Read Online Matt Archer: Blade's Edge by Kendra C. Highley - Free Book Online Page A

especially with his birthday so close to Christmas. “You asshat.”
    “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? I’m appalled, Matthew.” Will leaned on the hood. “Besides, you could get a new car if you wanted. How much you got socked away in your military account?”
    “Enough for a Porsche, but that’s college money,” I said, shaking my head in disgust. “I stand by what I said.”
    “You ought to splurge on something every once in a while,” he argued. “I bet you Colonel Black makes good on his promise to get you into West Point on a full ride. You don’t have to save all your money.”
    “You keep forgetting the army won’t release my account until I’m sixteen.” I sighed. “I still have two months before I see a dime.”
    “Okay, how about this…when you’re sixteen, we’re going shopping,” Will said, punching me in the arm. “We’ll buy you a flat-screen TV for your room.”
    Guys like Will, who always had plenty of cash, just didn’t get what things cost sometimes. “Look,” I said, “Mom’s had to raise three of us by herself. Brent got a football scholarship. Mamie will definitely get an academic scholarship. I don’t have a prayer of either, so if Colonel Black can’t get me into West Point, I want to pay my own way if I can, help Mom out some.”
    The smile slid off Will’s face. “Yeah, I can see that.” Then he grinned again and the awkwardness passed. He dangled the keys from his right index finger. “Millicent was baking something when I left. If you quit calling me asshat, I’ll let you drive the Beemer back to my house.”
    I grabbed the keys. “Oh, hell, yeah, best buddy o’mine.”
    When I started the BMW up, the engine purred like a nursing kitten. But I didn’t drive the beauty right away. Oh, no, I just leaned back in the driver’s seat and breathed in the scent of new leather. It smelled rich and black—mark of quality when you could smell the color of the leather.
    I was sorely tempted to call Will names again but he was letting me take his car for a spin, so no more of that.
    “You sure you’re okay with me driving?” I asked. “Technically, I just have a student license.”
    Will laughed. “Are you kidding? You drive better than anyone else I know. Master Sergeant Schmitz’s Driver’s Ed for Dummies was, what, ten times harder than the course here?”
    “True story. Maybe fifteen times harder,” I said. Schmitz made me drive up an offset incline once. It felt like the Humvee was going to tip over at any moment and go rolling down the hillside. After that, regular street driving was nothing special.
    I put the BMW in drive and the car barely bumped on the salt and snow as we pulled away from the curb.
    “Well?” Will asked, waggling his eyebrows.
    I shook my head. “It’s a total piece of crap. I can’t believe your parents are letting you drive this wreck around town.”
    “That’s it,” Will said, reaching for the keys, “drive’s over.”
    “Nope, you said I could drive it to your house,” I said, gripping the wheel harder. “I’m not giving this lady up yet.”
    Will’s house was at the very back of a big cul-de-sac a few neighborhoods over. The Cruessan mansion—Will didn’t like that nickname—sat on six acres that backed up to the woods. I drove up the circular driveway, past the detached four-car garage, then past the attached three-car garage, to park by their front door. As soon as I went inside, the smell of cookies washed over me.
    When I stood still to breathe in the awesomeness known as “Millicent’s baking,” Will punched my shoulder. “Told you. I’m sure she’ll let us know when whatever she’s making is ready. Now quit standing around in my entry, mouth-breathing like a creeper.”
    We headed to his room and crashed on the sofa to play Black Ops. Will had an awesome setup. The soft brown leather couch felt like butter, the perfect place to hang out in front of his fifty-two-inch flat-screen TV. The