Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 189782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 949(@200wpm)___ 759(@250wpm)___ 633(@300wpm)
“No. This is my decision. I want to move past all this fear and pain. I want to return to work, stop being dependent on him, and begin my life with you and Kody. Until then, we’re going to be respectful.”
Her resolution cuts deep, but I know she’s right.
He’s been supportive and kind to us despite his obsessive love for her. He’ll never stop pursuing her, and if he knows we’re not fucking her, he’ll use that opportunity to wriggle his way back in.
“I’d rather die first.” Lips curling back in a snarl, I bare my teeth.
“What are you going to do? Force me?”
“I don’t have to force you, love. I only need to touch you, and wetness seeps from your body and down your legs, covering both of us with your scent.” I advance on her. “Shall I demonstrate?”
“No.” She retreats, her pupils dilating as she drinks in my shirtless torso. “Please, don’t.”
“All right.” I plant my feet. “Go ahead. Draw a line between us.” Lowering my chin, I glare at her through my lashes. “It’ll be fun watching you cross it.”
“You won’t even be here. You’re going out of town for God knows how long.”
She’s right. Fuck.
Arching a brow, she looks at Kody.
“I went twenty-five years without sex. You’re worth the wait, woman.” His nostrils widen with a deep inhale, and he releases his breath. “If your restraint can hold out, mine can, too.”
Releasing a slow breath, she walks to us, directly into our arms.
If she thinks we’ll sleep beside her every night without being inside her, she’s crazy. I would never force her, but she loves sex as much as we do. Our chemistry is volcanic. Eventually, it will explode.
“I’m so worried.” She buries her face in my chest. “What if you get lost in the Arctic and never come back to me?”
“Hey.” I take her face in my hands. “We won’t get lost. Monty equipped the plane with high-tech GPS tracking. He’ll be watching our path, and we’ll remain in constant communication with him through state-of-the-art equipment.”
“We’re practically invincible.” Kody presses his nose in her hair. “We’ve survived worse things than Leo’s flying.”
“We’ll have a more experienced pilot with us.” I shoot him a glare and kiss her head. “We’ll be fine. I promise.”
After showering—separately—we crawl into bed, holding her between us.
She’s the center of my world, and I’m determined to protect her, even if it means falling asleep with a raging hard-on.
“Leo.” She shifts, rubbing her gorgeous ass against my cock. “You’re making this hard.”
“No, you are making it hard, love.” I swat her rear. “Stop wriggling.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not, you wicked creature.” I bite the delicate shell of her ear. “How about the tip? Just an inch? Two inches?”
“How about a twelve-inch tip?” Kody mumbles.
“You’re both the worst.” She groans.
I grin at her discomfort. “What gives us blue balls makes us stronger.”
37
Kodiak
—
The next morning, Leo and I prepare to leave with Sirena.
The overcast sky slants a gray hue over the island, killing the mood. But rising to meet the dread is an urgent hunger for the hunt.
The instant I don my crossbow, it feels like an extension of my spine. Leo stands beside me, his rifle held with the ease of a man accustomed to its weight.
This is merely a scouting mission. We don’t expect to run into trouble, but if we do, the pilot, James, is retired military and combat-trained.
With our gear strapped to our backs, Leo and I are ready to plunge back into the heart of our past. This time, we’re stronger, sharper, and better equipped with technology to make it out of there alive.
And we won’t be alone.
Frankie stands on the dock, her red hair catching in the warm breeze. She’s brave, braver than most, and hides her fear well. But I hear it in her hoarse rasp, her words frayed at the edges, as she talks to Leo.
“Take care of yourself.” He kisses her mouth, his tongue delving deeply and aggressively, making Monty’s face turn lava red. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She steps back, swallowing hard. “Both of you. Just…come back to me.”
“Forever.”
I press my way in, cupping her face. “Love you, too.”
“We’ve done this too many times.” She smiles up at me, the corners of her mouth quivering. “Saying goodbye to you never gets easier.”
“It isn’t easy because we have something worth holding onto. I’ll carry it with me until we’re together again.”
My hand, rough and calloused, traces a path along her jaw. I tilt her chin up, forcing her to look into my eyes. There’s a moment, a heartbeat of hesitation, where the world tilts, holding its breath. Then, like a tempest breaking free, our mouths collide.
My tongue follows the seam of her lips, coaxing them open and diving into the sweet, intoxicating warmth within. She tangles her hands in my hair, pulling me closer, fearing the moment I’ll slip away.