Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Butterflies zoom around my belly. “I’m glad that’s something you can be thankful for instead of thinking I’m a pain in the ass.”
Penn laughs, a sound I’ve been hearing more and more. “You’re still a pain in the ass, but you’re my pain the ass.”
My lungs deflate, the air gushing out of me in a massive sigh of romantic swoon. I lean in to kiss him but the doorbell rings, and I jump.
Still a little skittish, but then I remember, we’ve been waiting on our ride to the airport. The team will be flying out to Edmonton, the start of a three-game road trip that will take all week, and Penn has insisted both me and our security team travel on the Titans’ plane. Admittedly, I’m pretty excited about this level of behind-the-scenes access.
Penn rises from the stool, taking both of our cups to the sink. “That’ll be our security entourage.”
“I’ll get the door,” I say, popping up, but he shoots me a look and I freeze.
“I’ll get it,” he says, a pointed reminder that things still could be dangerous.
He then shoots me a wink and heads to the front door. I follow along, my eyes passing over the luggage stacked there. A suitcase for him, and two for me, because I’m a girl and need more stuff.
Penn swings open the front door, and three figures stand in the morning light. We’d already been contacted by Malik letting us know that he’d be sending three agents to travel with us, along with photos of them so we could make sure who they were.
Ladd McDermott is tall and broad-shouldered, ex-military by the look of him, with sandy-blond hair and a square jaw that belongs on a billboard for tactical gear. He wears a navy Jameson Force jacket zipped halfway and I see the edge of a leather shoulder holster just inside. Greer Hathaway is a striking contrast—slim and composed with black hair in a sleek bun and intelligent eyes that look past Penn’s shoulder and sweep the foyer in one practiced motion. The third person is Jackson Gale, who gives off serious James Bond energy. He’s darker-haired with intense eyes that make you instantly aware nothing gets past him.
“Your car service has arrived,” Ladd says with a warm smile.
Introductions are made and then we gather our luggage, putting it in the rear of a black Suburban with tinted windows.
Greer takes the driver’s seat and Jackson the front passenger. Ladd goes to the third-row seats and Penn and I take the second row. It’s not lost on me that we are fully surrounded by protection, although I’m not sure what could happen on the way to the airport. I doubt Jace or Peter or whoever is stalking us has the capabilities to take us out like this.
Greer pulls out and hits the highway. Jackson swivels in his seat to look back at us. “So, I heard this all started with you both just trying to do the right thing.”
“Trying being the operative word,” Penn mutters with a shake of his head, but I see the curve of a smile that tells me the bitterness is left behind.
“Read the article this morning,” Jackson says. “You’ve got balls.” His eyes then cut to me. “No offense.”
I laugh, the first genuine one in what feels like days. “None taken. So, do you three work together often?”
Greer answers. “Ladd and I are married.” Her eyes lift to the rearview mirror to look at him and a soft smile plays on her face. “We’re fortunate that we get to do a lot of assignments together.”
“Married?” I glance over my shoulder at Ladd, surprised. “Did you meet on the job?”
Ladd grins, shaking his head. “We knew each other a long time but hadn’t seen one another in years. I got assigned to rescue her after she was kidnapped in Colombia while embedded as a CIA operative.”
My jaw drops and Penn raises his eyebrows. “You’re kidding?”
“I never kid about rescuing my woman,” Ladd replies with a twinkle in his eye.
“Except I wasn’t your woman then,” Greer says, and my head turns back her way.
“But you are now,” Ladd quips. “Haven’t let her go since.”
Jackson makes a gagging sound. “You two are so sweet my teeth hurt.”
“Not a romantic, huh?” I guess.
“Quite the contrary,” he replies, settling back into his seat to face forward. “I married a princess.”
There’s silence and I’m trying to determine if he’s kidding. “A real-life princess?”
“Real-life royalty. Princess Camille of Bretaria. We met when I was assigned to her protective detail. Fell in love while dodging assassination attempts and royal scandal.”
I blink and glance at Penn to see he’s as shocked as I am. “Did I just get transported into a movie?”
“Had a royal wedding and everything,” Jackson adds, smiling faintly. “Now we live here in Pittsburgh. Low profile. Except for the palace security that her dad still insists on, even though, hello… trained Special Forces here.”