THE INSTRUCTORS HAD tossed the schedule out today, giving us a briefing first thing in the morning before throwing us into the day’s hop. It’d been an individual ride, no partners, every man or woman for themselves. I’d gone head to head with Alphabet, a nice enough guy with a name that no one could pronounce, hence his call sign. While he was an excellent pilot, it hadn’t taken me long to lock guns on him, giving me the fastest win of the day.
He was still spouting off as we sat at one of the long tables in the mess hall. Pair by pair the others joined us, half of them on a winning high and the other half either dejected or in denial about losing. The massive grin on Solo’s face as he entered with Utah glaring behind him told me all I needed to know about who’d won that round.
“You were right, Panther.” Utah yanked a chair out from the end of the table and flopped down into it. “This one’s a shady motherfucker.”
Solo’s cocky expression didn’t change as he walked past us toward the food. “All I heard is thank you, Solo, can I have another?” He shot me a wink and then grabbed a tray, and I shook my head at Utah.
“You were expecting him to play fair? After yesterday? Then you deserved to lose.”
Across the table, Houdini raised an eyebrow. “You defendin’ him now?”
“No. I’m just saying he’ll do whatever it takes to win, and we’ve all seen it.”
“Does that mean you’re admitting he’s better than you?” Whiplash asked, leaning forward where she sat beside Houdini.
“That’s what you got from what I just said?”
“Oh, come on, Panther. Tell them how much you enjoy when I do whatever it takes to win,” Solo said, dropping his tray down beside Whiplash.
“About as much as I like a nail through my foot,” I replied.
“So you like a little pain with your pleasure.” Solo waggled his brows. “Good to know. I’ll make sure it hurts next time.”
“I don’t know how you’re still talking today,” Whiplash said. “I would’ve thought Panther had permanently knocked your jaw off its hinges yesterday.”
“I gave as good as I got. Mine hurts a little, but maybe ask Panther how his is feeling today.”
I almost choked on my fry, and after I swallowed it down and took a swig of water, I said, “My jaw’s just fine.”
“You sure? It’s not a little tense? I went at you pretty hard.”
Fuckin’ hell. “Obviously I can handle it.”
“Ooooh.” Solo’s cheeky grin made my heart thump harder. “We’re back to that pain and pleasure thing, huh?”
Chuckles rang out down the table, and I rolled my eyes and took a big bite of my lunch. It was that or I’d keep running my mouth, and staying silent had always worked for me before.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the way Solo rolled.
29 Solo
I HAD TO say, I more than enjoyed a little double entendre, and I liked it even more when it came out of Panther’s mouth. That same mouth that I’d gotten off to several times over the course of my hour-long shower that morning, thinking about the way he’d sucked me down like he’d never tasted anything better.
Fuck, that was hot.
Across from me, Phantom shook his head. “Seriously thought he was gonna kill you yesterday, man. There was hellfire coming out of his eyes.”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
He dipped a fry into a mound of ketchup and popped it in his mouth. Around chews he said, “It’s either brave or a death wish to go after the favorite. Can’t figure out which yet.”
The favorite, huh? “Says who?”
“Says me—”
“No, I mean who’s he the favorite of?”
Phantom wiped his mouth and tossed the napkin on his tray. “If you think Captain Hughes’s son doesn’t have this in the bag, then you’re clearly delusional.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Panther freeze. He clearly heard what Phantom was laying down, but he was choosing not to say anything.
I didn’t play quiet too well.
“How’s your eyesight, Phantom?” I asked.
“Perfect, as mandated. Why?”
“Just curious, since you seem to have somehow missed the beatdown I gave to Lieutenant Hughes in the sky yesterday.” I swallowed some of my water and shrugged. “Maybe you should be calling me the favorite.”
“You? The favorite?” Gucci snickered. “Hell would freeze over first.”
“It could happen. Climate change and all.” Feeling Panther’s gaze on me, I looked over to where he was slowly unclenching his mangled roll. His face had reddened slightly, and he seemed to be trying to get himself under control, maybe forcing himself not to walk over to Phantom and bash his head with a tray. As he took a deep breath, he gave me the subtlest of nods and then reached for his drink.
“Oh shit, you guys.” Whiplash gaped at her watch, her barely eaten wrap dropping onto the tray. “We gotta go.” As she jumped to her feet so fast her chair fell back, the rest of us stared at her until she said, “We’re late. It’s two after.”