Free Broken Wings (The Broken Series Book 3) by K.S. Ruff Page B

grown up.”
    The
rest of the movie kept me sufficiently engaged, so I didn’t speak.
    “Do
I dare ask?” Kadyn inquired as he retrieved the movie from the DVD player.
    I
smiled. “The Dark Knight Rises was my favorite of the three movies. Anne
Hathaway grew on me, but I still prefer Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. Let’s
just say I won’t hate you for making me watch these.”
    Kadyn
laughed. “That’s good.”
    I
swallowed nervously. “Hey, I know it’s late but I have a few things I really
need to talk to you about. Thursday is my late night at school. Can you stay a
little longer, or do you want to try to hook up on Friday night?”
    Kadyn’s
eyebrows furrowed. “I’m a bit concerned by that tone in your voice. I think you
should lay it on me now.”
    I
silently debated which bombshell to drop first.
    Kadyn
sat back down on the couch. “Kri?”
    “I’ve
finally been offered a job,” I offered cautiously.
    Kadyn
looked relieved. “Well, that’s good. Where will you be working?”
    I
slowly released the breath I’d been holding. “A non-profit organization called
Seeds for Peace.”
    He
scowled. “Seeds for Peace? Never heard of it.”
    “They
do peace-building.”
    Kadyn’s
eyes narrowed. “Peace-building. Where?”
    “The
job is based out of DC, but it requires international travel,” I responded
evasively.
    “Where?”
he repeated drily.
    “Africa,
the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union. I’m going to Ukraine in June.”
    Kadyn
groaned. “Do you have a death wish, Kri?”
    “No,”
I responded defensively. “This is a great opportunity to work in the same field
I’m studying. I can put what I’m learning to good use, and I’ll be helping
people.”
    Kadyn
raked his hand over his smooth head. “What exactly will you be doing?”
    “I’ll
be training university students how to resolve conflict peacefully. I’ll
essentially be teaching them all of the same things I’m learning at school. Once
they complete the training, they’ll start conflict resolution programs in their
communities and run similar workshops in their high schools and middle
schools.”
    Kadyn’s
brows furrowed. “Will you be traveling with any kind of security detail?”
    I
shook my head. “No. The countries we’re going to are fairly stable. We’re
really not doing anything that puts us at risk.”
    Kadyn
exhaled loudly. “You are an American, and you are… well… you . Kri,
seriously, can’t you find something safer to do?”
    I
scowled. “I want to do this .”
    “So
help me God, Kri… if you get yourself kidnapped again…”
    I
bolted from the couch. “I won’t! God, Kadyn! Don’t jinx me like that!”
    Kadyn
stood. “I’m sorry. I just want you to be safe.”
    I
began pacing across the floor. “I’ll be traveling with a team of people, I’m
taking a Russian immersion course, and I’m going to be studying self-defense.”
    Kadyn
folded his arms across his chest. “That right there tells me that you know this
job is going to be dangerous. What kind of self-defense class are you taking?”
    I
froze as my stomach collided with my toes. “Well, that’s the other thing I needed
to talk to you about.”
    Kadyn
stilled. “Why do I get the impression this piece of news is even worse than the
last?”
    I
sighed. “Rafael is going to teach me self-defense.”
    Kadyn’s
eyes widened. “Rafael… as in Michael’s brother, Rafael?”
    “Yes,”
I whispered. “We’re sort of dating.”
    Kadyn’s
face was void of all emotion, but his voice was beyond livid. “Sort. Of. Dating.”
    My
heart pounded mercilessly as I tried to sort through how much to reveal. “He
approached me three days ago. He’s not working for Michael anymore. He’s
running some security firm here. We went out to dinner last night.”
    His
eyes narrowed. “In what world is it okay to date your fiancé’s brother?”
    “Michael
is not my fiancé,” I gritted out. “In case you’ve forgotten, Michael
kicked me to