Page 31

Kai’s voice made me jerk. Damn, the man could be quiet when he wanted to be. “Thinking about the monster.”

He made a sound. “Thinking about monsters makes you hard?”

I glanced down at the tented front of my cargo pants. I growled. “Why are you checking out my junk?”

“I wasn’t. I’m just observant.” Kai ran his tongue over his teeth. “My guess is you’re thinking about Greer.”

I speared my friend with a look.

“If you think how you feel about her is a secret, you’re sorely mistaken, my friend.”

Heaving out a breath, I shoved a hand through my hair. “It’ll pass.”

Kai snorted. “You’ve been pining for her for years.”

“I have not.”

“Jameson, Greer is awesome. Smart, attractive…ask her out.”

I looked back at the water. “We kissed.”

“Finally.”

I shook my head. “No. She’s family. I’m older than her and I’m not smart enough for her. She deserves?—”

“That’s bullshit, Jameson. Some of those things you need to navigate, but it doesn’t make anything impossible. And you’re plenty smart. Best squad leader I’ve ever served with.”

“He’s right.”

When Sasha’s voice joined in via my earpiece, I rolled my eyes to the sky. “This is not up for discussion.”

“If you like her, show her,” Sasha said. “Show her that she’s worth it.”

“I kissed her, then I apologized. It’s not happening again.”

Sasha groaned. “You’re an idiot.”

I scowled. “Just drop it, you two.” I touched my earpiece and cut Sasha’s feed.

Kai held up his hands. “All right. Go back to the pining.”

“Can you go and check on North?” I growled.

“Fine.”

I stayed there, staring blindly at the water and trees. Greer wasn’t for me.

Splash.

I spun, muscles tensing. I saw ripples in the water. Maybe it had just been a fish?

No. My gut was telling me our unwanted friend was back. I scanned across the dam and spotted movement.

“Everyone back from the water,” I bellowed.

Greer and the others jolted, then scrambled away.

A tentacle rose up. I whipped my carbine up. A second later, Zeke was beside me.