Hard: A Military Stepbrother Romance by Lara Swann Read Free Book Online

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quick to parade my service out in front of anyone who would listen, and I
couldn’t stand it. She had no clue what it really meant to be who I was, to
serve as I did. A few maxims and quotes weren’t enough to understand.
Constantly challenging, training, learning, pushing…that was as much a part of
my life as breathing. So yes, I could understand Bella’s motivations - she was
the kind of girl who could fit into that same life view, after all. But I
sincerely doubted my mother did.
    Instead
of launching into that tirade, I just shrugged and grunted, brushing it away as
I always did with those comments.
    I
focused on pushing away the distraction of her presence right there at my
shoulder and tried to turn my attention back to the man my mother was planning
to make my step-father. My initial optimism had died as soon as I’d realized
just whose father he was, and with it most of my interest, but I could at least
try to be polite. Whatever got me away from the awkwardness of this meal
quicker. And away from the tempting siren next to me.
    Unfortunately,
he brought the conversation right back to the same place again.
    “Ah
yes, your mother mentioned you were in the Navy SEALs. Quite an accomplishment
- is it as hard as they say, the training?”
    I
felt Bella startle at that, shooting me a sidelong glance.
    The
images flashed through my mind briefly - the freezing cold, the harsh surf as
we lay in it for hours, the never-ending ache of fatigued muscles, constant
stress and pressure and haranguing to quit…it was the worst thing I’d ever
done. And the best. And I never wanted to do it again.
    “Harder.”
    He
asked me a few more questions but I didn’t elaborate much beyond one word
answers. I tried to care about being pleasant but found myself failing
spectacularly. I hated this line of conversation - almost like I was some
novelty on display. I’d never found anyone outside the force that I could stand
talking to about this stuff. And those within didn’t talk about it - they
didn’t need to.
    The
conversation died away after a few more moments, and I was glad to just focus
on my food. My mother kicked it off again just as the silence started to feel
heavy, evidently giving up on me.
     “What
about you, Annabelle? Your father mentioned you’d graduated with a 3.9 - that’s
seriously impressive! What are your plans now?”
    Bella
shifted beside me, and I could read her discomfort instantly. My eyes watched
her closely at that, curiosity overcoming even the desire to run my hand up
through her hair and unpick the clips that held it restrained. There was something
wrong about my need to feel it tumbling around me, my hand caught in it as I
pulled her head back for a kiss that would take her breath away…
    OK,
maybe curiosity didn’t quite overcome that.
    Bella
cleared her throat and glanced at her father, before taking a breath in a
manner that spoke of a practiced action.
    “I’ve
been thinking about that, actually.”
    Terence
gave her a quick look, his face unchanged as he answered for her.
    “You
were thinking of attending a med school near here, weren’t you? So studying for
the MCAT soon, I imagine.”
    She
looked back at him evenly, but her body language made me feel she was preparing
herself for what she was about to say.
    The
dynamics between the two of them were fascinating - Bella’s controlled, almost
emotionless manner had been a big part of her reputation at school. Personally,
I’d never quite seen her that way - but then I’d made it my purpose to goad her
out of it. Looking at them both right now though, I had a feeling that this was
who it was for.
    “Yes,
that’s one of the options. But, you know, we’d discussed taking some time to
think it through after graduation, and I’ve also been getting really interested
in forensics. I was thinking it might be worth pursu—”
    She
was cut off by a slight laugh, and my eyebrows shot up as I looked back to her
father, who was shaking his