Undercover Bride

The colonel held his gaze for a long tension-filled moment, before finally looking away. “I haven’t forgotten, sir.”

“Good, because I don’t tolerate disrespect in my ranks. This is not a democracy. I’m in charge and I make the decisions.” A long pause followed, during which neither man spoke. “But, as always, I value your opinions. So I’m going to listen while you explain to me why you assigned a guard to Rachel Grunwald.”

Sutherland faced him squarely, not backing down an inch. “I would think that would be obvious, sir.”

“Indulge me.”

“Very well.” The man took a deep breath. “Because of the problems we had with the first two candidates I thought more proactive measures would be useful this time. We don’t want a reoccurrence of the trouble we experienced with them.”

Mention of the first two prospective candidates was jarring. Caleb hadn’t spared either of them a thought after they’d been dismissed. Somehow he knew that even if Rachel left the compound, memories of her wouldn’t be so easily banished. “Well, I hardly think it likely that we’d be so unlucky as to have attracted another candidate with sticky fingers or wandering eyes.”

Grimly Sutherland surveyed him. “I don’t think you take this situation seriously enough, sir. It’s imperative that you select the perfect mate. She must be worthy of you, and of her position in The Brotherhood. Surveillance of the candidates isn’t out of line.”

Caleb linked his fingers atop his desk, a picture of steady composure. “We caught the other two young women in their peccadilloes easily enough, didn’t we? I’m sufficiently confident of our security here without assigning young soldiers to fool errands. I have more important plans for our troops, and it’s imperative that each soldier learns these particular lessons well.”

Sutherland looked at him, interest clearly battling with ire. In another moment, interest won. Grasping the back of the chair Caleb gestured to, he pulled it closer to Caleb’s desk and sat. “It sounds like you’ve been making some plans. I hope you’ll consider my earlier proposal. Some carefully chosen hits should gain us valuable attention.”

As the other man talked about his suggested targets in the state and surrounding area, Caleb rose and strolled to the one of the front windows. The lawn sprawled in a vivid-green carpet rolling toward the gate securing the front of the property, a mile in the distance. Boundaried on the other sides by mountains and canyon, The Brotherhood had etched out its own little kingdom, in the midst of nature’s majesty. And he’d scratched and fought to build that kingdom; every inch a testament to his dedication and commitment to the only cause that had ever mattered to him.