Read Online Watching From The Shadows: Trident Security Book 5 by Samantha A. Cole - Free Book Online
Authors: Samantha A. Cole
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she also gave me a container of.”
“We’ll call it a tie then.” Returning to the table, he took the takeout container Carter pushed his way and sat down.
“God help us when that girl falls in love. You single guys will starve to death. Thankfully, I know how to cook.”
Marco added some ketchup to his burger and fries before handing the bottle over. “By the way, the door was locked with the system armed, and you’ve only been here once before that I can remember. How the hell…” He stopped and rolled his eyes, knowing the man could probably get into Fort Knox if he wanted to. “Fuck, never mind. Stupid question.”
“Yup, it is. Dig in.”
After a few minutes of eating in silence, Carter grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth. “So, talk to me, my friend.”
“Don’t want to,” he mumbled through a mouthful of food.
“Then I’ll talk. You just sit there, stuffing your face, and listen. I know enough about your background to know we aren’t that different. But where you were raised by family members, whether they were there for you or not, I got bounced around in foster homes for years.”
Stunned, Marco paused with his beer halfway to his lips. He’d been friends with the man sitting across from him for about seven years, but he knew very little about him beyond their professional and BDSM worlds. Being a black operative for the U.S. government, Carter had always kept his background and personal life outside of Tampa as secret as his classified missions.
Ignoring his friend’s look of surprise, Carter took a swig of his beer before continuing. “Do you remember what it was like back then, when you still had hopes and dreams of being part of a normal family—mother, father, siblings—in a house with a dog and a white picket fence? And don’t deny it, because every kid with a crummy childhood like ours has that dream until they find out there’s no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny.”
Placing his beer back on the table, Marco nodded. “Yeah, I remember. But like most orphans too old or not eligible for adoption, I found out it was a pipe dream.”
“But even though you were technically an orphan, you still had someone. You had Nina. I only met her a few times, but she was sweet and funny…and obviously got the good looks in the family—which you missed out on.”
Marco snorted, but let the insult slide.
“And now you have an opportunity to have a family again. With your daughter. And with Harper. Or maybe without her, but from what I saw at the funeral, there was something between you that I don’t think either of you were aware of at the time.”
“You were at the funeral?” Marco hadn’t seen him, but that didn’t mean anything. He could be a ghost when he didn’t want to be spotted.
“At the gravesite. I only had a short window of time, but I wanted to pay my respects.” He leaned back in his chair, leaving only a few stray French fries in the takeout container. “But I’m getting away from the subject. Anyway, it’s obvious to me you have abandonment issues, my friend.” He held up his hand when Marco opened his mouth to argue with him. “Deny it all you want, but coming from a similar background, I see it in you. But I also see a man who’s overcome every obstacle life threw at him since birth to become someone on a very short list of people who I admire and I’m honored to call a friend.”
Dropping his gaze to the last of his hamburger which he no longer wanted, Marco swallowed a lump in his throat, but remained quiet. Carter and he had had many meaningful conversations over the years, but never anything this deep and personal. Well, as they say, there’s a first time for everything.
“You turned into someone the subs adore. Not just for the orgasms you give them, but for the part of you they find comfort and guidance in. I don’t know where you got it from, maybe from raising Nina, but it’s there.” He jabbed his finger on the table a few times, emphasizing
“We’ll call it a tie then.” Returning to the table, he took the takeout container Carter pushed his way and sat down.
“God help us when that girl falls in love. You single guys will starve to death. Thankfully, I know how to cook.”
Marco added some ketchup to his burger and fries before handing the bottle over. “By the way, the door was locked with the system armed, and you’ve only been here once before that I can remember. How the hell…” He stopped and rolled his eyes, knowing the man could probably get into Fort Knox if he wanted to. “Fuck, never mind. Stupid question.”
“Yup, it is. Dig in.”
After a few minutes of eating in silence, Carter grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth. “So, talk to me, my friend.”
“Don’t want to,” he mumbled through a mouthful of food.
“Then I’ll talk. You just sit there, stuffing your face, and listen. I know enough about your background to know we aren’t that different. But where you were raised by family members, whether they were there for you or not, I got bounced around in foster homes for years.”
Stunned, Marco paused with his beer halfway to his lips. He’d been friends with the man sitting across from him for about seven years, but he knew very little about him beyond their professional and BDSM worlds. Being a black operative for the U.S. government, Carter had always kept his background and personal life outside of Tampa as secret as his classified missions.
Ignoring his friend’s look of surprise, Carter took a swig of his beer before continuing. “Do you remember what it was like back then, when you still had hopes and dreams of being part of a normal family—mother, father, siblings—in a house with a dog and a white picket fence? And don’t deny it, because every kid with a crummy childhood like ours has that dream until they find out there’s no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny.”
Placing his beer back on the table, Marco nodded. “Yeah, I remember. But like most orphans too old or not eligible for adoption, I found out it was a pipe dream.”
“But even though you were technically an orphan, you still had someone. You had Nina. I only met her a few times, but she was sweet and funny…and obviously got the good looks in the family—which you missed out on.”
Marco snorted, but let the insult slide.
“And now you have an opportunity to have a family again. With your daughter. And with Harper. Or maybe without her, but from what I saw at the funeral, there was something between you that I don’t think either of you were aware of at the time.”
“You were at the funeral?” Marco hadn’t seen him, but that didn’t mean anything. He could be a ghost when he didn’t want to be spotted.
“At the gravesite. I only had a short window of time, but I wanted to pay my respects.” He leaned back in his chair, leaving only a few stray French fries in the takeout container. “But I’m getting away from the subject. Anyway, it’s obvious to me you have abandonment issues, my friend.” He held up his hand when Marco opened his mouth to argue with him. “Deny it all you want, but coming from a similar background, I see it in you. But I also see a man who’s overcome every obstacle life threw at him since birth to become someone on a very short list of people who I admire and I’m honored to call a friend.”
Dropping his gaze to the last of his hamburger which he no longer wanted, Marco swallowed a lump in his throat, but remained quiet. Carter and he had had many meaningful conversations over the years, but never anything this deep and personal. Well, as they say, there’s a first time for everything.
“You turned into someone the subs adore. Not just for the orgasms you give them, but for the part of you they find comfort and guidance in. I don’t know where you got it from, maybe from raising Nina, but it’s there.” He jabbed his finger on the table a few times, emphasizing
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