Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Racer blinked, clearly not expecting that. “I was just joking—”
Storm smirked. “Yeah, and the last guy who joked about mine ended up limping for a week.”
Whiskey chuckled, shaking his head as he sipped from a chipped mug. “You keep flappin’ your mouth, kid, and you’re gonna jinx yourself. Next time we blink, you’ll be writing poetry and makin’ your woman breakfast in bed.”
“I don’t—” Racer started, but Maverick cut him off with a slap to the back.
“Oh, you will. Mark my words. You’ll be next. And when it hits? It’ll drop you to your fuckin’ knees.”
“Like the rest of us,” Whiskey added, deadpan.
I couldn’t help chuckling as I headed back to my woman.
Maverick caught me just outside the door. "Want me to get a property vest made?"
"Yeah," I said without hesitation. "She’s mine."
Back in my room, the light filtering through the blinds was soft. Peyton was curled in the sheets, her breathing uneven like she was caught between sleep and waking. When she shifted restlessly and whimpered, I kicked off my boots, removed my shirt, and eased onto the bed before pulling her against me. She made a soft sound and tucked her head beneath my chin before settling.
It happened a few more times, so I didn’t let myself fall asleep. I wanted to make sure I was alert in case she needed me to soothe her nightmares.
As I stared down at her beautiful face, a wave of possessiveness crashed over me.
I used to think my brothers were all fucking crazy. Thought love made a man weak.
Now I knew better.
It made you a dangerous son of a bitch.
And I’d turn heaven to ash and hell to ice before I let anything hurt her.
8
PEYTON
My dream started off innocently enough, but it quickly twisted into a nightmare I’d already lived, starting with the heavy silence. The kind that came right before something terrible was about to happen.
I stood inside the parking garage again, light filtering through cracks in the ceiling, casting long shadows across the floor. My fingers clutched my infrared camera, and everything felt wrong. The air was too still.
Then the rumble started.
A deep, shuddering groan that vibrated up from the concrete. I turned, heart pounding, and saw the ceiling begin to sag. Dust rained from above. Metal creaked. My body wouldn’t move fast enough.
The collapse came too quickly. I couldn’t make it to the stairwell. There was nothing to protect me from the wreckage.
My scream ripped from my throat as I stumbled, falling backward. The walls closed in.
Something crashed near my head. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t—
I jerked awake with a gasp, my lungs tight and chest heaving.
I wasn’t trapped. And I wasn’t alone.
A strong arm banded around my waist, grounding me. A low murmur brushed against the back of my neck, the deep voice unmistakable. “Easy, baby. You’re safe.”
Reid had rescued me from my bad dream, just like he had from that parking garage.
The tension in my body drained at the sound of his voice, my heart still racing but slowing as the nightmare receded. His warmth surrounded me, his powerful body curled protectively around mine like a living shield.
“It was the garage.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I was back there, but I couldn’t get to safety.”
“It was just a bad dream, baby.” His lips brushed the shell of my ear. “You’re safe now. I have you.”
I turned so I could see his face in the shadows. “How did you know?”
“You were restless. Figured I’d hold you in case the dreams got bad.”
“They did,” I whispered. “The last thing I wanted was to relive that whole thing. I’m so glad you pulled me out of it.”
His gaze flicked between my eyes. “You trust me, baby?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Something raw and real shifted in his expression.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. Not again.”
I believed him. He hadn’t given me any reason not to.
Without another word, I nestled closer, letting the steady rhythm of his breathing calm me. Somehow, wrapped in his arms, the fear couldn’t touch me.
I wasn’t sure how long we lay there in silence, his body warm and secure at my back, his breath brushing softly against my skin. Eventually, I turned to face him again, needing to see him in this quiet moment.
My gaze drifted lower, lingering on the tattoos inked across his chest and shoulders. “Can I ask about the one on your ribs?”
A flicker of pain passed through his dark eyes before he nodded. “Wanted to do something to honor the guys from my team who didn’t make it home from overseas.”
He’d told me some about his background, so it wasn’t hard to guess that he was talking about his military days. “You don’t have to tell me more.”
He held my gaze, the air between us heavy. “Felt like we were all young and dumb back then, even when I was doing EOD for Spec Ops.”