Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 109245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Scar pressed his lips near his ear. “I like the expressions on your face.”
“Just tell us the goddamn date!” Roz and Corvo yelled at the same time.
Scar leaned closer and said softly against Gage’s ear, “In three days.”
For a second, Gage couldn’t form any words. His mind stalled on the number as if it couldn’t be real.
Three days.
Before he could say anything, Corvo’s phone beeped, “Browns are inbound from their mission. Jo wants us in on the debrief. Let’s move.”
“Scar, eat faster. You’re coming too,” Meridian said.
“But you said I was finished for the day.”
“I lied,” Meridiam snarled. “Get your ass up.”
“Besides, why do I have to go? You’re the leader,” he said, sounding childish as he continued to pepper soft kisses along Gage’s throat.
“Because I fuckin’ said so.”
Scar sucked his teeth. “But I’m not done eating.”
“You are now,” Meridian growled, yanking Scar’s tray of untouched pizza off the table and slamming it into the trash can.
Roz was laughing so hard, he started to choke on his fries.
Meridian was already walking away fully expecting Scar to follow.
“He’s such a bully.” Scar griped.
“He treats you like that because he cares about you,” Ex said. “He wants you to learn everything he knows.”
“If that’s the case, I’d rather be dumb.” Scar huffed.
“Nailing it.”
“Fuck off, Roz!” Scar shouted.
Gage gently patted his fiancé on his cheek. “Hey.”
“I’ll probably be late tonight.” Scar said against his jaw.
He nodded, knowing their work came before romance.
“Will you wait for me?”
Gage closed his eyes at the deep timbre of Scar’s voice as heat spread towards his groin.
“Yes, in our bed,” he whispered.
Scar hummed and kissed him one last time, slow and promising. “I’ll see you later.”
As he listened to Scar’s footsteps fade, he sat there in shock, turning the ring around on his finger in an attempt to stay grounded.
I’m getting married in three days.
White Ravens
Gage
The Olympic-size heated pool was one of the rare places in headquarters that was empty and quiet enough that Gage could mute his thoughts.
His nerves were so crazy they made him restless, and it was impossible to just lie in bed and wait for Scar to come to him.
So he swam.
He cut through the water in smooth, steady strokes, earbuds in, his favorite clean classic hits station filling the constant noise in his head.
Three days.
He pumped his arms harder, keeping his breathing measured, focusing on the count so he wouldn’t start spiraling.
What kind of tasks had Scar assigned, and to whom? Where would the wedding be? How would he perform on their wedding night? And worst of all, how his parents would never know their son didn’t break when life tried to life him.
They would never see what he’d become.
A strong fighter. A man who defended the weak and the oppressed, who stood in the gap between tyrants and the ones they preyed on.
He wondered if they’d be proud.
He finished a lap and pushed off the wall again, turning clean, letting the water slap his shoulders and drown his unanswered questions, until something hit the surface behind him.
Not a sound…a feeling.
A ripple struck his ribs, the current stirring around him.
Gage stopped mid-stroke, treading water in the deep end. He pulled his earbuds out and let his surroundings speak.
Water lapped against the tiles, air shifted through the ventilation system, and the wall clock ticked away each second like a metronome.
But there, separate from everything else, the water swelled in his lane. Disturbed and cautious.
He waited for the person to speak, to announce themselves like a decent person would, but no one said anything.
“Who’s there?” he called out.
No answer.
He smiled, already assuming. Scar loved testing him, loved seeing what he would do.
“Is that my fiancé?”
Silence again.
Gage chuckled. “You trying to get me back from the haunted house? Save it. You’re not scaring me. I’m fearless.”
Still nothing.
Gage rolled his eyes. “Come here,” he teased. “I’ve always wanted to do sexy stuff in a pool.”
Water shifted closer.
Arms slid around his waist from behind, but the touch didn’t have the perfect balance of strength and care that made him feel loved and possessed at the same time.
He knew it was wrong immediately.
It wasn’t Scar. The man in the pool wasn’t his.
There weren’t enough cords in the forearms or strength in the grip. The hands were too smooth, too eager, not calloused from years of shooting guns.
The scent that’d been masked by chlorine hit him next.
Adrian.
Gage shoved against the bare chest that was too hairy, the contact so unpleasant it made his skin crawl.
“What the heck are you doing, Adrian?” he snapped. “Have you lost your mind?”
Adrian didn’t answer. Instead, he locked his arms around him tighter, yanking Gage back into him.
They dipped under for a moment, water closing over him.
Gage fought free, but Adrian kept grabbing for him, dragging them down a second time.
Panic tried to spark, but he cut it off.