Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“I don’t care what’s going on Grant. I need you to call me.” She gulped. “I’m worried about you. Please, call me.”
His skin prickled at the mention of his brother’s middle name. It wasn’t like Grant was that uncommon of a name but being as he was on the alert for anything relating to his brother, he latched onto it. Sure, it could be fantasy on his part but he was desperate for news of his sibling.
The vibration of his own phone yanked his attention from the woman he wanted nothing more to do than walk up behind and wrap his arms around her. Tuck her close to his chest, burrow his nose in her soft hair and allow the scent she had surround him. Soothe him. Instead, he stepped back, not far enough to be unable to hear her side of the conversation but enough he could take his call as well.
“Yeah?”
“Hello to you too, handsome.” Preston Marks, fellow parajumper had humor in his voice. “You good?” Despite the levity in the man’s tone, Ryker picked up on the undercurrent of seriousness.
Expelling a harsh breath, he pinched the bridge of his nose and stepped farther away from Rayla. Not what he wanted to do but it was needed.
“Not really.”
“Fuck. Not finding any sign of him then?”
“Not a one. Not since his ass was here about a week before this thing happened. Then he falls off the grid. No card activity, no phone and no image of him popping up anywhere. You know we have this damn country wired with more cameras than ever. He shouldn’t be able to go a day without popping up on some recording.”
It frustrated the fuck out of him.
“What do you need from me?”
“No way man. You just got your woman back and you’re about to have a baby. The last thing you need to do is be running out here to help me.” He tracked Xavier as he strode by him and paused by Rayla before escorting her back inside. The man looked at him with his green eyes, shrewd and more than a bit unsettling. “How are you? And how is the lovely Bryanna?”
“My woman is fine,” he rumbled. “Keep that affection out of your tone when you say her name.”
“What can I say? I like her more than you.”
Preston laughed. “I like her more than me, too.” He cleared his throat. “We’re still looking here, man. You need me and I’ll be there.”
“I appreciate it, man. Honest, I do.”
They’d seen some shit while they served side by side. Preston was a man he would love to have at his side any day of the week.
“Good, you should. I’m fucking spectacular. Now, enough about my praise and dick stroking. I want to know about this woman who has you wrapped up in knots there?”
“Who the fuck told you?” he snapped.
“You just did.”
Laughter poured over the line and he rolled his eyes.
When he ended the call with Preston, he felt better. Still wanted to know what was going on with his brother, but his mood had improved. Rayla remained inside the café and he knew that, whatever her past with Xavier, he would keep her safe.
Christ, it’s not like she is in danger in a Christmas town.
Across the street, he spied a man he did need to have a chat with. Pushing his phone back in his pocket, he strode to the fit man, with messy styled black hair, and blue-green eyes he could see a lot of women falling for.
“Bartender,” he called out as he neared him.
The man looked up from his phone as he continued leaning against a pillar. Those sharp eyes zeroed in on him in seconds.
“Santa.” His tone didn’t change, didn’t sound threatening, neither did his body language but Ryker saw the difference.
I thought it before and I continue to think this man has seen action.
He moved closer to the man and took a breath, counting to not come off with a solid right hook to knock him on his ass.
“Something on your mind?” Like he wasn’t in a threatening situation, the man swiped one more thing on his phone and slid it into his pocket then crossed his ankles once more. Not looking the slightest bit uncomfortable.
“Yeah.” Anger and a need to claim pushed hard. “Leave my woman alone.”
Cool and calm, his gaze moved over Ryker. “Who’s your woman? I’m a bartender, I see a lot of women. Beautiful, sexy, cute. All kinds.”
“We both know who my woman is.”
A slight, definitely mocking shrug. “Nope. I have no clue.” He narrowed his gaze. “Why don’t you spell it out for me, parachute boy.”
Chapter 5
“I heard you liked it up here.”
Rayla turned from the overlook to see Krissy Mae sashay her ass out of the surrounding forest and pause beside her.
“Who’d you hear that from? And you look beat.”