Page 49 of Specter Bred

"Yeah," I shrugged. "Most people get humbled once and learn from it. You just keep coming back for more."

The vein in his forehead bulged.

"At least I know where I stand around here."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." He folded his arms. "Unlike you, I don't spend every day pretending I belong somewhere I don't."

There it was. The real reason Redwood hated me. Not because I was difficult, or because I challenged him. It was because I was still here, competing and beating people, despite being everything he thought I shouldn't be.

"You know what I think?" he continued.

"I didn't even know you had a single thought in that empty head, Redwood."

"I think Graves has been trying to tell you for months that you don't belong in ASOG."

I laughed.

"No. I think Graves keeps raising the bar because I keep clearing it."

Redwood barked out a humorless laugh.

"That's what you think is happening?"

"It is."

"No, Archer," he said stepping closer. "He's trying to show you what the rest of us already know."

"And what's that?"

"That you're not Specter material."

I tilted my head.

"Interesting."

"What?"

"Because from where I'm standing, Graves spends a hell of a lot more time worrying about me than he does you."

A few recruits coughed into their fists, and Redwood's nostrils flared. I pressed on, sensing I had hit a nerve.

"Actually, that's what's got to hurt, doesn't it?"

His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Careful."

"No, seriously."

I gestured between him, Teller, and Long.

"Big bad Grizzly, the unit leader everyone wants to place with, doesn't even know who you are. You guys spend every day following him around like desperate groupies, hoping he'll finally acknowledge your existence, and maybe let you three suck his fat alpha cock."

The silence that followed was immediate.

"You hang on every word that comes out of his mouth. Chase his approval. Try to impress him."