Flash Bang by Meghan March

start walking on this too soon, you’re going to do more damage.” Beau said this as though he knew she was going to argue with him.
    “How long? Really.”
    He studied her ankle. “Hard to know exactly, but you’d be better waiting a week rather than a day.”
    “Two days.”
    Conan chose that moment to join the conversation. “This isn’t a negotiation. You want to be hurt worse?”
    “You can’t tell me that if you or one of your commandos sprained an ankle, you’d have him on bed rest for a week. That’s ridiculous.”
    Conan inclined his head. “Fair point. But we’ve got crutches here that fit us and any of my commandos would be on desk duty until Beau gave him the all clear. Especially now. In case you haven’t noticed, little girl, everything’s changed, and it’s going to keep changing, and not for the better. You need to get smart … and quick.”
    “You condescending asshole . You think I don’t know that everything’s changed? While you’ve been hiding here in your little fortress, I’ve been out there,” Ro pointed toward the outside, “and I’ve seen it firsthand. I know it’s going to get a hell of a lot worse before it gets better. Do you think I don’t realize that? Do you think that maybe I have a damn good reason to be in a hurry to get where I’m going, and that’s why I’m trying to get there as quickly as I can? People are confused right now, and scared, and hoping someone’s coming to save them. It’s not going to be too much longer before everyone gets desperate and violent, and it’ll be survival of the fittest, or survival of the best armed and most ruthless. You better believe I’m going to be tucked away safe when that happens.” She looked toward the wall, not wanting to meet Conan or Beau’s eyes after her speech.
    Conan pushed off the counter and stood before her. He tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him. Beau kept wrapping her ankle.
    “At least we can agree on one thing: you need to stay safe and in one piece.” His tone was implacable. “You might not agree with my methods, but at least we’ll agree on the result.”
    Ro tugged her chin out of his grip and crossed her arms. “Whatever. I’ll stay tonight and regroup in the morning.”

    Stubborn woman. That’s what she was. A stubborn ass woman. After Beau had wrapped her ankle and handed her an ice pack, Graham didn’t waste any time scooping her up and carrying her to the cabin he shared with Zach and depositing her on his bed. He could have put her on the couch, or even in Zach’s bed, but the possessive part of him wouldn’t let him put her anywhere but his bed. Jesus. If he didn’t rein himself in, he’d be pissing on her like a dog marking his territory. And that wasn’t a kink he understood.
    “Please tell me this isn’t your bed.”
    “No can do, sweetheart. It’s this or the ground.” Graham felt a twinge of guilt for lying, but it had been a long fucking day, and he wasn’t up for another argument with her. He had three men out in the field, and his dick needed some attention. And he didn’t think he’d be successful in convincing her to take care of it. Though the thought had his cock twitching.
    He lit the oil lamp that sat on the nightstand while he waited for her to explode.
    “Look, Conan—”
    Graham couldn’t help the chuckle that came out. He knew he hadn’t given her his name. He wasn’t big on offering information, let alone personal details. He supposed Conan was marginally better than calling him asshole.
    “It’s Graham, not Conan. Graham Buchanan.”
    “What, no rank and serial number?”
    “Not anymore, sweetheart.” Graham liked her sassy attitude. This one could definitely hold his interest past morning. And she’d certainly already charmed Zach. But Zach was a sucker for all pretty women.
    “I thought once a Marine, always a Marine?”
    Graham’s gaze snapped to her face. Had he been wrong? Had she really been bait? Fuck. He needed to