Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
She couldn’t blame them. Not if they had any sense. She had no doubt Jackson would go after them with a vengeance, making a statement as he did. His reputation for swift retribution preceded him. Silence settled between them as the helicopter sliced through the sky, the rhythmic hum of the rotors filling the space. Below, the snow-dusted landscape rolled past, dark patches of forest and gleaming rivers breaking up the white. The tension in her chest tightened the closer they flew to Slate Pack territory.
Jackson set the aircraft down in a clearing near a small runway, where the two Slate Pack helicopters gleamed in the pale light by the tree line. As the engine slowly died, Emily spotted Miliki standing yards away beside a sleek black town car.
“Stay here.” Jackson released his belt and jumped out. He strode quickly around the front of the craft, opened her door, and unbuckled her harness before lifting her out. The strength in his hands sent a jolt through her system, but she failed to hide a wince as his thumb brushed a bruise on her ribs.
“Are you still bruised, or were you able to heal yourself?” His tone was soft, but his gaze was sharp as he scanned her face.
“I healed myself.” She lied without hesitation. The bruises still clung to her skin, stubborn and slow to fade, her body too preoccupied with fighting the illness to mend as quickly as it should have.
“All right.” His hand slid down to her elbow as he guided her toward Miliki. The gravel crunched softly beneath their steps, and the snowflakes continued drifting down, melting as they touched her skin.
The Enforcer’s eyes swept over her, assessing. “Emily, how are you?”
“Absolutely fine.” She kept her voice light and steady. “Anything happen while I was gone?”
“Nope. All good.”
Jackson opened the car door for her, his hand brushing her back as she slid into the plush leather seat. The scent of leather and pine surrounded her, warm and faintly familiar. Seconds later, he joined her inside, and the door clicked shut.
“Your father’s looking forward to seeing you. He’s missed you,” Miliki said as he entered the vehicle and started the engine, his broad frame fitting snugly behind the wheel.
“How’s Nadia?” Emily folded her hands tightly in her lap.
Miliki’s gaze caught hers briefly in the rearview mirror. “As well as can be expected.”
“Are people being kind to her?”
The Enforcer shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t asked. I’m kind to her.”
Emily almost smiled. Miliki was kind to everyone until he wasn’t. Then throats tended to get ripped out. “She’s settling in nicely?”
“I guess, although that bodyguard of hers is a little intense.”
Considering Miliki could be terrifyingly intense, that was a statement. “His job is to protect her,” Emily murmured. She looked at Jackson. “You never did tell me what he did for you. Not really.”
“He worked in my mine for a while and then helped me root out a couple of rogue packs that kept stealing from us.” Jackson shrugged. “Caidrik is a hell of a tracker and fighter. If his goal is to keep your sister safe, then she will be.”
Miliki’s gaze flicked to Jackson in the mirror. “Did you find a mate or what?”
“Still working on it,” Jackson replied easily.
“Hmph,” Miliki grunted, his expression skeptical as the car rolled smoothly down the drive toward the heart of Slate Pack territory. Snow dusted the towering pines that lined the road, their branches weighed down as if bowing in respect to the passing vehicle. The air outside was crisp and still, the dusk breaking through the thick clouds.
Emily stared out at the landscape, the beauty of her homeland offering little comfort against the knot tightening in her belly.
Chapter 19
Jackson soon found himself in the Nightsom mansion’s opulent living room with a glass of aged scotch in his hand. Actual doilies decorated each polished table. He resisted the urge to snort as he glanced sideways at Emily beneath his lashes. Did she like doilies?
“They were my mother’s,” she said softly.
Made sense. If Philip took Jackson up on his newest offer, would he have to take doilies back with him? He’d do it if it made Emily happy. One kiss had nearly set them both on fire, and he wanted her in his bed. He also wanted her fucking safe.
Philip Nightsom sat across from him in an ornate, floral-patterned armchair, his posture straight and gaze steady. Victor lounged on the matching sofa beside him, his green eyes assessing. Emily sat beside Jackson on the loveseat, the warmth of her leg a temptation he shouldn’t have noticed.
The door opened and Nadia bustled inside, her cheeks flushed. “Sorry, I’m late.” She clutched a clipboard against her chest as she moved toward Victor, sitting beside him with a quick smile. “I was meeting with a few people interested in starting a farm. We have enough territory for both crops and livestock. I think crops should go on the eastern side and livestock on the west. I’ll draw up a proposal.” Her smile widened. “Hi, Emily. How are you?”