Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
He answered sharply on the third ring, his voice flat and distracted. “What?”
“He’s escalating. Photos. Dozens of messages ranging from love notes to possessive threats.”
The silence indicated that I’d captured his attention. “Fuck. We’re digging deeper into the shit he’s involved in. Nailing him for stalking won’t be enough.”
“I know,” I ground out through gritted teeth.
“We need a little more time.”
“You might not have it,” I growled. “He’s no genius, but that doesn’t mean he’s not connected to someone who could track us to this safehouse. Especially since Alanna forgot to turn off her phone.”
“For fuck’s sake!” Jax shouted. “You didn’t check?”
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to figure out how to admit that I’d been too distracted by his sister’s curves and her smart mouth.
“I’m not perfect, Jax,” I grunted. “We all miss things.”
“You don’t,” he accused.
Not usually, no.
“Just get what we need and take this motherfucker down,” I snapped before ending the call.
16
ALANNA
The morning light slipped through the blinds. For a minute, I just lay there, listening to the soft rhythm of waves and the low hum of the coffeemaker drifting from the kitchen.
Chance had slipped out of bed before sunrise, but the pillow beside me still held his heat. I’d already learned his habits in the few days since we started sleeping together. The way he moved quietly through the morning and how he never said good night but always brushed a kiss against my shoulder before he turned off the lights.
For the first time in days, I didn’t wake up to dread. No texts from Ethan waiting to twist my stomach into knots. Chance had walled that chaos off without saying a word, and somehow I knew he’d do it again if he had to. Every time I reached for my phone, I remembered he’d disabled it.
He’d even kept me from worrying about school, which wasn't a huge deal since my brother had made sure I could safely access my assignments while we were here. And I had no doubt he’d hack the university’s system if that was what it took to make sure I kept my spot in the research program.
Between the two of them, I was protected on every side.
The beach house had become its own little bubble. Safe with just Chance and me here.
But I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen when the real world started knocking again.
Rolling over, I stretched beneath the sheet and smiled despite my thoughts. For now, the rest could wait. The scent of coffee was calling, the sun was bright, and the man who’d claimed my heart was around here somewhere.
I padded into the kitchen and found Chance leaning against the counter with a mug in his hand.
He looked up as I entered, his gaze dragging slowly from my bare legs to the hem of his shirt hanging loose around my thighs. The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Morning.”
“Good morning,” I echoed with a grin.
He reached for another mug on the counter and handed it to me. Cream and sugar already stirred in—exactly how I liked it.
I took a sip, smiling over the rim. “You even got the ratio right.”
“Learned a lot about you…these past few days.”
His voice was a low rumble that brushed along my skin, like always.
“Oh yeah?” I teased, tugging at the hem of his shirt. “And what’s your favorite discovery?”
His eyes followed the movement, that faint smile deepening. “How good you look in my shirts.”
My pulse skipped as I quirked a brow. “Better than you?”
His gaze deliberately raked down my body. “No contest.”
“We’re gonna have to disagree.” I laughed softly, shaking my head. “You look damn good with this shirt stretched across your chest and shoulders.”
In two steps, he closed the distance between us. His fingers brushed the edge of the shirt, tracing my hip before settling at my waist. “Keep talking like that, and I won’t make it to breakfast without tasting you first.”
“Who said I wanted breakfast?” I whispered.
That was all it took for his mouth to capture mine, the kiss starting soft before deepening and growing rougher. His coffee mug hit the counter with a quiet clink, mine following right after. Then his hands slid down to grip my thighs. He lifted me effortlessly, setting me on the counter, his body fitting between my knees like it belonged there. Which made sense because in my mind, it did.
The kiss quickly escalated—his hands exploring, and my fingers tangling in his hair as if I wanted to fuse us.
When we were together like this, there was no past, no danger, and no brother who’d lose his mind if he saw us like this.
Just us.
Chance pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against mine, his breathing uneven. “You have no idea what you do to me.”
“Pretty sure I do,” I quipped, brushing my lips against his again.