Soldier Mine (Sons of War #2)(6)

I take the man’s pie to the table. “Todd, you’re not bothering him, are you?” I ask casually.

“This is my sister.” Todd rolls his eyes. “She’s the one who won’t let me take karate classes.”

“And who feeds and clothes you,” I point out.

“Whatever. Claud, this is the guy from school today.” Todd’s face lights up again. “He only has one leg!”

“Todd!” I snap, startled my brother is being so rude. “Please excuse my little brother for being an ass.” My face is hot as I look at the stranger.

“When she’s upset, she curses,” Todd informs the stranger matter-of-factly. “I’ve been trying to curb that habit.”

I slap him on the back of the head.

The stranger is grinning. “I live in constant fear of my sister, too.”

I don’t know why his broad smile and sparkling eyes make me feel flustered, but they do. “Go do your homework, Todd.”

“It’s done.”

I level a cool look on him.

“Fine.” He sighs loudly. “Nice talking to you Petr. One day you’ll have to show Claudia your leg.”

I have no idea how to respond in a way that won’t offend the man named Petr and instead, return to the counter.

Todd retreats to his booth, but I can tell he doesn’t want to be there. He keeps glancing at Petr.

I want Todd to be happy. I haven’t seen him this excited about someone as he is this guy. His face glows like the prematurely displayed Christmas lights displayed in the windows. But I also don’t want my brother around a stranger. At least, not until I’m certain this Petr wasn’t sent to find us by the man who’s tormenting us.

The stranger eats his pie, and I find myself looking between the two of them. It’s not fair that Todd can’t have friends or be happy or be normal. I don’t get any weird vibes from the man named Petr. If anything, my stomach flutters when he looks at me.

I want so much for this town to be the last stop on our wild ride. I’m trying to make that the case in what ways I can. Todd deserves so much more. I may never really recover from all that’s happened, but I’m desperate to ensure he does.

He’s gazing at the stranger as if he’s debating approaching him again.

Whatever it is about Petr, Todd likes him, and that puts me in an unexpected position.





Chapter Three: Petr


Todd’s sister returns to clear my table. I lean back and watch her. She’s unnaturally pretty with elfin features, hazel eyes and the same dirty blonde hair color that Todd has. Her long, straight hair is in a loose ponytail. She smells like French fries from working here, and her frame is toned and shapely.

After the mess with Brianna, I kinda feel like I need to talk to someone, even if I don’t directly discuss what happened. I’m extroverted by nature, and it’s still a difficult adjustment not being able to call my brother Mikael whenever I want to chat. If I tell my sister, Katya, that I saw Brianna …

I’ll never hear the end of it. I’ll save that discussion for later.

Claudia isn’t the warm type. She operates with absent-minded detachment, not quite cold, but not overly friendly either. I can’t quite figure out if she does it on purpose or is naturally standoffish.

“Todd’s a good kid,” I say.

She glances at me, her expression softening. “Yeah. He is. Sorry if he’s bugging you.”

“Not at all. Kids ask what adults are afraid to about my leg,” I smile. “It doesn’t bother me. I think it’s cool to have a war wound.”

“You think your bionic leg is cool?” Her nose wrinkles, as if she isn’t certain what to think of that.

I laugh. I have to admit – I enjoy messing with people about my leg. It makes everyone uncomfortable, with the exception of my father, who shares my childlike fascination with the prosthetic limb.

Claudia is blushing. “You’ve got good … um, spirit about it, if nothing else.”

“Did you ask her?” Todd hisses. He’s creeping towards us.

Claudia’s gaze sharpens. “Ask me what?”

He eases back. “Nothing.”

“Todd.” Her cool look moves from him to me.

Sensing my danger, I manage not to smile. “I offered to take him to karate classes. I planned on asking you for your permission,” I tell her.

“You don’t ask a complete stranger to take you places,” she scolds her brother.

“I know, but –”

“Homework. Now.”

Todd slinks off.

I give him a sympathetic smile. Claudia is calmer than my fireball of a sister, but I still know what it means to be on the receiving end of an angry sister. “I’m not a complete stranger,” I try.

She glares at me and snatches the napkin from the table.

“Okay. I crossed a line.” I hold up my hands. “My apologies.”

Claudia strides back to the counter and deposits the dirty dishes in bins.

Todd appears crestfallen. I shrug at him. The kid has an issue, one he’s skirting despite talking to me about learning to fight, since I wouldn’t answer his earlier questions. I’m not seeing anything that leads me into the direction of what his issue might be, and his sister isn’t the kind to open up easily.