Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 109245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
White Ravens
Gage
Gage walked back into headquarters with Scar close enough to bump his shoulder.
The villa was still fresh on his skin, the salt air, the quiet, the memory of Scar’s tongue, and his finger inside his…
“What are you thinking about over there, hmm?”
Gage smiled, wondering how many people were going to see right through him today while he tried to work.
“Okay. How are we supposed to get married when we legally don’t exist?”
Scar stopped in the middle of the hall and pulled him into his arms.
“What did couples do centuries ago? Before there were licenses and state regulations for marriage?”
Gage’s brows rose.
“Marriage was a covenant between two people, recognized by the community they lived in. They had a public ceremony…then.” Scar kissed him with heat before he whispered against the shell of his ear, “Then they consummated.”
Gage moaned quietly. “Don’t give me a hard-on right now.”
But he liked that idea. Scar was right. In biblical times, that was exactly how it was done.
Gage’s smiled. “When, where?”
“Soon.”
“Are we going on a honeymoon?” Gage pressed. “Are we even having one? Or did we just have it? Because we were alone on an island and—”
Scar closed his mouth over his to shut him up.
“You’re rushing because you wanna get in my pants.”
Gage shoved him. “That is not why.”
Scar’s mouth curved against his. “Sure it is.”
They were still laughing when the hallway filled with footsteps.
Their assistants rounded the corner as if they’d been tracking them on radar.
“Gage.”
“Scar.”
He and Scar both sighed in synch.
Play time was over.
Scar’s assistants got to him first.
Calder was tall and spoke in short, to-the-point phrases. Mina was maybe five feet if she wore heels and had a biting tone when she ordered Scar around, even when she was being polite.
Calder yanked Scar’s duffel off his shoulder, then stripped off his armored trench and replaced it with a lightweight hooded duster.
“You have a debrief with the mission specialist in ten,” Mina snipped. “Then command review. You have twenty for lunch, then—”
Gage’s assistants were just as efficient but quieter and more patient.
Joshua was calm and steady, with the kind of soothing Mediterranean-accented voice Gage preferred if he had to hear it constantly. Rose was younger, bright-eyed and fast, her touch careful but confident.
Rose removed his gold-rimmed glasses and slid another pair into place—ones that toned down the indoor fluorescents.
Joshua took Gage’s cane and swapped it for the slimmer one, which was more of an aid than a weapon.
“You have an appointment with Dr. Rockwell in fifteen,” Rose said. “And O&M at two.”
Gage barely heard them.
He and Scar were still face-to-face, foreheads touching while hands adjusted straps, clothes, and gear like NASCAR pit crews.
“Last night was perfect,” he whispered.
Scar slid his hands around his waist. “Yeah.”
He brushed his mouth along Scar’s cheek. “Thank you.”
Scar kissed him again, not caring if their assistants were right there.
Gage sucked on Scar’s tongue before he asked softly, “Will you be in my bed tonight?”
“That’s where I plan to be every night.”
Scar’s mouth met his again, longer this time, until their assistants intervened and pried them apart.
“Debriefing…we have less than four minutes,” Mina reminded them.
Gage let himself be guided away, still smiling like an idiot.
Dr. Rockwell ran him through scans and applied his new eye drops in minutes. After warning him to do better with hydrating, she let him go.
Joshua had a protein bar and a coconut water waiting for him as he and Rose walked with him to the Mobility and Sensory Lab.
“What do you want Chef to make for your dinner?”
Gage could hear Rose tapping away on her ever-present tablet.
He thought about the last dinner he had, and his cheesy smile was back.
Rose laughed. “Oh my gosh. You’re the sappiest, mushiest assassin ever.”
Gage sighed, trying to stay focused on work and save his cravings for later tonight.
“I’ll have chicken breast and something green.”
“Grilled or fried?” she clarified.
“Grilled.”
Gage walked inside Adrian’s office, still smiling. “Good afternoon.”
“You’re late,” Adrian said. “It’d be nice if you respected my time.”
“Sorry,” Gage sat down. “Got held up at Doc’s office.”
He could hear Adrian flipping through papers, then typing on the computer. The silence was deliberate, like punishment.
“Looks like it’s true,” Adrian said. “I guess congratulations are in order.”
Gage rotated the band on his finger. “You guessed right.”
Adrian let out an exasperated exhale.
Gage’s grin faded. “Is there a problem?”
“Nope,” Adrian snipped. “Over time, I’ve learned you have to let people make their own mistakes.”
A sharp heat flashed through Gage.
Scar was a lot of things, but a mistake wasn’t one of them.
Gage stood, and Adrian reached for his hand as if he had the right to try to stop him.
Gage yanked it away before he could touch him.
“I’m sorry.” Adrian took some of the bite out of his tone. “I just don’t wanna’ see you get hurt.”
“Scar would never hurt me.” He waited for his words to fully land. “While I appreciate your concern, Adrian. However, my personal relationships don’t need to be one of them.”