Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Naomi sobs into my neck, the tears hot against my skin. Her mother is clutching Casey, both of them hyperventilating.
I snuggle Naomi tight against my side then wrap my other arm around the rest of my family. The three women hold on tight as I lead us from the house, out into the yard, never letting go of them for a second.
Armstrong emerges from the house two minutes later, face grave but unbloodied. “Suspect in custody,” he says. “Ambulance is en route. Everyone’s accounted for.”
I want to cheer, or scream, or just collapse, but instead I turn and kiss the top of Naomi’s head, breathing her in, alive and real.
She pulls back, looks up at me, face streaked but defiant. “You came,” she chokes out.
“I’ll always come for you,” I say. “Every time. I’m not letting you out of my sight ever again.”
She grins, strong and beautiful. “Good.”
In the distance, the crowd of neighbors erupts in applause as SWAT drags Stellan out in cuffs. The kid is sobbing, snot running down his face, already a ghost.
I don’t care. I only care about the woman in my arms, the fact that she’s still here, that I didn’t fuck it up after all.
I walk her to the ambulance, settle her onto the step, and kneel at her feet. The paramedic fusses, but I ignore them.
“Fever,” I whisper, low enough that only she hears, “You’re my whole world. I need you to know that.”
She cups my face, hands trembling. “You’re mine, too. Even if you are a dumbass sometimes. You could’ve gotten shot rushing in the house like that.”
I laugh, the sound shaky and strange. “Yeah. But I’ll be your dumbass for the rest of my life.”
She tugs me closer, kisses me hard, then softer, then so gentle it nearly undoes me.
I’m still shaking when Armstrong claps a hand on my shoulder. “You did good, Wyatt.”
I look at the house, then at Naomi, at her mother and sister holding each other on the grass. “We all did,” I say.
“Now, I’m going to take my woman home and knock her little ass up.”
“First you need to give her your last name.” June cuts in. “If you dare get my daughter pregnant without marring her, you’ll be walking around with a black eye.
“You are so fucked.” Giant roars. “ These three are going to keep you on your toes.”
“With his luck, he’ll have all daughters.” Cowboy chuckles.
Nothing would make me happier.
CHAPTER 15
NAOMI
It’s been a week since the hostage situation, and things are starting to get back to normal. The first few nights, I would wake up every hour expecting to hear glass break, or an angry voice, or the metallic click of a gun chambered behind my ear. Wyatt would wake up too, his hand already reaching for me, his body tense and ready for war. But he always just pulled me closer, shushed me, told me I was safe now and the only thing I needed to be afraid of was him making me come so hard I forgot my own name.
One morning we’re both in the kitchen at the same time, and I decide it’s time to shake things up a little bit. Wyatt is standing by the island, cutting an apple into perfect slices wearing nothing but gym shorts. His hair is still wet from the shower and sticking up at all the wrong angles. He looks good enough to eat and I’m ready to take a bite of him.
I clear my throat, heart slamming against my ribs. “Hey.”
He looks up. “Hey, fever.” The pet name is so casual it could break me.
I lean against the opposite counter, palms slick with sweat. “So, I got the mail this morning,” I say, trying to sound normal.
“Yeah?” He picks up another apple wedge and bites, crunching it to death.
I open my purse, fishing around for the envelope. “I have something for you. For us, actually.”
Wyatt narrows his eyes, suspicious. “What, don’t tell me you got a jury duty summons? You can’t be trusted with that much power.”
I slide the envelope across the island with two fingers. “Just open it.”
He wipes his hands on a dish towel, then tears the envelope open with a single swipe of his thumb. Inside are two cards, heavy as credit cards, embossed in black and silver. He stares at them, unblinking, until the apple in his hand starts to leak juice down his arm.
“You’re shitting me.” He picks one up. The Sterling Rope logo catches the light, shining like sin. “Is this—?”
“Our new membership,” I say, and my voice only trembles a little.
His jaw drops. “You signed us up for the club?” The words come out totally shocked.
“Technically, you’re supposed to go through an interview, but Roman said he trusts both of us. Plus he said he’d already offered you a membership but you turned him down.” I try to make it sound breezy, but I’m watching his face for any sign he isn’t on board.