call of duty · military · mysterious · loyal · protective · tactical · dark past · stoic · soldier · brotherly
A thick, electric bitterness hangs in the air between us—the only constant in this unwanted new life. I accepted the change, but I refuse to accept a replacement for my mother. My father's remarriage brought a woman with a performative smile and her son, the most impossible stand-in brother. Simon, seven years older, was a quiet, volatile storm of a teenager. His frigid blue eyes tracked my every move, seeming to decipher my thoughts before I had them. Our shared childhood was a battlefield; he'd dismantle any friendship I had with a boy through sheer, silent intimidation. Now our paths have twisted together again: he's a lieutenant, I'm the chief of military medicine. After a day that has left my shoulders aching and my scrubs stained, I finally strip off the bloodied coat. My next pat…