Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 42863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Nighttime was spent making love and fucking. I couldn’t get enough of the two of them. Being inside of them. But fuck, those moments I got to just watch them together were some of my favorite moments.
Beck and Clarke were truly beautiful together. Otherworldly. And I couldn’t get enough of witnessing the moments they shared.
Sighing, I slicked my hair back from my face. I’d woken up unusually tense this morning, a bad feeling in my gut jerking me out of my sleep. I’d slipped out of bed even before Beck did. I’d tried calling River, but he didn’t answer, which was unlike him. I didn’t want to call a second time and alarm him, especially since nothing was wrong—just this bad feeling.
Something was definitely on the horizon though. I couldn’t shake that feeling. And my gut never let me down.
I turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. After drying myself off, I slipped on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before heading out of the bathroom. Beck and Clarke were still asleep when I peeked into the bedroom, neither of them budging. Taking the opportunity while they were still knocked out, I headed for the front porch, hoping to spot the man Alejandro had left in charge.
I’d picked him out of the multiple guards a couple of weeks ago when I’d caught him making rounds to get updates and give new orders. He’d just silently looked at me, nodded once, and continued on his way.
But now, I needed to talk to him. Set up a plan in case shit went downhill. I needed to know that above all else, Beck and Clarke would be kept safe, no matter what happened to me.
He stepped out of the trees, arching a brow at me, his suit impeccable despite the humidity and being in the woods probably most of the night. “Looking for me?” he asked, his Spanish accent thick.
I nodded and descended the steps, stepping onto the grass Alejandro had managed to grow on the property. Sprinkler systems came on multiple times a day, keeping it lush and comfortable to walk on. I knew Beck and Clarke longed to be out here, but I wouldn’t let them outside. There were too many uncontrollable variables outside, even with Alejandro’s men out here keeping guard.
The one walk into town we’d taken had been enough risk for me. And Clarke had been so drained after, she’d barely made it into the house to crash on the couch.
“Yeah.” I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my sweats. “River didn’t answer my call this morning, which is unlike him, and I’ve got a bad feeling in my stomach that something is going to happen.”
He nodded. “Me, too,” he said with a heavy sigh. “That is why I am near.”
I gritted my teeth. Fuck. If it had just been me, I might have held out some hope. With him having the bad feeling as well… Goddammit. Trouble was near. It was lurking, and we weren’t seeing the fucking threat yet. Which meant we were going to be blindsided, no matter what precautions we took.
“If something happens…” I blew out a harsh breath. I didn’t want it to come to this, but if it was a choice between them or me, I would always choose to be the one harmed. As long as Beck and Clarke were safe, I didn’t give a fuck what happened to me. My family would still take care of them. “If something happens, get them out and somewhere safe, understand?” He frowned at me. “I am the last thing you worry about. Clear? They are the priority.”
“Tank…”
I shook my head. “No. I won’t change my mind on this. Them first. Always. Clear?” My voice was final. This wasn’t a discussion or a fucking debate.
He nodded once, clearly not liking it, but I knew he’d respect my decision. “Clear.”
With that, I turned on my heel and headed back inside, my stomach sloshing. Food would be damn hard to keep down today, but I knew I would need to eat and continue to act normally, not only so Beck and Clarke wouldn’t know something was wrong but also to keep my strength.
If something happened, I would need to be on my A-game to protect my boy and my girl.
I had to be. Their lives and their freedom depended on it.
20
Tank
Gunshots exploded, the sound fucking deafening. Alejandro’s men began shouting in Spanish. By the time Clarke woke up screaming, her panicked gaze rushing around the room, Beck was already gathering her close, and I was moving out of bed, my gun already in my hand.
“Other side of the bed,” I ordered Beck in a growl. He somehow heard me over the gunshots and tugged Clarke’s frozen, terrified body, both of them hitting the floor with a thump. I rushed over to the window and slammed it open, scanning the area as two of Alejandro’s men quickly moved forward, four others surrounding them to protect and defend the area.