Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Sting had sent Atlas, Blaze, Eagle, and Shooter to escort us back. Shooter and Atlas were in a Bronco while the other men were on bikes. It made for eyes in front and back as well as giving Shooter the ability to guard us and take out anyone threatening us. I didn’t expect trouble, but we were ready for it. Hopefully, we’d be ready to leave in a couple of hours.
“Brick?”
“Right here, little warrior. Gettin’ things ready to leave. You good?” I sat down beside her and brushed an unruly lock of hair off her cheek.
She graced me with a sleepy smile. “Yeah. Little tired, though I slept wonderfully. You know. When you let me sleep.”
I chuckled. “You were as guilty as me, and I ain’t complainin’.”
“Never said I minded.” She reached up to hook her arms around my neck and pull me down for a kiss. “You gave me the most wonderful night of my life, Brick. I look forward to more when we get back home. I’m sorry I ran from you. I just couldn’t stand the thought of…” Her breath hitched, and she trailed off, her brows knitting together in distress.
“Of me being with someone else?”
She shook her head violently. “Of you pitying me. That you were only with me, helping me, because you felt sorry for me. I wanted you to want me too.”
“I do, baby. I didn’t realize you were ready for a more physical relationship and that you’d chosen me.” I leaned in to kiss her again. “Kinda thought you only wanted me because I made you feel safe. I was willing to settle for that if it meant I got to be with you.”
“Then why did you go to that party?” She looked so hurt it nearly gutted me. This was the woman so self-conscious of her scars she was painfully shy. I never wanted her to retreat to that version of herself. She was so strong and resilient, she deserved to have the world at her feet. Not to feel like she needed to hide from it.
“Good Goddamn question.” I sighed. “My brothers were razzin’ me for following you around like a lost puppy when you weren’t in any way interested in me. I was never going to that party to find a woman. I wanted to get drunk and feel sorry for myself for the first time in my life.” I scowled at her, trying to lighten the mood. “That’s what you reduced me to, woman. Twenty-five years in prison and I never once looked back. A few weeks in your company, holdin’ you, comfortin’ you without being able to kiss you? Yeah. I had a fuckin’ pity party.”
As I’d hoped, she smiled. She reached up and stroked my beard. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything, honey. Ask all you want. I’ll never lie to you.”
“Why did you go to prison?”
I knew this question was coming. I didn’t dread it exactly. I hated admitting my failures to her. “I was driving impaired and killed a man. Didn’t matter that it was an accident, I made a choice. I got behind the wheel knowing I shouldn’t.” She made a sound of distress and gripped my hand tightly. “I was in the Marines. Had just passed my SEAL training, which was the reason for the celebration. Everyone at that fuckin’ party was drunk, but I was the one who chose to drive everyone home.”
“What happened?”
I shrugged. “We were all talking. Laughing. Raisin’ hell, I guess. I looked back over my shoulder to say something to my buddy. Ran a red. We got hit in the side, and my brother sitting in the back passenger seat took the brunt of the impact. He was dead before the fuckin’ car stopped.”
“Oh, no!”
I squeezed her hand. “Anyway. I passed all the reflex tests and whatnot, but then they had me do a breathalyzer, and I was over the limit, if barely.”
“If you were in control, why did they give you so much time?”
“One drink is too many drinks, baby. You know that.”
“It seems unfair. I mean, that could have happened to anyone.” The empathy in her voice made me smile. She was such a sweet thing. Until someone crossed her. The pricks in my chest where her Taser had hit its mark still stung.
“I knew better. The man who died was the son of an admiral so instead of charging me with a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, they went for the maximum they thought they could make stick. Voluntary manslaughter, meaning the act had been deliberate. And, honestly, I couldn’t argue with them. While my intent may not have been to kill anyone, like in the heat of the moment, I’d made a conscious decision to drink and then get behind the wheel of a vehicle.” I waved a hand as if it all didn’t matter. “Anyway, they took it to the judge with a bunch of other charges, and I plead guilty. Because I was.”