Page 28 of Ruthless Commander

Darkness and the black and white image of her in my hands. She stepped out of the bathroom dressed in nothing more than a towel wrapped around her body.

“Jesus.” I tore the phone away, placing it down as I braced my hands on the table and dropped my head.

I didn’t know why I did this to myself, didn’t know why I kept coming back to this torture…I licked my lips, straightened, and lifted the phone once more. She turned and unwound the towel, lifting it to slowly run the fabric down the strands of her midnight black hair.

I was lost in the sweet curve of her ass and her fucking milky smooth skin, and found myself dragging my thumb across the screen right as the damn cell rang. The vision was snatched away, the screen replaced with the caller ID.

Neale Grey.

“What the fuck, now?” I groaned, lifted it, and answered. “Yes?”

“He’s discharged.” The doctor sounded pissy. “You do know he’s going to a party tonight?”

“Without a doubt.”

“And there’ll be alcohol, less than twenty-four hours after I pulled a bullet from his shoulder.”

I gave a sigh. “Listen, doc...”

“Surgeon,” he corrected.

“What?”

“I’m asurgeon.That’s why you hired me, remember?”

Remember his goddamn credentials? Fuck, I was going flat out just remembering what fucking day it was. “Get to the point, Neale.”

There was silence, then his tone, low and, yeah, most definitely pissy. “I want them checked on.”

“What?”

“I want them checked on, Mateo,”he was insistent.

“What, like they’re fucking five?” I snapped.

“I don’t care. You wanted him discharged, so I’m holding you fully responsible.”

Anger cut through me, chilling me to the bone. “Or what?”

“Or I walk,” he said. The goddamn bastard was holding me to this, like any of this wasmyfucking fault? “And good luck finding someone with my credentials prepared to work in this fucking war zone.”

I clenched my grip around the phone, anger burning inside me. “Fine. You want me to crash their goddamn party, then I will…will that satisfy you?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” I forced the word through clenched teeth. “Is there anythingelseI can do for you,doctor?”

“Goodnight, Mateo.” He just finished. “Call me if there are any complications.”

“Oh,” I clenched my fist, my tone bordering on murderous. “I will, rest assured of that.”

He hung up the line, leaving me fucking fuming. By the time I’d paced the floor and calmed down, I remembered the live video feed of Xael’s apartment. I snatched my cell from the table and pulled up the feed, but she’d already gone, leaving nothing but a messy bed and the wet towel dropped on the floor of her bedroom behind.

11

Xael

Baldeon’s getting out. Party at his place.