Free Johnny: #2 (Special Forces) by Madison Stevens Page A

bar. Maddy ordered a sangria and sipped on it as David grumbled about the lack of respect being shown to him.
    She sighed loudly, and he stopped complaining to scowl at her.
    He picked up his bourbon and stared directly at her.
    “Have something to say?” he snapped.
    Maddy took another drink off her sangria. “I think we need to talk,” she said quietly. “About us.”
    He nodded. “I was thinking that as well.”
    Relief flooded her. She’d been so worried about telling him it wasn’t working out, she’d never even thought that he might be feeling the same.
    “I’m so glad to hear that,” she said.
    He sipped from his glass and set it down. “I think tonight we should just get it over with.”
    Maddy nodded as she took a drink. It looked like she’d actually get to enjoy dinner tonight.
    “After dinner you should just come over to my place, and we can take the next step,” David said.
    She nearly knocked over her drink as she set it down. “What?”
    David continued on, apparently unaware they were no longer on the same page.
    “I know you’ve been holding out because you weren’t sure about my commitment to you. And I admit, at first glance I did just think it was going to be all about a good time and nothing serious.”
    Her mouth dropped open at his words. Good time?
    When he pulled her hand into his, a shiver of revulsion ripped through her.
    “But I think it’s time we just get this over with and move on.”
    Sex. He wanted sex with her. Said they should get it over with like sex was just a box to tick on the to-do list.
    Maddy pulled her hand hard from his.
    “No,” she said and dug in her purse for the spare twenty she kept.
    She slapped it on the bar and stood. “I don’t want to be with you anymore.”
    He blinked. “What?”
    “We’re through. Have a nice life.”
    The revelation now felt better than she ever imagined. Screw him and his box-ticking ways. She was sure he would find someone else to tick all his boxes, plus some.
    Not even caring about how he must be looking at her, she walked to the front door and breathed in the night air.
    A firm hand landed on her shoulder once the door had closed and spun her around.
    David glared at her. “Are you fucking kidding me? What the hell is this shit?”
    Maddy pulled out her keys and tried to shake his hand off her shoulder.
    “I’m done,” she said. “I think we’re better off seeing other people.”
    His face contorted in rage. “It’s him, isn’t it? That crazed mountain man? The one that’s friends with your meat-head brother.”
    She froze. “What did you just say?”
    He gave a sharp laugh and shook her a little, his fingers digging into her shoulder. “I should have known that’s what you wanted. Someone with no brains to do whatever you like. You were always intimidated by my mind.”
    Maddy slapped him hard. Her fingers tingled from the force.
    “How dare you,” she said, her words low and menacing. “My brother and Johnny are fucking heroes. Don’t you ever talk about them like that, you piece of self-involved garbage.”
    His other hand came up and gripped her other arm with more strength than she thought he had.
    “You just assaulted me.” He sneered. “I could fucking own you with help from my friends.”
     
    * * *
     
    Johnny rolled his eyes. It was about the millionth time Luca had told the infamous paint grenade story over the years.
    “So in walks the commander and this guy,” Luca said and slapped him on the back. “Gets the bright idea to just sit on the damned paint-ball grenade.”
    Nathan frowned at him, likely wondering why they had been doing any sort of paint-ball play when it was strictly prohibited.
    “So what happened?” Garrett asked. The younger man was one of the newest SEAL recruits for the team and hadn’t heard the story before.
    “The thing exploded while the commander was chewing us out. He turns to our man here and says, ‘Davis, what the hell was that?’ Johnny looks