close.

My hand whips down, intent on smacking her hand away, but some miraculous part of me slows my movement at the last second, my wolf snarling and reminding me ofallof my mother’s lessons about recognizing my strength, remembering that my bigger body comes with responsibilities as well as privileges, and how to treat women.

Even when they’re beingfuckingnightmares.

My palm blocks her wrist, and her arm falls down. “Ow!” she cries.

But I ignore the sound, knowing it didn’t hurt.

“Rose,” I say, taking two steps back and holding my hand flat out towards her. “This is bordering on sexual harassment.”

Her face drops in horror at the accusation. But honestly? It’s not evenborderinganymore – I’m just being fucking nice.

“I have made it clear,” I continue, my voice shaking, trying to be asevenas I can, “that I amnotinterested in any advances from you beyond friendship. And quite frankly at this point – friendship is off the table for me as well. If you push again, even an inch, I will ask for you to be reassigned – and my fatherwilllisten to me.”

Rose takes a step away, her face fully red now, her expression slack with shock and embarrassment. “But we –“

“Are nothing,” I say, fighting a snarl, finishing her thought for her. “Now get. The fuck.OUT!”

Rose stares at me for a second before she turns in a huff, snatching her bra up from its place on my camp chair and hastily throwing it on before she grabs her shirt and storms out of the tent without another word.

My breath still heaves in my chest for a solid thirty seconds after she goes. I just stare at the door,waitingfor her to come back – because that issosomething Rose would do –

God, how did I ever…like this? This kind of dogged persistence, these damn…games.

I sigh, my shoulders slumping, suddenly grateful that that phase of my life isover.

I turn and sink onto my bed at the thought, putting my head in my hands, trying to recover my composure. Because I’m so fucking tired – and pissed off – and confused –

Honestly,shouldI ask dad to just reassign her now? I mean, I know she’s good – and she has the photographs from tonight that I want to see – but this level of persistence....

She’s clearly trouble, but is she actuallydangerous? Am I…overlooking what she woulddoif she found out about Nadia? Just because Rose is no threat to me doesn’t mean that she –

I inhale sharply at the thought, sitting up straight and tilting my head back, suddenly overwhelmed.

I am just…the worst fucking mate. God, why didn’t I see it sooner? I groan, feeling quite suddenly very warm and panicked, loathing myself completely for wanting to protect Nadia so much but simultaneously failing to see that a sincere threat to her isrighthere and I’ve been –

I stand up sharply, my head banging against the pole at the top of the tent. I hiss, glaring up at it, cursing being so fucking tall as I move for the front of the tent – wanting…air. Wanting fresh, cold air in my lungs – and on my face –

I take a deep breath as I step out, relishing the crisp desert breeze –

But the air sticks in my throat as my eyes focus on the sight immediately before me.

A gorgeous brunette in medical scrubs and a zip-up hoodie, quietly pouring some gummy candy from a commissary packetinto her hand as she sits in a camp chair about ten feet away from my tent’s door.

“Hey, Cole,” Nadia says, grinning wickedly at me. “Want some? I always like something sweet to go along with a show. And that was…one hell of a show.”

Her smile spreads wide over her cheeks, and I groan, my knees going weak, threatening to toss me right to the ground.

Chapter 39 – Caught