Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“Dylan, she hasn’t left Mark’s side. You can take your girl to catch her flight, and I’ll hold things down here. If you see her to her flight safely, your head will be here and not on that phone. Go on,” John says pointedly.
I lick my lips and think about this. I have been more focused on my phone than anything else. I start to feel like shit because my focus should be here with my family and business.
Releasing a long breath, I nod. “All right, I’ll be right back as soon as she’s on her flight. If you need me, call.”
“It will be fine. See you when you get back,” John says and pats me on my back.
I jump up, look down at my watch, and take off. I have enough time to pick Ciara up from our hotel room and get her to the airport for her flight. I’ll be back before anyone notices I’m gone.
Ciara
“Book will be waiting for you at the airport. Taegan upgraded you to first class. You have the keys I gave you?”
“Yes, Dylan. I know how to take a flight and get home,” I giggle.
He’s worse than a parent sending their kid to day care for the first time. You would think I were a child the way he’s been fussing over me. Reaching for the straps on my carry-on, he fixes them for the millionth time as he leans in to kiss my forehead.
“Call me as soon as you land,” he says as he searches my eyes.
I lift onto my toes and cup his face as I peck his lips. Before I can pull away and settle back on my heels, he takes my lips in a scorching-hot kiss. I’m blushing when he releases me.
I bury my face in his chest and inhale him as I give his waist a squeeze. The last couple of days weren’t what I thought they would be. I spent most of my time alone in the hotel while he took care of whatever it was his brother needed him to do.
I may have been here in Cali with him, but it’s been lonely. I don’t think I want to know what life is like without him. I’m not looking forward to getting back to New York and being in that big apartment all by myself.
It will still be two days before Ciarán gets back and there’s still no telling when Dylan will be home. This is going to be so hard. I’ve grown so used to waking with him or going to bed in his arms.
“I should go,” I say and release him.
“I love you, baby. I’ll be home as soon as we wrap things up here.”
“I love you too. See you when you get home.”
I start to back away, but he doesn’t let go. Instead, he holds on until his long fingers can no longer reach my fingertips as I back away. My stomach drops.
No longer able to watch the wide range of emotions running across his face as he balls his fists and works his jaw, I turn and head for my flight. I keep telling myself everything will be okay. However, I have this feeling, like he shouldn’t be here.
CHAPTER 27
Failed Again
Dylan
I stand in the parking lot of the hospital feeling like a small child as my brother intercepts me by my rental car. We’ve been out here for about ten minutes now as he goes in on me for my mistake.
I already feel like shit, but each word he says feels like tiny blades cutting me over and over again. I fucked up. This one is on me. John should have gone home and I should have stayed put.
“I asked ya to do one thing for me. One. Why would ya bring Ciara here knowing ya would be distracted from yer task?” Brooklyn shouts at me.
I can’t call him Cole right now. He’s so angry with me, I don’t know if he sees me as his brother. Bailey is missing.
If I were here, this wouldn’t have happened. I think I understand the hurt and anger in his eyes. This isn’t about Bailey.
This is about Raven and Shauna. He’s seeing Raven dying in his arms again. I think that knowledge sours my stomach even more.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to leave her alone back in New York. I thought it best if she were with me. At least until Vega and the others were back,” I try.
“Bullshit. That’s total bullshit and ya fucking know it. Taegan, Book, Aidan … fuck, any one of our guys back home could have stepped in. Yer not a kid anymore, Dyl. Ya have real responsibilities. Ya can’t drop the ball like this.”
He gets right up in my face as his nostrils flare. Right now, it doesn’t seem like he has to look up at me or that I’m looking down at him; his anger is so palpable and overshadows everything around him.