Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

KENAN

There had been many times in the past four years I'd struggled to stay silent. Many times, I'd wanted to assert myself to defend or aid my president. But my job was to neither be seen nor heard. My job was to stand silently in the corner and wait to be needed.

So I'd done my damned job even as the two asshat blowhards had allowed their overinflated egos to interfere with the safety of a mission. Because of them, three good Marines had died. Because of them, my president felt like he'd single-handedly killed them himself.

And I couldn't stay quiet anymore.

"You did not do this," I said quietly.

Garner's eyes looked up at me, bright green and heartbreakingly shiny. "You saw what happened."

I nodded. Once. "Yes. I saw those fuckers cause good men to die. I saw them use their reputations against you. It was repugnant and fucking criminal."

As I spoke, his eyes widened in surprise. "Tell me what you really think, Commander."

We still stood too close. The brush of his hip against my soft cock had lit me up inside, and my body trembled with a familiar urge to touch him. My urge to comfort him, to distract him from his pain, was too strong to hold out much longer. "I think they took advantage of you in a moment of…"

"Weakness," he spat. "Go ahead and say it. Everyone claimed my lack of military experience would be my downfall, and look what happened. They were right."

"They were wrong," I gritted out. "You're the smartest person in that room, sir. And they all know it. But you're also respectful of each team member's own expertise. It was their responsibility to bring that expertise to bear and counsel you appropriately in a timely manner. They failed."

"The buck stops here, Commander," he muttered, seeming to deflate right in front of me.

"With all due respect, Mr. President, spare me the Trumanesque bullshit. Those Marines' deaths were avoidable, but the mission they participated in wasn't. They—and you—helped save the oppression of thousands of innocent people by stopping those rebels. If you're going to assign blame, then you'd better assign credit too."

He studied me, green eyes raking over my face. "Since when do you eschew opinions, Commander Harper?"

I considered keeping my mouth shut. I'd already said way too much.

When my voice came out, it was barely audible. "Since I can't stand seeing you in pain."