Read Online RULES OF LOVE (A Navy SEALs Romance) by Bella Grant - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Bella Grant
Ads: Link
“You need to talk, Naomi. It’s the only way the nightmares will stop.”
Naomi’s eyes narrowed, and he saw a different glint in her eyes, a deadly one. The look of someone who would kill. He blinked, not believing he’d really seen it, but it was still there, staring back at him.
“You think I’m going to listen to that bullshit? I’ve been through it once, so save the speech, Navy. I can handle it just fine.” She threw the sheet off, grabbed her cane, and walked stiffly out the door.
“I can see that well enough,” he muttered before Naomi reached the door.
“You know nothing about what I’ve been through.”
Beau stood so his face was level with hers. She gripped her cane hard, and her knuckles turned white. She didn’t meet his gaze. He’d seen men like this before when they’d returned from fights, watched those they knew get killed or injured. It was never pretty, but sometimes, the gentle route was not the way to help them get over it. With Naomi, he would have to be harsh.
“You’re stubborn and proud. I would be too if I walked around with a cane all the time, pissed no one could fix my leg. There’s something else, though, and one of these days, you’re gonna have to open up before it eats you alive from the inside out.”
She laughed harshly. “And you think you’re much better, do you? I can see past you, Navy. You’ve built a wall around your emotions. Oh, you try very hard to hide it, but I can see right through it. Have you opened up to anyone?” Beau didn’t answer, shifting restlessly on his feet. “Didn’t think so. Now, back off.”
“Why do you flinch when I try to touch you?” he blurted before she could escape. Much harsher approach. Her eyes bored through him. Very dangerous territory. She could whack me anytime if she wanted with that damn cane, and I’d probably let her.
“That is none of your business.”
“Did he hurt you?”
The question caught Naomi completely off guard as she fumbled for words. “What? That… that was a very long time ago.” She tried to walk away, but he held her there, his hand on her shoulder. She flinched immediately at the contact, and he heard her curse.
“Talk to me, Naomi.”
She chewed her bottom lip, and without any warning, hauled off and punched him square in the jaw. He grunted in pain. Despite anything else he might not know about her, she packed a punch.
“I’d rather beat you senseless first.” She stormed out of the room and disappeared down the stairs.
Beau watched her, holding his jaw. He’d definitely touched a nerve, and a part of him wanted—no, needed—to know what she lived through. The question about the man had been a guess, but it worked well enough. She had been pissed, but he saw a little fear seep into her face. Beau wondered if that could be the reason for the nightmares, because he was now sure they weren’t caused by just a car accident.
Eddie didn’t know what to do with Savage. She’d punched him, but she’d wanted to beat the shit out of him for pushing. She reached her office, closed and locked the door, and pulled out her cell to call Jackie. She needed to talk to someone who might not piss her off.
“You better be dying to call this early,” Jackie muttered when she answered.
“No, but our dear friend Savage might be,” she snapped.
“What he’d do? I know Shane said you’re chomping at the bit to tell him the truth. Is that it?”
Eddie rubbed her knuckles, remembering the satisfaction she’d felt when she hit him. “No, not that. I… uh, I punched him just a few moments ago—”
“You what?!” her friend yelled. “Why the hell would you do that? I thought you said this one exhibited potential, and you knocked him out.” Jackie clicked her tongue.
Eddie waited for the lecture about damaging a man who might do her some good. Her friend always harped on her needing a man in her life.
“Why, may I ask, did you do that, or is that confidential
Naomi’s eyes narrowed, and he saw a different glint in her eyes, a deadly one. The look of someone who would kill. He blinked, not believing he’d really seen it, but it was still there, staring back at him.
“You think I’m going to listen to that bullshit? I’ve been through it once, so save the speech, Navy. I can handle it just fine.” She threw the sheet off, grabbed her cane, and walked stiffly out the door.
“I can see that well enough,” he muttered before Naomi reached the door.
“You know nothing about what I’ve been through.”
Beau stood so his face was level with hers. She gripped her cane hard, and her knuckles turned white. She didn’t meet his gaze. He’d seen men like this before when they’d returned from fights, watched those they knew get killed or injured. It was never pretty, but sometimes, the gentle route was not the way to help them get over it. With Naomi, he would have to be harsh.
“You’re stubborn and proud. I would be too if I walked around with a cane all the time, pissed no one could fix my leg. There’s something else, though, and one of these days, you’re gonna have to open up before it eats you alive from the inside out.”
She laughed harshly. “And you think you’re much better, do you? I can see past you, Navy. You’ve built a wall around your emotions. Oh, you try very hard to hide it, but I can see right through it. Have you opened up to anyone?” Beau didn’t answer, shifting restlessly on his feet. “Didn’t think so. Now, back off.”
“Why do you flinch when I try to touch you?” he blurted before she could escape. Much harsher approach. Her eyes bored through him. Very dangerous territory. She could whack me anytime if she wanted with that damn cane, and I’d probably let her.
“That is none of your business.”
“Did he hurt you?”
The question caught Naomi completely off guard as she fumbled for words. “What? That… that was a very long time ago.” She tried to walk away, but he held her there, his hand on her shoulder. She flinched immediately at the contact, and he heard her curse.
“Talk to me, Naomi.”
She chewed her bottom lip, and without any warning, hauled off and punched him square in the jaw. He grunted in pain. Despite anything else he might not know about her, she packed a punch.
“I’d rather beat you senseless first.” She stormed out of the room and disappeared down the stairs.
Beau watched her, holding his jaw. He’d definitely touched a nerve, and a part of him wanted—no, needed—to know what she lived through. The question about the man had been a guess, but it worked well enough. She had been pissed, but he saw a little fear seep into her face. Beau wondered if that could be the reason for the nightmares, because he was now sure they weren’t caused by just a car accident.
Eddie didn’t know what to do with Savage. She’d punched him, but she’d wanted to beat the shit out of him for pushing. She reached her office, closed and locked the door, and pulled out her cell to call Jackie. She needed to talk to someone who might not piss her off.
“You better be dying to call this early,” Jackie muttered when she answered.
“No, but our dear friend Savage might be,” she snapped.
“What he’d do? I know Shane said you’re chomping at the bit to tell him the truth. Is that it?”
Eddie rubbed her knuckles, remembering the satisfaction she’d felt when she hit him. “No, not that. I… uh, I punched him just a few moments ago—”
“You what?!” her friend yelled. “Why the hell would you do that? I thought you said this one exhibited potential, and you knocked him out.” Jackie clicked her tongue.
Eddie waited for the lecture about damaging a man who might do her some good. Her friend always harped on her needing a man in her life.
“Why, may I ask, did you do that, or is that confidential
Similar Books
