Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 67140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
“No.” Atticus smacks his hand. “Unsanitary. Bloodborne pathogens. Disease.” Jaeger snarls at him, showing his teeth, and Atticus shakes his head. “Kaiser, you tell him.”
“Brother.” Blue eyes meet blue eyes in the rearview mirror. “You did it. Your woman saved you, and you saved her. Now you heal so you can protect her another day.”
“So you agree? She is my woman?”
“She is.”
“I’m right here,” I snip because they’re talking over me. My heart is pounding so hard it’s painful in my chest. I cross my arms to hide my shaking hands.
“She’s grouchy when she’s afraid,” Jaeger informs the car.
“Ah,” Kaiser puts the car into gear, and the tires squeal as he guns it down the street.
“I’m here, bunny,” Jaeger tells me. “And I’ll live. It’s just a little bullet. You can nurse me back to health.”
“You’ll have to use crutches.” I tighten my arms around my torso as if they can hold me together. “Don’t expect me to carry you everywhere.”
Jaeger
I was lucky. The bullet got me in the gut, but Atticus got me into surgery in time. As soon as he could, St. James invested in a hospital. There’s a whole wing dedicated to Fraternitas, furnished with the best medical equipment and staffed by a team of discreet nurses.
I come awake with Elodie sitting to my left. She’s folded in half, resting on my bed.
There’s an IV in my right arm and a dull ache in my abs.
I reach out and stroke Elodie’s curls, and she raises her head. Her eyes are huge and dark on her pale face.
I try to tell her it’s okay, and my voice comes out a dull rasp.
She scrambles to get me a cup of water to sip from. I drink, holding her gaze until I can speak clearly.
“It’s okay, bunny.”
She sniffles.
“No, don’t cry.” I can’t bear to see her dark eyes fill with tears. “I’m here, and we’re together, so I’m okay.”
Her voice hitches as she says, “You came for me.”
“Of course. You’re my woman.”
Her sob shudders out of her.
“You can run from me, but I’ll chase you, and I will find you. I will always find you.”
Her bottom lip trembles and it breaks my heart. I reach up to swipe some of the tears off her face.
“You were my birthday present. The only one I’ve ever had.”
“I know.” She mouths, turning her face into my hand. I wait until her tears have stopped and wipe them away with my palm.
“Will you wait for me?”
“What?”
“Will you wait to run again until I’m healed? So I can chase you?”
“Yes.” Her face crumbles, and her voice cracks, but she says, “I’ll wait.”
“Good bunny.” I smile and let myself drift off.
When I wake again, Elodie’s asleep, clutching my hand. There’s a shadowy figure in the corner and another hovering in the door.
Damien says, “I heard you were shot. Atticus says you won’t die.”
I lean my head back so I can look at him. “Not today.”
He nods and leaves. Kaiser lingers in the doorway for a moment. “I’m sorry, brother.”
I narrow my eyes at him. I slowly move the hand connected to the IV and place it on Elodie’s head.
“I nearly got you both killed. I’ll never forgive myself.”
“I’m hard to kill. But you made my woman cry.”
“I didn’t know those goons were after her.” He swears at himself. “I should’ve known.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” I rasp. The anger I felt when I came home and learned what he did was still there. At the time, I had been focused on hunting Elodie down with the tracker I had on her phone.
And now she’s beside me, unhurt. Kaiser and I are brothers, but Elodie comes first. I won’t forgive him unless she does.
I tell him that, and he says, “I’ll make it up to you.”
“To her,” I correct, and he sighs. But then he nods. He shuts the door, but if I know him, he’ll keep watch outside our door. He’ll stay there, guarding us all night.
It’s not enough to forgive him for trying to separate me and my woman, but it’s a start.
The following day, I make them move me back home. Elodie fusses, but Atticus allows it. I’m healing just fine, and I’ll sleep better in my own bed with Elodie curled next to me.
It all goes smoothly until Kaiser insists on staying to guard me. Elodie doesn’t like it.
“You’re on her People She Wants to Kill List,” I tell Kaiser. The painkillers Atticus has me on make me talk.
“Really?” Kaiser gives Elodie a look.
She sucks in a breath. She’s still afraid of him, a little bit.
“He won’t hurt you,” I tell Elodie. “Ever again. I’ll kill him if he does.”
They both eye each other warily, but now everything’s out in the open. It might be the drugs talking, but I feel good. This is progress.