“Jer, if you’re interested in the man, I’m not here to judge. Sure, he’s a little young, but that’s not my concern. But I do need to know your intentions…beforeanything escalates.”
“He’s my direct report, sir. That would be an abuse of authority and a breach of policy. Things won’t go any further.”
Kieran groaned.
“I’m not trying to lecture you here, Jer—though you’re doing a damn good job at lecturing yourself. I’m trying to extend anoffer. We can always talk to Hanjae. Grant’s a fairly fresh recruit, it wouldn’t be difficult to get him shifted to another unit so that he’snotyour direct report.”
“I’m not gonna upend this man’s career just so that I can fuck him, Kieran.”
“His career?” Kieran clucked. “Kraiggson is a shit scout and you know it. He’d honestly be better suited elsewhere. But I can’t in good faith keep him under you if he’s going to end up… you know.Under you.”
I bit my tongue, resisting the urge to laugh. Abyss take me.
“I told you, I would never abuse my authority over him. It’s not right.”
“I know you wouldn’t, Jer. But that sexual tension alone could create risks that I’m not comfortable with in our cadre. Just think on it, alright? Keep your head on straight. Think it through, and keep me posted.”
“Yes, sir.”
“It’s okay to move on, you know,” Kieran said, his tone slipping from authoritative to… something much more gentle. “It’s been a long time. He would want you to be happy.”
At that, the conversation seemed to end, and once I heard footsteps head in the opposite direction, I rounded the corner—only to run headfirst into Kieran, who was leaning casually against the wall.
Shit.
“Hello there, little eavesdropper,” he purred, eyes gleaming.
“Shit. I’m so sorry,” I stammered out. “I didn’t mean to—”
“Don’t be,” Kieran interrupted, shrugging. “I trust your discretion. But we are going to have to work on your stealth skills, methinks. You were hardly subtle.”
“Still, I had no right to hear any of that,” I said, grimacing at my own behavior.
Kieran shrugged again. “If I wasn’t comfortable being overheard, I wouldn’t have had the conversation in a public space, Arken. It’s no big deal.”
I’m sure that I was bright red, regardless.
“It’s very admirable,” I said softly. “The way you handled that. What you were offering Jeremiah.”
Kieran glanced back across the room, his icy gaze flickering to our corner table where his lieutenant had rejoined an animated conversation with Laurel and Hans. Laurel was spinning a single gold coin on the table, likely starting up some sort of drinking game. I shook my head, smiling.
“Admirable? Nah,” Kieran replied. “I’m just doing my job. As both his captain, and as his friend. Jer… Well, he hasn’t reallyexpressed interest in anyone since his last heartbreak. Caleb. It’s a long story, but it’s been years. So if he’s actually into that freshling, I’d much rather open a few doors to make the relationship appropriate, rather than expect him to hold back his feelings for the sake of policy.”
For somebody who spoke ofrelationshipsandcommitmentas though they were dirty words, Kieran sure seemed to understand the nuanced nature of such things. And he clearly had empathy for Jeremiah and his position. I couldn’t help but wonder why a man so intuitive, so emotionally intelligent and insightful, felt the need to avoid companionship like a plague. Not likethatwas any of my business, either.
“Still, there are plenty of leaders who would have responded to that shit with a lecture and a write up, nothing more,” I said. “It’s no wonder the three of you are close. They both really trust you.”
“You havegotto stop saying nice things about me, Little Conduit,” Kieran laughed, pushing himself off the wall. “It’s going to go straight to my head. Come on, let’s get you that cider.”
After we rejoined our friends, the five of us remained at the Arrowhead Inn for several more hours—eating, drinking and laughing. It was a surprisingly easy dynamic. Though Kieran and his men led wildly different lives from Laurel and I, we were all fairly close in age. Like Kieran, Hans and Jeremiah were only in their mid-twenties—and we all had more in common than I expected.
Once the sun began to set, Laurel declared her intentions.
“Alright, you fucks. As delightful as this place is, I’m in need of harder liquor and hotter women to flirt with.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Hans replied heartily.
“Come join me at The Clover?” Laurel asked the table, though she turned on the puppy-dog eyes when she caught my gaze in particular.