Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Oh, shut up. No, I didn’t.”
“Oh.” Fuck drugs; this was the best high Gray had ever experienced. He smiled like a dope and wondered if he’d sprouted wings or some shit. “I love you too. To bizarre measures, really.”
Darius exhaled and smirked. “Thank fuck.”
The joy that coursed through Gray was bordering on ridiculous. Part of him wanted to commemorate the moment with a lovey-dovey picture they could post on social media, but then he remembered that, one, he wasn’t on social media anymore—finding Jackie on Facebook would be his first visit since last fall—and, two, Darius’s opinion on social media was…well, very him.
Speaking of Jackie… Gray grabbed Darius’s phone and activated the screen, and the first thing he saw was a string of messages from Ryan. His pulse kicked up.
“Unlock it, please. We have updates from your brother.”
Darius side-eyed the phone. “Password’s sixty-four, forty-two.”
“Dude. That’s trust.” Gray inserted the code. “If I ask if there’s any significance to the digits, will you give me a spiel about how stupid people are when they get sentimental about choosing passwords?”
“Absolutely.”
Gray snorted. “Figures.”
“Significance can be okay,” Darius amended. “But keep birthdates and first letters of family members’ names outta there.”
Welp. Gray would have to change his passwords before sharing them, in other words.
The topic died as he scrolled down the several messages.
SOPS is a go, I think. Thumbs-up, porch cleared.
Fire started. SOPS running up the highway.
In pursuit.
(I have a rattlesnake story for ya later.)
House is engulfed.
SOPS walking. My buddy’s in position.
Buddy spotted, SOPS in sight. Contact initiated.
SOPS safe in car toward the station.
Proceed with standard protocol. I’m out.
Gray read the messages out loud to Darius and felt the happiness and relief bubbling up with each update. By the end, his eyes were full of unshed tears. Jackie was free. It had worked. He was going to see his family soon. In a matter of hours, they would get a call. They’d find out that their son was alive.
Gray sniffled and touched his lips. “He did it. He’s going home. We fucking did it.”
Darius gathered his hand and kissed the top of it.
“What’s standard protocol?” Gray wondered.
“That we delete the messages and speak later on a secure line,” Darius answered. “In this case, the conversation will consist of a two-minute briefing followed by an hour-long review of his binocular goggles with night vision.”
Gray spluttered a laugh, remembering that Ryan was fond of gadgets. He wasn’t as, uh, technically disadvantaged as Darius either.
“I can finally relax,” he sighed contentedly and sank into his seat. “We actually pulled it off, Dare.”
“Don’t sound so surprised. We make a good team.”
They fucking did.
Twenty-Two
“Are you going straight home?” Gray unbuckled his seat belt and peered up at the shelter.
“Almost. Gotta make a quick stop to pick up new tires for the ATV.”
Gray sent him a frown. “Is there something wrong with them?”
That made Darius quirk a sly little grin. “Tire tracks are practically like fingerprints.”
Oh Christ. Gray chuckled, leaned over the center console, and kissed him quickly. “I love you.” Man, it felt good to say that. “Pick us up in a few hours.”
“Wilco.”
What Gray really wanted involved a movie marathon with the boys in the cabin, where Jayden and Justin would be distracted by cartoons so Gray could get some sleep. But that would have to wait. Today was gonna be a long day. A day that had only just started.
They’d made it home in record time, and they’d recently stopped serving breakfast at the shelter. So, Gray would hang out with the boys while Darius went home for a short nap. Then he had an early shift at the restaurant, and Gray would take the boys there. At least, they’d get some time together. It was what mattered.
Gray jogged up the steps to the shelter and opened the door.
His being exhausted hopefully helped give him that “I just survived the flu” kind of look.
About a dozen people were gathered in the downstairs common room. Some talk show was on, and a handful of kids were playing on the floor.
Gray went straight to Adeline’s office and knocked. He couldn’t see any other staff nearby. Or the boys, for that matter.
“Come in!” Adeline hollered.
Gray opened the door and smiled. “Hi.”
Adeline lit up. “Oh, I know two little someones who’re gonna be freaking ecstatic.” She left her desk and came over. “How’re you feeling, hon? You look better.” She snuck in for a quick hug.
“I feel like I’ve been body-checked on the ice for two weeks.”
Adeline chuckled and winced. “I’m glad it’s over. Sounded like a nasty bug you two caught.” She glanced at the door. “Is Darius here too?”
“No, he has work later, so he wanted to rest,” Gray replied. “He’s picking me up before his shift, and I would like to take the boys for a late lunch slash early dinner if that’s all right.”