Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (46 page)

Sam watched him leave the Mess, aware of the surprised, upset people around them. Jeremy had to know how this would end. He would be left out. As nice as he was, there was no way
that
Eagle would ever be able to break through the wall of ice around her heart.

Samantha’s gaze went to the center table and found Neil staring at her. There was enough heat there to melt an iceberg and she dropped her head. There was little choice between the two, but she wasn’t sure if she even wanted one of them yet. She didn’t have enough of her self-respect back to be in a relationship. All she wanted from either of them right now was friendship and training. Everything was secondary to surviving the Slavers.

Adrian’s table was much quieter than usual. Kenn tried to keep the conversation going, knowing the boss didn’t like the tension, but with Neil distracted, Doug on guard in the
Qz
, and Kyle still angry that Kenn had been allowed to come back, there was little cooperation.

“I’ll see you guys later.” Neil left the table and let his feet go where they wanted instead of where they should.

“You ready?”

Sam jumped when the Trooper dropped onto the bench across from her.

His tone was slightly defensive and Sam responded sarcastically, “Shouldn’t we wait and let Becky have her say, too?”

Neil followed Sam’s line of sight to see the teenager staring at them with furious eyes, frozen in place.

The line around her moved and Becky forced herself to do the same. She did her best to clear her face, female mind flying through suitable retaliations. She could ignore them and keep up the act that there was nothing going on with her and Neil. She could also cause a scene and force him to claim her early, but she knew both of those options would lose her his affection.

Becky spotted Rick sitting by himself in a back corner and hoped he wouldn’t mind, but didn’t hesitate to carry her tray to his table.
Take that!

“Talk to her. Tonight,” Sam ordered and Adrian’s face demanded the same.

“I will,” Neil answered them both. He turned back to Sam. “Let’s go now, okay?”

Samantha went willingly, glad to escape the attention, but her mind was on Rick and Becky. At this point, not telling the girl some hard truths would be more dangerous than keeping quiet.

They moved through the camp at a steady pace and the sight of the training tent had Neil’s stomach twisting. He didn’t want to do this, but the thought of Seth (
or Jeremy!
) alone in there with her was enough to make him follow through.

“So, are you ready to fight?”

Sam smiled shakily at the joke. “Sure.”

Neil held the flap for her, and ducked inside after a quick glance around verified only one bitter guard lurking in the shadows. He had no idea how this might go. The fewer witnesses, the better.

Samantha waited by the flap for Neil to light a lantern and lead her into the huge canvas room. When he took them inside the large area made of hay bales, she held her nervousness in check and followed him without a protest. She’d asked for this and he was breaking the rules to give it to her. She wasn’t an Eagle or in official training so they had to be somewhere private.
This fits the bill
, she thought, taking off her gun and placing it next to his. It was so quiet in here, it was almost like they were alone.

Neil kicked off his boots, stalling as she did the same. He was hoping to see cold feet that he could respond to. If she would just give him a sign that she didn’t want this…

“So what’s first?”

Eager. Damn it!
“I’ll show you the basic moves and we can go from there.”

“No, Neil.”

He turned to look at her in surprise.

“I want exactly what you gave Angie.”

“You’re not ready for that yet.”

They both turned to see Adrian in the doorway. Neil hid a sigh of relief, grateful.

“Angela was already a level fighter when Brady got her here. You’ll need to work up to that.”

Sam could feel how much happier Neil was as Adrian left them alone. He hadn’t wanted to give her the lesson. Afraid to hurt her? Maybe. Afraid to be caught was more likely and she didn’t stop herself from reacting.

Neil was unprepared for her swing and it rocked his head back.

Samantha saw the blood run from his split lip, and waited nervously for his response. She needed this and if she had to push him to get him to do it, she would. As for Adrian’s rules, well, he hadn’t said anything about a workout.

“What was that for?” Neil questioned, ears ringing from being caught unprepared.

“Lying, pretending, and screwing around with my head,” Sam spoke coldly. “Take your pick.”

“But it was Adrian’s choice,” he protested, staying back as her fist clenched again.

“He did it for you. He felt your fear.”

Neil opened his mouth to argue and found he couldn’t lie to her. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. Now show me the moves.”

Neil stared at her, more confused, if that was possible, than he had been before. She had a hell of a swing.

“Later. Let’s do a workout first. It’ll settle you down, let you concentrate.”

Sam raised a brow. “Who says I can’t now? As I’m sure you know, anger is great for that.”

Neil laughed and knew it was a mistake when her fists clenched again.

“I challenge you!”

He had time to think she’d seen and heard a lot in her short time here, and then she was swinging and he was trying not to fall down.

Thud!

For the fifth time, Neil landed with a hard thump, blood dripping, and Samantha backed up.

 
“Why are you letting me beat on you?” she demanded, almost yelling. The Trooper winced, but didn’t answer. There was a method to his madness. Telling her wasn’t a part of it.

Rolling to his feet, Neil rushed her, dropping under her wild swing and he took them to the ground with his hand braced under to keep her from hitting too hard.

“Ankles!” he ordered sharply.

Sam did as he’d shown her, using the force of her locked legs to gain leverage. She began slamming his ribs with quick, hard knuckle punches, and used her head to connect with his nose.

Grunting, Neil rolled over and off to keep from spraying her with fresh crimson and they stayed on their backs, breathing hard. They’d been at it for almost their allotted hour and Neil was hurting. He’d given her the perfect workout. He let her hit him repeatedly.

 
“Be at the self-defense ring at dawn,” Neil stated, not thinking, just running on instinct.

“You’ll clear it?”

“No. It’s very important for this to all seem like your idea. Only the teachers are there so early. Go to Doug and challenge him. After, demand to be signed up for the level classes, not the crap we give the camp. You’re way beyond that.”

And she was
, he thought. She was clumsy and had bad habits that would have to be broken, but she also had a fury that Neil wasn’t sure even Angela could match. The blonde had an endless supply of rage to draw from and every hit she’d delivered had been solid. When she was ready, Sam would follow Angela into the Eagles. Neil was sure of it.

“You okay?”

Sam sighed, sitting up. “Thinking.”

“Yeah.” Neil examined his feelings on being in the background while she went through what Angela already had and found he could understand completely why Marc had been so upset. If he saw a man hit Samantha, he’d react. It was that simple.

“Can we do this again?” she asked, her voice pointed. “But without the passive teacher.”

Neil hesitated, still not sure about seeing anyone, including himself, hurt her.

Sam waved a hand. “If not, no big deal. Jeremy will probably…”

“I’ll do it!”

Sam only felt a little guilty for using his jealousy. “Good. You’ll let me know when?”

“Yes.”

“Great. Thanks, Neil, really.”

He didn’t look at her. “Adrian sends ‘em and I beat ‘em.”

“But Adrian didn’t send me and you never hit me.”

Her thoughtful voice had his eyes flying open. “Wonder what that means?”

“Might be nothing,” he warned and she gave him a sharp smile that cut through his indifferent façade.

“I’ll keep that in mind when Jeremy finally asks me out. He’s very nice.” Sam turned to get her gun. “See ya, Neil.”

The Trooper moved fast, on his feet and then right behind her in an instant, and Sam stopped, waiting. She’d pushed him tonight, in more ways than one.

“Please.” Neil’s voice was ragged, tortured.

“Please what, Neil? Don’t tease you about Jeremy?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Sam hadn’t turned and the Trooper was able to give her the honesty that the sight of her face would have locked up. “I need… time.”

Sam’s heart jumped and she heard the tremor in her voice as clearly as he did. “For what?”

Staring at her stiff back, Neil felt his caged need spring forward and he smothered the urge to spin her around and demonstrate his desires. “To be sure.”

Sam let that sink in, understanding she was now firmly in contention for him with Becky.

“I won’t play those games, Neil. And I’d never share.” She turned slowly, let him see indifference. “Plus, I don’t know if I’m even interested.”

A dark flush slid up her cheeks and Neil slammed his hands into his pockets. He wanted desperately to expose that lie. “Ouch.”

“Sorry. Long day.”

“Long life full of pain.”

Sam’s voice lowered, “And it’s not over.” She looked away. “Things are happening too fast for me.”

“Did you tell Jeremy the same thing at Mess?”

Sam swung her face back to his. “No. I don’t need to. He understands that without being told.”

Before he could respond, she slipped out of the tent, unable to help a shiver at the immediate darkness.

“Hey, there.”

Jeremy’s voice was unexpected and Sam’s hand went for her gun.

“Easy. I’m the guard he posted.”

Sam cringed at those words, thinking Jeremy had been close enough to hear them.

The Eagle shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that to you. I’ve been in the shadows and on patrol. I heard nothing.” His smile widened. “Saw some vicious swinging shadows though. Good workout?”

Sam gave a short nod, realizing he’d seen Adrian’s visit and knew what it meant. “It helped.”

“You
gonna
have another lesson?”

Sam heard the familiar tones of jealousy and her voice was cool. “That hasn’t been decided yet.”

She turned for the light of camp and Jeremy fell in step, wondering what she was thinking.

“He wants me to wait,” Sam blurted suddenly, horrified to hear it fall out so bluntly. “Until he makes up his mind.”

Jeremy scowled openly. “He what?”

Sam flushed again, instantly wishing she hadn’t told him. “He’s not sure,” she stated, letting him see how stung she was.

Jeremy responded to her need without hesitation. “Come here.”

Sam let him surround her with his big arms, surprised at the way she enjoyed being held. The tears were rare for her and she was glad when only a few rolled down her cheek to soak into his jacket.

“He’s an ass,” Jeremy stated harshly, not caring that Neil had just emerged from the tent and stopped in shock. “It’s not your fault he’s stupid, baby. That’s on him!”

Jeremy glared at the Trooper and then turned them away from the training area, fighting the urge to say something nasty to his team leader. What the hell was wrong with Neil that he couldn’t see the differences like everyone else? Was that little tart really worth his place?

Sam let the concerned Eagle take her into the darkness, thinking she would have to seal up these feelings that she now had for Neil. If this went on for long, it could hurt her and she couldn’t allow another man to do that.

Neil watched them go, heart thumping with guilty anger. Jeremy would be a better mate for her. Clearly he was more attentive, as Neil hadn’t even realized he’d hurt her until he’d seen the tears when Jeremy turned them toward the shadows. But… that male part of him, the side that his dad had built from the ground up, was insisting he could give her more.

“And what about Becky?”
his body asked and Neil grimaced uneasily. He wasn’t sure. She was in the shadows behind him and Neil didn’t hide it. “Becky, we need to talk.”

He waited, turned when he heard her steps behind him.

“Hey, Neil.”

Her tone was cool and the Trooper sighed resignedly. It just wasn’t his day. “I’d like to talk to you about your new friend.”

Her clenched fists told him to brace himself. He had also learned something tonight.

“And don’t forget
your
new friend, Neil. We’ll have a talk about her, too.”

Neil started toward the tent he’d just left and Becky snorted angrily, “You know nothing about women, Neil. Do you know that? I don’t want to talk in there, where you were with
her!”