Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 45996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Jace leans forward, his free hand resting on the table. "Then we bring them to Sunbreak Harbor. All of them. To the safehouse. We can use it as a base. It’s quiet, off the main roads, and we know the area. We can figure out where they’re holding Nash and Sin, come up with a strategy, and move as a unit. No more splitting up. No more chasing leads alone."
The idea hangs in the air. I can feel the shift in the room, the way Ellen's eyes widen slightly and Billy's expression hardens with resolve. This is a family that’s been fractured for years, and now they’re being forced back together by the very threat that tore them apart. I’m an outsider here, but Jace's hand in mine keeps me anchored. He wants me here. He’s made that clear in every touch, every glance, every word since last night.
My mind races with everything that could go wrong. What if bringing everyone here puts all of us in more danger? What if the people who took Nash and Sin are already watching us? What if this plan fails and I lose Jace before I’ve even figured out what we are to each other? I’m nervous. More than nervous. My stomach twists with the uncertainty of what comes next. I don’t know how to fight this kind of battle. I’m a teacher from Halo City who got pulled into a protection detail because my sister made dangerous choices. I’m not equipped for intel missions and missing brothers and fathers who faked their own deaths.
But then Jace turns to me, his eyes meeting mine with that familiar mix of charm and something deeper. The corner of his mouth lifts in a small smile, the one that used to annoy me and now makes my heart skip in a way I can’t control. He squeezes my hand once, a silent reassurance, and I feel some of the fear ease. I love him.
Ellen clears her throat softly, her voice gentle but firm. "Jace’s right. We’ll get everyone. And then we will figure this out. Together."
Billy looks at his son, something like pride flickering in his eyes. "You’ve grown into a good man, Jace. Strong. Smart. The kind of leader your brothers need right now. We’ll do this your way. Bring them here. We’ll mobilize and come up with a plan. No more hiding. No more running."
Jace nods, his grip on my hand loosening enough for his thumb to resume those small, soothing circles. I can feel the tension in his body easing slightly, replaced by determination. He’s already thinking ahead, already planning how to contact his brothers and get them here safely. I watch him, my chest full of something warm and terrifying all at once. This man who started as my reluctant bodyguard has become something so much more. And now we’re in the middle of a storm, but I don’t want to run from it. I want to stand beside him.
The conversation continues around me. Billy outlines what little he knows about the people who took Nash and Sin, the same shadowy group from his past. Ellen asks quiet questions about logistics, about how to get everyone to Sunbreak Harbor without drawing attention. Jace interjects with ideas, his voice steady and confident, the charming arrogance I used to roll my eyes at now a comfort in the face of so much uncertainty. I listen, my fingers still laced with his, and let the reality settle over me.
19
Jace
We leave my mother's house as the sun dips lower over the water, the sky turning shades of orange and pink that reflect off the waves rolling in along the shoreline. Sadie walks beside me, her hand in mine, her fingers warm and steady. I’m still processing everything. Billy's story. The plan we hammered out around the dining room table while Mom fussed over fresh cookies and sweet tea. We’re heading back to the safe house tonight. All of us. But not immediately. Billy’s got a tip. The people who took Nash and Sin, the same shadowy group that forced him into hiding all those years ago, will be at the Summer Nights Concert at High Tide Pavilion in a few days. Scouting. Because they’re onto him. Onto us. The concert is the perfect cover. Crowds. Music. Lights. A place where we can all meet without drawing too much attention, get our brothers together, and start putting together a real plan to get Nash and Sin back.
I squeeze Sadie's hand as we reach the Jeep. She looks up at me, her eyes soft but serious in that way she gets when she’s thinking too hard. I like that about her. The way she balances my need to charge ahead with her careful consideration. Last night at the safe house was incredible. The way she felt, her body moving with mine, her hands all over me, her voice breathless as she told me how good it felt. I can’t stop thinking about it. It was fun. Steamy. The kind of sex that makes you want to do it all over again the second it’s over. And I do. I want her again. Right now. But first we have to get back to the safe house. We have a plan to execute.