"If Harris ever gets too fresh, you know what to do."
There's an edge in his voice that's reflected in his gaze. I'm not sure what he's saying - or why he seems tense once more.
I spot movement through the trees and see Riley and Brianna walking with their kids through the camp, towards the dining hall.
Captain Mathis broke Petr's body, but that woman broke the hearts of both my brothers. Not to mention she likes to embarrass me. What the hell does any man in his right mind see in her?
"Is it safe to assume you know more than self-defense?" I ask thoughtfully.
"I can snap a man's neck in a few different ways. Is Harris that much of an issue?"
"What the hell?" I stare at him.
He's not joking.
"Harris is my business," I reply. "Why you and my brother are fixated on him …" I shake my head. "No. I just … no. How the hell did you get from knowing how to hit someone to snapping necks?"
He shrugs. "In my line of work, I never rule out the possibility."
"This is reality, Captain Mathis. There's no snapping necks here." I can't even imagine …
My eyes go to his large hands, the same hands that were on my body not ten minutes before. That he can be so gentle and so lethal is really kind of freaky.
My brothers never told me what happened on their missions overseas, and I'm beginning to understand why. I can't fathom an existence where you might have to kill someone with your bare hands!
"Sometimes things escalate more quickly than you expect," he adds at my stunned silence.
Meeting his gaze again, I find myself wondering if he's talking strictly about war or something else.
Don't be an idiot.
As if feeling the weird tension between us, he clears his throat. "What do you want to know?" he asks, moving closer. "I thought you were a peace loving liberal."
"I am, but every once in a while you meet someone who needs a good punch," I reply and cross my arms.
"Someone like … me?"
I look him up and down, already suspecting it'd be more trouble than it's worth to try. Though I might like it if he wrestled me down …
Stop it, Katya!
"Not this time," I reply.
"You have someone in mind."
"None of your business. I need to know how to punch someone a couple of times," I answer.
He's eyeing me warily. "Who and why?"
"You said everyone needs to know the basics." I point out. "What do you care who I punch? And don't tell me because we're a team. I can wait until you're gone to do it!"