Chapter 32
Well, it’s kind of weird facing Ryker’s team after what we just did and did LOUDLY in his office.
But the only expression they are wearing is concern.
Maybe they’re concerned Ryker mauled me. The color of my skin might be called fuchsia.
I am abraded, my skin bright pink.
The curve of my lips are a little too full. There’s no hairbrushes in the building, I discovered.
So all in all, I look pretty satisfied.
And that’s not even counting the happy tears or the fact that my feet haven’t touched the floor in the last half-hour.
“We’re getting married,” Ryker announces, dragging me into the debriefing the next morning.
“Oh my what are you doing?” I half-wheeze. “That was kind of abrupt, sweetheart.”
He crushes me to his side. “Can’t keep that inside.”
With a shake of my head, I smile. The team erupts into congratulations, whistles, and a few disbelieving laughs.
He guides me to the chair next to the one he usually occupies, kisses the crown of my head as he scoots my chair in. June takes up her spot by my feet, under the table.
They wait for Ryker to get settled, then Thane clears his throat. “Are we ready to talk about this?”
Everyone looks at me.
Ryker squeezes my knee and waits on my verbal response.
“I’m good. Thank you all for jumping in and helping me. Now, do we know how Trevor got here?”
Thane frowns, spreading his fingers on the table. “He escaped during the transfer.”
“What the fuck?” Ranger mutters.
“Right.” Thane replies, clearly unhappy. “He’s been on the run since. No one knew because it was a two man team, and he took them both out. No one reported them missing because they travel all the time for work.”
Ryker’s happy expression is now dark. Thunderstorms and black smoke. The air palpably shifts around him.
“How did he find us?” His hand tightens on my leg and I can see the shadows behind his gaze. The fresh memory of Trevor pointing a gun at me.
“We’re guessing that he either found something when they profiled you before the hunt, or overheard intel he wasn’t supposed to hear during the transfer.”
The guys exchange looks. Guilt and anger flash in their hard gazes.
“Guys. I shouldn’t have gone out by myself.”
Thane says, “You couldn’t know, don’t blame yourself. The up side of this is with your father surely in custody, and all of the men from the hunt now in jail, there’s more room to breathe here in the US while we crack the international piece of this.”
“Except my brother. Anything turn up on Brandt?” Ryker asks, tension tightening in the muscles of his neck.
“Actually we do have fresh intel,” Colt pauses. “But it was a dead end.”
“We keep searching,” Ryker says, that expression not showing a single flicker of emotion. “We need to focus on the digital leads, unraveling the money.”
“Copy,” Thane replies. “We’ve got the access to the best of everything here. Including Agile’s intel department, and training facilities.”
“We still need to stay sharp,” Ranger adds.
“I guess you guys are stuck with me too since Ryker makes me come to work with him every day.”
“Make?” Thane’s brows go up. “I thought you two were inseparable.”
My face chooses this time to flame. “Okay. You’re right. That did make him sound a little bossy.”
“Because I am,” Ryker lifts his gaze to me. “I probably always will be when it comes to your safety. And dog or not, you’re not walking around out back without two armed guards.”
I know it’s a losing argument, so I just wrap my fingers in his and nod.
“You want to increase the night-time security on your house, boss?” Jake asks, breaking his silence. “I’ll take the night shift for the first week.”
Oh my goodness. These men.
“Guys, you’re giving me family vibes,” I sniffle, brushing my tears away with the back of my hand.
“Never had a sister, gotta say, I’m glad it’s you. You’re a badass.” Thane tosses a paperclip at me.
“Ditto.” Colt.
“Double ditto.” Jake.
“I third that.” Ranger counts on his fingers. “Wait, that’s fourth.”
Ryker loops his arm around my neck, pressing his nose to my ear and rasps, “My badass fiancée.”
When he pulls back, he gives Jake a nod. “I’ll take you up on that overwatch.”
“Copy,” Jake replies. “Just don’t forget to close your windows at night. I am not there for the entertainment.”
Oh lord.
They roar in laughter, except Ryker. He’s smiling, but it’s not hitting all the angles of his face.
At the first chance, I tell the guys. “Can we continue this tomorrow. I’m a little beat and want his big guy to take me home.”
Like they’ve been shot out of pistols they’re on their feet and out of the room.
“Oh jeez.” I didn’t mean for them to take off like that.
“Thanks,” Ryker says, a rasp to his voice.
I blow out a breath, still unsteady about the news he just got. “Let’s go home.”
He stands and loops his fingers with mine, whistles for the dog. “June, come.”
Ryker
I buckle Jade into the passenger seat of my truck, get June settled in the back seat, and head out onto the road.
But I don’t go to the house. I’m too jacked, hands still unsteady. Unsaid things burning the back of my throat.
I wanted to wait.
I should wait. But today feels too important. A reminder that life will rear up and crush your plans in the blink of an eye.
Carpe Diem.
The sun is low on the horizon when I stop along the edge of the lake.
Jade’s quiet. Her hand cradled in mine as I reach across the steering wheel and put the truck in park, just so I don’t have to let go of her.
“It’s a beautiful evening,” she finally says.
“Want to walk?”
“Sure.”
I help her out of the truck. June falls into pace with us as we walk. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of Thane in one of the Agile Security trucks.
Colt’s somewhere in another one. I saw him a moment ago while I was driving.
Covering our six. Without me even asking.
We stop at the overlook and take in the reservoir below. Jade brushes her hair back, catching the pieces that the wind has carried across her face.
When I turn her to face me, she smiles. “Sorry, I was so caught up in the view.”
“So was I.”
She’s still smiling when I gather her hands in mine. But soon that’s replaced by confusion when I take a knee.
“Marry me, Jade.”
Her hand goes to her mouth, a tremble in her fingers. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
For a second, I don’t move.
Just stare at her with all the noise from the last ten days crackling in the background. Falling away.
When I drag the ring from my pocket, my hand isn’t quite steady. But the ring slides onto her finger, catching the last rays of sunlight.
“You move fast, honey,” she whispers, her voice uneven as tears drop from her eyelashes.
A rough breath tears out of me, half a laugh, half groan of relief.
“I have to. I’m not standing around pretending I’ve got time to do this slow.”
Her eyes soften with understanding.
“It’s perfect. Everything is right. Even though it’s not always been pretty.”
That’s all it takes.
I pull her into me hard, my arms locking around her waist as I lift her clean off the ground, pressing my mouth to hers before she can say anything else.
She gasps into the kiss, hands fisting in my shirt, and I’m struck by a sharp, driving need to keep her here, keep her with me, keep her safe.
“You don’t get taken from me,” I murmur against her mouth, the words rough, not pretty, but true. “Not ever again.”
“Good,” she whispers, breath warm against my lips.
I kiss her again, slower this time, deeper, letting it settle instead of burn.
For the first time since I saw her in that bakery, bruised, and scared. A dangerous ache inside of me finally, finally eases.