Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57707 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57707 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
TRISTAN
Later that day, I’m in the office, trying to get my mind right as I make arrangements. Tank has twisted something up in me. For as long as I’ve been a Marine, I never thought another jarhead would sell me down the river like that. In hindsight, there were signs, especially with how willing he was to take my guns off me. He wasn’t trying to help me sell them. He was trying to disarm me.
A knock comes at the door. “Sir?”
It’s Miles.
“Come in,” I call.
He walks in awkwardly, his hands intertwined, staring at the floor. Miles has always been somewhat socially awkward. Maybe that’s why I’ve often felt a connection to him, though things have been stilted since Maya came along.
“Sir,” he says again. “I wanted to clarify something about Maya.”
He’s half my size, thin, and clearly untrained. Yet, with all the savagery in me, hearing him say her name is almost enough to turn me into a madman.
“Okay …”
“I had a crush on her,” he goes on. “I won’t lie, but I’m not good at flirting. I’m not very good at talking to people. I was just trying to be nice, but now I feel like a perv. I’m not. I promise. I just … I don’t know.”
His voice wavers. I look at him closely. I’m almost sure he’s telling the truth, but after the Tank stuff, my instincts feel off.
“Are you over your crush now?” I ask.
“I’ve actually got a date next week,” he answers with a small smile. “That’s why I’m here. I wanted to tell you, and if you want to fire me, I get it.”
“You didn’t molest her, Miles,” I say, just the thought making me sick. “You didn’t assault her. She just didn’t want to be touched by you. You apologized. She accepted. Just don’t do it again.”
I shouldn’t even add this last part. After giving the envelope to my Maya—no, just Maya—the last thing I should care about is if somebody hits on her, employee or not. But it’s not like I can just flip a switch and stop giving a damn.
“You’ve always been a good dog handler, Miles,” I go on, “and a good person. Do you want to make this up to me and the home?”
He nods eagerly. “Yes, please.”
“Pull an all-nighter and watch the home. Tell me if there are any problems.”
“Uh, sure,” he replies.
This is the difficult part. “But I won’t be able to pay you.”
“Being forgiven is payment enough!” he declares, then turns to leave.
I lean back in my desk chair, closing my eyes and taking measured breaths. A large part of being a Marine is ignoring what I want and doing the right thing, but even after just half a day, my body is longing for Maya, roaring out for her. We were supposed to be have our date, dammit. Get to know each other.
Is there a world where we can be together?
Maybe, but it means the Mob has to die. Maybe Tank, my brother, will have to go, too, if it comes to that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MAYA
“What do you think I should do?” I ask Riley across the living room table.
She blows on her hot cocoa with Luna curled up next to her. The envelope, with the bills visible, sits on the table like it’s trying to tempt us.
“I should give it back, right?” I go on.
Riley puts her drink down. “It’s a lot of cash just to give away. Did he say why he did it?”
This is Riley’s last day here. Soon, she’ll be heading back to college.
“I think he wants to do the right thing before I forget about him.”
“Forget?”
“He thinks I’m going to,” I explain. “Or he wants me to, but I don’t think I can. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to. It’s silly. It’s only been a few kisses and days, but it feels,” I pause, remembering what Tristan said, “different. With him, it was like I was becoming somebody new.”
“Maybe you should call him.”
“Like a clingy weirdo? He’s already made it clear he wants nothing to do with me.”
Also, I think, but don’t add, “What about the Mob?” What if they hurt Mom?
Suddenly, Mom’s emergency alarm starts going off. I jump to my feet, Loki barking at my heels as I rush through the house and almost trip on the corner of a rug. I catch myself on the doorframe, staring as Mom half sits up, beads of sweat glistening all over her.
She coughs, making a rattly noise, her eyes staring from her pained expression as if they’re the only living things left.
“Call an ambulance!” I yell, rushing over to Mom.
“On it!” Riley yells back.
“Mom, it’s okay. Mom.”
She coughs again, causing her whole body to shake like energy will give out at any second. I hold her hand, desperately wondering what to do, as Riley walks in with the 911 operator on speaker.