Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“They could have put a bullet through you,” Ian argued, though there was an oddly cheery expression on the man’s face. Like he genuinely enjoyed the chaos.
It had been odd, realizing Tristan was standing over them as the gunfire seemed endless. He’d been covering Carys, but he’d gotten a look at Tris looming over them like a stalwart guardian.
It had been that moment Aidan had known things would be okay.
So why was he still so fucking mad? It rolled through him and took everything he had to keep under control. This wasn’t him. He was logical and cool. This rage he felt wasn’t going to fix their problems. It wouldn’t help Carys. “And did you honestly think the helicopter could hide? Like where would it go?”
Tristan’s eyes narrowed, and Aidan knew he’d poked the Dom inside his friend. “Well, it showed up pretty fucking fast, so I figured it could manage to leave in the same fashion. Would you like me to perform your next surgery? Since we all seem to know how to do the other person’s job.”
It was good to know he could still slide under Tristan’s skin. It oddly made him feel seen. He probably needed therapy but for today it felt good, and he was going with it. “Somehow I think my job requires a little more skill.”
“Are they going to throw down?” Ian whispered the question to Aidan’s dad. “And do we think they’re going to fight, or is this going in another direction?”
Tristan’s eyes rolled. “We’re not going to fuck.”
“It might help,” Ian threw out with a shrug like he didn’t see the problem.
The problem was it never came up. They’d never talked about potentially exploring the boundaries of the relationship. When Carys teased them, they always shut her down. “Our kink was never each other. It’s always been about the girl. For one of us. Tristan kind of comes and goes, and mostly he goes now.”
“Hey, we should go and get a drink, son.” His father seemed to want to play the voice of reason. Which was odd since reason was usually his mom’s job. “Eric’s packing up all the food, but we can probably get a plate or two and hash this all out over some whiskey.”
“Yeah, lubricating these two is going to lead to good choices.” Ian nodded. “I wholeheartedly agree, and I would be with you except we’re heading back to Dallas. We need to talk about this in a safe room, and the only one that comes close is the conference room at MT. So I’m sorry to leave you, Aidan, but this is serious. I’m leaving two bodyguards behind, and I expect you to listen to them.”
“Of course he will,” his father agreed.
Because he was always the good kid, the responsible one. He was the guy who helped everyone move and listened to their troubles and gave sound advice no one ever took. His sister was a rolling ball of good-natured chaos, and he’d been tasked with protecting her at a young age. He protected everyone.
Which was probably why the image of Tristan standing there, ready to take every bullet that came their way, made him feel…safe.
It was a lie because Tristan would leave them again, and he would be all alone trying to give Carys what she needed.
“Why do I need a bodyguard?” The impulse to go along with whatever the military branch of the family said was practically ingrained in him, but he pushed it aside. The last thing he and Carys needed was to be under armed guard. They’d lost their wedding day. He wasn’t about to lose their honeymoon. No matter how much it would suck as a romantic getaway. It was theirs, and the truth of the matter was he was now the dominant partner. Carys might kick his ass if she knew he even thought the word outside a kink setting, but it was true. She needed someone who made her life easier, who took care of the little things like another whole human being watching them twenty-four seven. “This wasn’t about us. Congratulations, Tris. I now fully admit you’ve been right all this time. We’re safer without you. I’ll take my wife…fiancée, and we’ll be out of everyone’s hair for a couple of weeks.”
“We don’t know who this is about yet, Aidan.” His father looked slightly surprised at his outburst.
Because he was never a brat prince. That had been Tristan’s place, but he’d been filling in for Tristan for a while now. He might as well handle this aspect, too. “We know exactly who this is about. Tristan Dean-Miles. He’s been telling me for over two years how dangerous his life is, how he can’t come home because he’s too busy chasing his James Bond dreams.”
“Hey,” Tristan began.
Aidan held up a hand, staving off the argument. “Sorry. I was wrong about the James Bond comment. You’re not chasing some fictional character. You’re still an eight-year-old hoping one day he can be as good as his dad.”