Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 47615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
We dressed in comfortable silence, moving around each other with practiced ease. As I pulled on a fresh shirt, I caught Ada watching me, her expression thoughtful.
“What?” I asked.
“We’re going to win this,” she said with quiet certainty. “Not just survive. Win.”
I crossed to her, pulling her against me one more time. “Damn right we are.” I kissed the top of her head, breathing in the clean scent of her damp hair. “Because I’m not giving you up. Not to Rat Man. Not to anyone.”
Her arms tightened around my waist. “Good. Because I’m not giving you up either. And I’m not going anywhere.”
As we held each other in the quiet of our room, I made a silent promise to both of us. Whatever came next, whatever Rat Man threw at us, I would be ready. And I would burn down the world before I let anyone take her from me.
Chapter Ten
Jag
I slipped out of bed before dawn as carefully as I could so I didn’t wake Ada. Her breathing remained deep and even as I eased away from her warmth, the sheets whispering softly against my skin. The floor was cold beneath my bare feet, a sharp contrast to the heat I’d just abandoned. I pulled on jeans and a T-shirt in the darkness, my gaze never leaving her sleeping form, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Even in sleep she looked strong. Fearless. Everything I never knew I needed until she crashed into my life.
Grabbing my cut from the chair, I shrugged it on and made my way outside the apartment.
The hallway was quiet, the compound still drowsy in these early hours. Outside the converted warehouse, the air hung heavy with fog. A few brothers were already up, circling the perimeter on patrol. They nodded at me as I passed, their faces grim and determined. No one was taking any chances.
I found Knuckles in the security office, hunched over a computer with Knight beside him. Surveillance images covered the monitors along the wall. Neither man looked like they’d slept.
“Anything?” I asked, keeping my voice low despite the empty room.
Knuckles glanced up, dark circles under his eyes making him look older than his years. “Nothing concrete. Knight’s analyzing camera footage from the docks, trying to narrow down where the bastard came from.”
Knight didn’t look up from his screen, fingers flying over his keyboard. “Fucker’s good at staying in the shadows, but he’s not invisible. I’ve got a couple of likely spots, just need to confirm.”
I nodded, shifting my weight from foot to foot. Waiting had never been my strong suit, but the whole of Kiss of Death had mobilized to defend us while I’d been struggling to process my fucking feelings. It felt wrong not to be helping more than I had.
“Ada’s helping with the Haven move today,” I said, more to myself than them. “I can take her and be the extra set of eyes, if Tiny doesn’t mind, that is.”
Knuckles nodded. “Good. Sully will be there, too. No one’s getting close.”
“Which brings up something else.” Knight pecked on his keyboard while he talked. “Tonio wants Sully to bring Darby to his estate until this is over, Sully’s refusing, and Darby told Tonio to go fuck himself.”
Knuckles sighed, rubbing his eyes with the thumb and fingers of one hand. “Just another day in paradise. What’d Tonio say?”
“Surprisingly, he laughed. I think he’s sending some men and firepower. Said he’d make sure the cops stayed away if things went to shit, but if Darby is hurt he’ll nuke the place.”
Ice, who’d been standing in the far corner snorted. “Sounds like someone I need to get to know.”
Cain shrugged. “Tonio Miles is Alexei Petrov. Rich, entitled, smart motherfucker with just enough military sense to be taken seriously.” Silence followed Cain’s explanation. “What?” he demanded.
Knight cleared his throat. “If Tonio has my place bugged, I don’t know that guy.” He hiked his thumb over his shoulder at Cain. Cain just flipped him off.
“Go be with your woman, Jag. I know all the new people and the routine change is challenging. Ada seems to ground you.”
Knight turned his freaky gaze to me and held my attention. “Do not hurt her. I can and will make your life hell.”
“Relax, Knight.” I sighed. “Look, I’ll do whatever you want me to do. If you want me to stay away from Ada, I will.” I looked away. “I know she’s too good for me.”
“I must be goin’ soft,” Knight muttered. “Knuckles is right. I think you’re good for each other. I haven’t seen my sister this happy in a long while. I think she likes fussing over you.”
“Go on, Jag,” Knuckles said, chuckling as he tossed a wadded-up piece of paper at Knight. “I’ll call if anything changes.”
I headed back to our apartment, the sun just beginning to crest the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold that seemed obscenely beautiful given the danger lurking in the shadows. Each step back to Ada felt like a relief, like I could breathe easier the closer I got to her.