Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“I don’t want to leave without seeing him again. Please.” I hated the desperation in my voice, but at that point, I would do whatever I had to.
“I’ll go talk to him if you promise you’ll stay in this house and not try to go out there yourself.”
I took a slow breath and said the words I knew I’d come to regret. “I promise.”
As I headed up to my room, all I could think about was that I might as well have skipped the meeting for all the good it had done me to be there, and now I’d have to go back to Lucien’s house and deal with my family and this threat all without Blade.
I caught Rogue’s arm. “Will you let me know how Blade is?”
“I will, and if I can get through to him, you’ll be seeing him once this is over and done with.”
“I don’t think…”
“He hasn’t talked to anyone the way he talked to you, not since before…”
“He was captured?”
Rogue nodded. “Rhys told me he let you see his scars. I hope you understand how significant that is.”
“I do.” He started to walk away. “Wait. Who’s Fox?”
“Another one of the men who were in their platoon in the marines.”
“So he knows Blade?”
He does.
“Are you going to tell him about me and Blade?”
“Do you want me to?”
“Would he be able to change Blade’s mind?”
Rogue took a moment to think that over. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I know they were close.”
“Then tell him.”
Rogue nodded, and this time, I let him leave.
I paced my room, hoping to hear from Rogue. When I finally did, his message said Blade had asked him to tell me to be careful, but he thought it was best if we didn’t see each other again.
I sank onto the bed, and when the tears came, I let them fall.
27
BLADE
Someone knocked on my door several hours after Carlo had left. It was probably Rogue sent to check on me or Grant trying to demand an explanation. Rogue had already called and caught me up on what was going on, but I had refused to talk about Carlo.
I grabbed my gun—for all the good it would do—and moved slowly toward the door. “Who’s there?”
“It’s Fox.”
I let out a long breath. I wasn’t up to an inquisition from him, but I opened the door anyway. “So you’ve been working for X?”
“Yeah, I’ve been running black ops missions for him. How long have you been here?”
“Several months now. I guess you know everything that’s been happening.”
He blew out a long breath. “It seems like I’ve really stepped into the middle of something, and I don’t mean the Pisanos’ attempt to capture Carlo.”
Of course he didn’t.
“Are you going to let me in? It’s windy out here.”
I snorted. Like he’d be bothered by a little bit of wind. I hadn’t seen him since Grant’s trial. He’d always been a wild card, but he was a good man, and I always knew he had my back. I stepped back and motioned for him to come inside.”
He pulled me into a hug before I could stop him. When I managed to wrestle my way free, he just laughed. “How are you?”
“Better than the last time you saw me.”
“That wouldn’t take much.”
My laugh sounded bitter. “I guess not.”
“So what’s going on with Carlo?”
“I don’t want to talk about that.”
Fox just stared at me, not saying a word.
“I understand you’re here to take him back to Boston.”
“He doesn’t want to go.”
“If X thinks that’s the safest thing, then he needs to go. It’s sure as hell better than him staying here.”
“Here on the ranch, or here in your cabin?”
“Here with me.”
“He wants to see you before he leaves.”
I shook my head. “That’s not a good idea.”
Fox wandered into the kitchen and started looking in the cabinets.
“Make yourself at home.”
Fox grinned. “We’re brothers. Mi casa es su casa and vice versa and all that.”
I snorted.
Fox grabbed a bag of chips, then turned to face me. “How long are you going to keep yourself locked away?”
He had a way of saying whatever was on his mind, damn the consequences. “Forever, maybe. I don’t know. I’m never going to be able to forget what happened to me.”
“No, Carlo seems fairly unforgettable.”
“You know that’s not what I mean.” I hated how right he was, though. I wasn’t going to forget Carlo. He was so much more than some hookup or a childish crush.
Fox popped a chip into his mouth, but he didn’t let that stop him from talking. “He’s good for you, isn’t he?”
“You’ve been talking to Rogue.”
“Yeah. He’s something else. It’s crazy how he looks just like Rhys, but he’s so different.”
He held out the bag, and I took a few chips. “That’s true. He’s also a hopeless romantic. Just ask Ghost.”
“Oh, believe me, I already have. They both say there’s something special between you and Carlo.”