Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
I rubbed at my forehead, feeling overwhelmed by the info dump. But it didn’t matter. Something unfamiliar was surging inside me, and it felt like a mix of yearning and determination and just…just…this hunger to prove myself and be part of something bigger. I trusted Chris. If he believed this would get the job done faster and without me turning into a bloodstain on the ground, let’s freaking go.
Besides, I could hear the urgency he was trying to mask. He had a job to do, and I could either help, or I could get out of his way and let him find another route.
“I don’t know what yaba pills are, but I’m in,” I said quietly but firmly. “I wanna help. Does Dad know?”
“Music to my ears. No, he doesn’t. I’mma keep this from him until shit’s in motion, so don’t mention anything when he calls later. You tell Doc. We’re sending the company jet to Anchorage. Make sure you board it at twenty-two hundred on Wednesday. Doc knows the drill. Can you confirm?”
My heart started racing. “Board at ten PM on Wednesday in Anchorage,” I repeated. Holy fuck, holy fuck, holy fuck. “We’ll be there. I can do this.”
“I know you can, Kayden. Talk soon. Love ya.”
The call ended before I could respond. I swallowed hard and stared at the little screen.
Love you too, big brother.
I blew out a heavy breath. My stomach felt tight with unease, but I had a strange grin on my face that I couldn’t shake.
I wanted this. It was all I had ever wanted. To feel useful, to make a difference, to push myself, and to have Wade by my side.
Speaking of…
I had to tell him now, and he was probably not going to like it.
After another couple of deep breaths, I looked at my watch, and to be honest, I felt a little more adult with that thing on. Daddy had picked it out for me. He’d given it to me. Grown-ups wore watches, and I needed to be mature and brave to face the future. No more hiding, no more running away, no more keeping struggles to myself.
That was funny, wasn’t it? Being with Wade made me want to be more adult, all while I was finally sharing my absolute core kink with him, in which I was anything but adult in my behavior.
I opened the door and wasn’t too surprised to see Daddy waiting for me a few feet away, arms folded over his chest.
“I heard something about Anchorage,” he stated.
I raked my teeth over my bottom lip, and it occurred to me that we might as well pack up. So when we left for the retreat today, we weren’t coming back tomorrow.
“Apparently, Hillcroft has a company jet…?”
He inclined his head. “We have a couple.”
Wasn’t that just interesting. I thought only gazillionaires and the Kardashians flew private.
“Okay, um, we’ll leave on one on Wednesday at ten PM,” I said. “From Anchorage. So I’m guessing we should pack and board up the windows before we leave here today.”
He frowned. “Quin wouldn’t send a jet for no reason. Tell me what’s going on, blue.”
Ugh. No wonder Chris had given me this task. This was gonna suck.
“I already know I’m not gonna approve,” Daddy said. “Chris would’ve talked directly to me otherwise.”
Good point. Well, that actually helped. If he already knew it was gonna be bad in his eyes, I may as well spit it out.
“Chris wants to use me as bait in a public area in DC so he and his coworkers can eliminate a final threat,” I admitted. “He won’t put me in harm’s way. I agreed. I want to do this.”
Other than a tic in Daddy’s jaw, he stood there unmoving and stared at me.
I instinctively knew that he would disapprove because it was a matter of my safety. But he was also smart enough to know that he was biased and worrying because it was me. Chris did this for a living, and he had to be good at it. He wouldn’t risk my life—and Daddy knew that too. I bet that was why he was quiet right now. He was battling in his mind.
“This is what I want in my future,” I went on. I wanted him to understand. “I want to work at Hillcroft. I wanna train hard and earn my spot, and I wanna accomplish things and feel good about myself.”
That caused a reaction. He released a breath and scrubbed his hands over his face.
“I never should’ve told you about Hillcroft,” he muttered into his hands. “Or the possible danger.” Then he sighed and let his hands fall, and I offered a small smile.
“I’m glad you did. I’m also glad I told Dad because I’m guessing he spilled the beans to Chris.”
He shrugged with one shoulder and looked at the living room. “I spoke to both of them after you talked to Quin, so it doesn’t matter. It’s all out in the open—except for our new relationship, that is.”