Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“Sorry about that,” she says quietly, smiling as she takes her seat next to me.
“Hey, Hanna,” Otto calls, and she looks across the table at him. “I think you should leave the old guy to go to bed and come hang out with Ham and me tonight.”
“Not fucking happening.” My hand wrapped around the back of her chair tightens. Just thinking about her with them in the same environment I was in last night, surrounded by drugs, alcohol, and people, almost fucking makes me want to toss the table.
“You don’t trust us?” Otto asks, and it’s on the tip of my tongue to say no. Like I haven’t trusted him and Ham with my life every single day for the past five years.
“I really can’t,” she tells him softly.
“That’s cool. Maybe another time.” He shoots me a goofy grin.
“Yeah, maybe,” she agrees, leaning across me to reach for the check, and I push it out of her reach. “I wanted to see how much I owe you.” Her eyes fly up to mine.
“Babe, you’re not paying.”
“Yes, I am.” She leans farther across me, trying to grab it.
“You’re not.” I pick it up and pass it over to Ham.
“Walker, I don’t feel comfortable with anyone paying for my food.”
“Too fucking bad.”
“Fine.” She looks around. “I’ll just ask the waitress.”
“If you do that, we’re going to have a problem,” I tell her quietly, and her eyes narrow into slits.
“Uh-oh, Ham. Mom and Dad are fighting.” Otto laughs, and Hanna turns her glare his way while I shoot him a look that says to shut the fuck up. “My bad.”
“As entertaining as this is—” Ham pushes back from the table and stands with the check. “—I’m gonna head to the bar for another beer before I have to show up to babysitting duty.”
“Stop saying you’re babysitting me,” Otto gripes.
“Stop acting like you’re sixteen, and I will.” Ham focuses on Hanna and me. “See you two tomorrow.”
“Later, man.” We bump fists, and Otto watches him walk off, glaring at his back, before he looks at me.
“I fucking hate that you guys act like I’m a kid,” he says quietly, looking embarrassed and hurt, which is a surprise since normally he takes it all in stride.
“Ham and I trust you with our lives every single time we dive.”
“Yeah, I trust you too,” he bites out, his embarrassment turning to anger.
“We know you do. We also get that it’s exhausting having to constantly be prepared for the worst-case scenario for weeks at a time while we’re working.” I hold his gaze. “I know some of it is your age, and some of it is you just trying to suck in as much freedom as you can before you’re trapped with the weight of someone else’s life in your hands once again. But we don’t get the break you do, because we are constantly looking out for you, making sure you don’t do something that could fuck up your whole life.”
“That’s fucked.”
“I agree,” I say quietly, and he glances over at Hanna, getting red in the face before standing and storming off without another word.
“That was harsh,” Hanna whispers, and I turn my attention to her.
“Maybe, but since we’ve tried to tell him to tone it down more than once and that hasn’t happened, maybe some harsh truths will.”
“How old is he?”
“Twenty-three.”
“He’s young.” She lets out a long breath, then tips her head to the side as she studies me. “Is your job really that dangerous?”
“It can be, if you don’t know what you’re doing.” I stand, then pull out her chair and place my hand against the middle of her back as we walk out of the restaurant. “What time is your thing in the morning?”
“I have to be there at seven.” She looks up at me. “You don’t have to go with me.”
“I want to.” I take her hand.
“But you didn’t pay for a spot, so you’ll just have to wait for me at the place.”
“I’ll bring a book.”
“I…” She rubs her lips together while slowing her pace. “I think we should talk.”
“About?”
“Well,” she starts, then cuts herself off when a couple walks by us in the hall.
“Do we need privacy for this conversation?” I raise a brow as she looks around the corridor that is crowded with people coming and going from the restaurant.
“Yes.” Her cheeks get pink, piquing my curiosity.
“We can go to my room.” After her nod, I take her hand and lead her to the elevator.
It doesn’t take long to get upstairs, and as soon as the door to my hotel room is closed behind us, I flip on the light and stand with my arms crossed over my chest, watching her as she begins to pace.
“Have you ever had a vacation fling?” she asks as she stops to face me.
The question catches me off guard. I don’t know what I thought this was about, but I never would have guessed that question would come out of her pretty mouth.