Star of His Heart - Brenda Jackson [32]
“There better be a good reason why you’re holding my woman in your arms, Sergeant.”
The low, lethal voice penetrated the night air. Netherland felt her brother’s body stiffen. With his arms still around her waist, Rome slowly turned around.
And so did she.
The man walking toward them was not smiling. In fact he looked as if he was ready to kill somebody, and the stare he was giving her brother indicated he was the intended victim.
Chapter 9
Netherland hardly recognized Ashton. The anger pulsing out of him made him appear like a different person. Something deep tugged at her insides with the knowledge that the anger was because of her. She’d never known a man to show any possessiveness toward her.
But she immediately told herself to get a grip. Ashton’s anger may be on her behalf but at the moment it was directed at her brother. She took a step forward. “Ashton, this is my brother Rome Kalloren,” she said softly, quickly. “Rome, this is Ashton Sinclair.”
“Colonel Sinclair, sir!”
Netherland watched as her brother immediately snapped to attention and focused his gaze on the man now standing in front of him.
“At ease, Kalloren,” Ashton said.
Netherland frowned. “Of course he can be at ease,” she said curtly, looking at the two men. “He’s on his own time, not the military’s.”
Rome drew in a long, deep breath as he relaxed somewhat. But his gaze still remained on Ashton. He wondered if Netherland knew just whom she was talking to. Colonel Ashton Sinclair was a legend in his own right among the marines. He had earned every stripe he wore as well as the deep respect from other marines. The man used to be part of the Force Recon Unit, for heaven’s sake! There weren’t too many marines who hadn’t heard, at one time or another, about the “Fearless Four,” which consisted of then Captain Ashton Sinclair, Captain Trevor Grant, Captain Drake Warren and the only female that had come close to becoming a Recon, Captain Sandy Carroll. Although Captain Carroll had been killed in the mission, the team had managed to successfully rescue a group of United States dignitaries held hostage in Haiti. That had been around four years ago.
Rome studied Ashton intently and wondered what the colonel’s relationship was to his sister. Had he heard the man correctly when he had referred to her as “my woman”? Rome cleared his throat. “Nettie, I’m a marine, twenty-four-seven, in uniform or out.”
Netherland crossed her arms over her chest. “Not tonight you’re not. You’re my brother who I haven’t seen in more than a year.” She then gazed at Ashton. “I don’t appreciate your pulling rank on Rome.”
Rome raised his eyes heavenward. Was Netherland trying to get him court-martialed or something? The man had every right to pull rank if he wanted to. “Nettie, please, I—”
“No, Kalloren,” Ashton said, interrupting whatever Rome was about to say. “Let me handle your sister.” He then turned his complete attention to Netherland, who stood glaring at him. “I was not pulling rank, Netherland. What your brother did when he recognized who and what I was, is a matter of respect. And he’s right. A marine is a marine at all times.”
Rome looked at Ashton. He then looked at Netherland. Something was definitely going on between them, and he found that hard to believe. Everyone in the family knew of Netherland’s aversion to any man in the military. And Colonel Sinclair was definitely military. He cleared his throat again. “Is there something going on here that I should know about?”
“Yes.”
“No!”
Both Ashton and Netherland said the words simultaneously.
Rome nodded. “I see.” But he didn’t see really. There was evidently some lack of communication between the two, and he decided to get to the bottom of it right away. Ashton may be a colonel but Netherland was his sister. His only sister. He reached his hand out to Ashton. “It’s nice seeing you again, sir. The last time was around three years ago when I was stationed in South Carolina.”
Ashton nodded as he returned the firm handshake. “Same here, Kalloren.”
“Ashton, why are you here?” Netherland