Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 34715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
She sets her fork down after a while and looks at me, curiosity slowly winning over the exhaustion etched across her features. “So… you mentioned brothers earlier on the calls. You have more than one, right? They sounded… intense. Like the kind of guys who don’t miss much.”
I nod, taking another bite to buy myself a moment to think. “Seven of us total. All brothers. We went into private security after our time in the military. Different specialties, different contracts around the world, but we’ve always had each other’s backs. Crewe’s a paratrooper, Colt runs tactical training, Jace does close-quarters work, Mack handles VIP protection, and Nash and Sin… they’re extraction and surveillance experts.”
She leans forward slightly, genuine interest lighting up her face and making her eyes sparkle. “And two of them were taken? Nash and Sin, I think I heard you say on the phone. What happened? If you don’t mind me asking.”
I hesitate, fork paused halfway to my mouth. I like her. More than I should after one single chaotic day of spilled coffee and flying knives. But trust is earned, not given, especially when my family’s lives hang in the balance. I keep my answer measured and careful.
“We were following a lead on our father. He disappeared a long time ago. We think he faked his death. Nash and Sin were with me in the mountains when we got ambushed. They were taken. Dragged into a van and gone just like that. We don’t know exactly where they are yet, but we’re working every possible angle. That’s part of why I took your protection contract. It overlaps with the same world that swallowed my father.”
Her eyes soften with real sympathy, and it does something uncomfortable to my chest. “I’m so sorry, Banks. That sounds absolutely terrifying. Your poor family. Are you any closer to finding your dad?”
I shake my head, keeping my expression neutral. “Not close enough. We have pieces. Rowan’s story helped expose some of the players involved, but it’s a machine, not a single person pulling strings. Rowan is Sin’s new girlfriend. He was protecting her while she exposed Randy O’Connell.” I don’t tell her the full truth. Not about the deep consultancy ties that might connect directly to the files she’s been digging into. How O’Connell leads to Alden Shaw. Not about how personal and dangerous this really is. Not yet.
I look at her again, really look. She’s brave, smart, and a little chaotic in the best possible way. If things were different, if I were not neck-deep in hunting for my missing father and trying to bring Nash and Sin home alive, I’d probably ask her out properly. Dinner somewhere nice with soft lighting and no knives or running for our lives. Just me and her and a real chance to see that bright, rambling smile without the shadow of danger hanging over every second. I’d take my time getting to know the woman behind the whistleblower files. I’d kiss her. Explore her. Make her cry out my name while my hands roamed every inch of her.
But things aren’t different. This is a mission. My brothers are counting on me to stay sharp. I’d never jeopardize that. Not even for someone who makes my chest feel tighter every single time she laughs or looks at me like I’m more than just the man paid to keep her alive.
I stand and clear the plates, keeping my voice steady and professional. “You should get some rest. The bedroom’s yours. I’ll take the couch. We’ve got a long day tomorrow figuring out next steps and digging deeper into who’s after you.”
She stands too, stepping close enough that I catch the faint vanilla scent still clinging to her skin and clothes. “Thank you, Banks. For the food. For saving my life today. For everything.”
I nod once, fighting the strong urge to pull her into my arms again. “Get some sleep, Anniston.”
She heads down the narrow hallway to the bedroom. I watch her go, noting the way her hips sway slightly with exhaustion, then I settle onto the couch with my tablet. I pull up the latest encrypted feeds from Vance and start reviewing the boutique security footage. I keep one ear tuned to the dark woods outside. I try not to let my mind wander on the beauty in the bedroom.
Mission first. Always.
Even when the principal is starting to feel like something far more than just an assignment.
SIX
ANNISTON
I wake up slowly, wrapped in the kind of deep, dreamless sleep I haven’t had in months. My head hit the pillow last night and it was lights out, like my body finally said enough and shut the whole system down. No nightmares about knives or men in ball caps. Just blessed, heavy darkness. Now morning light filters softly through the window, painting the wooden beams in warm gold. I stretch under the thick quilt, toes pointing, arms reaching, and for one perfect second I almost forget why I’m in a hidden cabin in the woods with a man I barely know.