Nick's POV
"I was trying to save a life. That's why I did it. She was sinking, Dad. If I'd waited for protocol, she would've been dead." My voice came out sharper than I intended, but it was the truth—and I wasn't going to apologize for it.
My father planted both hands on his waist, chest rising and falling as he sucked in a deep breath. His jaw locked tight, and when he finally opened his eyes, the storm hit.
"Right. I can understand the first time," he barked, his voice booming through the hall, "but you didn't even report the damn rescue! And the second time?" His roar shook the air. "That was unnecessary!"
A vein bulged along his temple, another along his neck, pulsing with his fury. For a moment, I worried he'd actually keel over from a heart attack right in front of me.
But of course, he wasn't finished. My old man never explodes halfway—he goes nuclear.
