Page 69 of Unraveled Love

An arctic blast of ice in my veins threatened to freeze me to death. “So he killed him.”

Shawn’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing. I figured that meant I was right. At least, he was following my logic. Was that why my dad had gone missing? They’d assumed Daniel had him, and even if he had taken him, was that why?

“God. This keeps getting worse.”

“But now we know about it, know how they found us at my place, so we can finally do something about it. But first…” He reached into the back seat of the Jeep and grabbed his own gun case even though I knew he already had one at his hip. “Just in case, and even though I trust the four men in there with not only my life, but yours, I want you armed at all times while you’re here, okay? I’ll figure out a way to get you a holster tomorrow, but for tonight, that thing is within reaching distance of you at all times.”

Nerves fluttered and then took root like a tornado. “Shawn…”

“I know it still makes you nervous, but the more you simply handle it, the more comfortable you’ll become with it. It’s for your safety, Addi.”

His intensity was barely brighter than his fear for me. I couldn’t argue now, not that it’d do any good anyway. Hell, it probably wasn’t even smart. He was right. Logic told me that.

“Okay, honey. I’ll take it.”

“Thank you,” he said on a rushed exhale. “Thank you.” His relief was palpable, and I hated myself for even bothering to debate this.

“What was on your phone?”

“A dozen messages from Charlie and Briggs and Jaxon. Whatever it is, something’s happened. It’s just…making me nervous. But we’ll get inside, figure it out, and everything will be fine, okay?”

He spoke like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was me. Not exactly comforting, but still, I nodded. “Everything will be all right.”

“That’s my girl.” He clamped his hand around the back of my head and yanked me forward. He kissed my forehead, his lips a searing heat against my flesh that made me shiver.

It took me twice as long to load the magazine as it did Shawn, and I felt more than saw his impatience building with every fumbled try. Major points to him that he didn’t rip it out of my hands like I knew he was dying to. He let me do it myself, even if it killed him.

Once I slapped the magazine into the grip handle, I turned to him. “I love you.”

A muscle in his cheek twitched and he leaned in, slamming his mouth to mine in a heavy kiss that took me by surprise, stole my breath, and was gone before I registered it happening. “Now who knows the right thing to say?”

I laughed and brushed my lips over his, and he kissed me again, slower, like he needed to savor the taste of me.

“I love you too. Let’s go inside, but stay behind me, okay?”

“Of course.”

He left the Jeep in the driveway, not taking the time to let the garage door open or pull in. I didn’t get out until he came and got me, and once we were out, I stayed close behind him as he held the gun in his hand, steady and ready for anything. “Keep the gun pointed down. Remember the first rule I taught you.”

“Only aim a gun at something you mean to shoot and kill.” I’d just been hoping I’d never have toactuallyuse it.

“Exactly. Keep it at your side at all times and keep your finger off the trigger.”

I’d already heard it a thousand times at the range. He beat safety into me as much as he cheered me on when I hit a target. I didn’t tell him I didn’t need the reminder. He needed to know he was taking care of me.

As soon as we stepped onto the deck, Mason and Cort came into view, both of them standing with their arms crossed, glaring at each other. At the sound of our steps on the deck—the wood harsh against my bare, cold feet that I’d totally forgotten about—both of their heads whipped in our direction.

“We got problems,” Mason stated as he stepped back to open the sliding doors.

“More than Addi’s tracker?”

“A fuck ton of more. You get a call from Jaxon?”

“Cell service just kicked on when we got close to the house, I haven’t had a chance to check yet.” Shawn spoke as he pressed his hand to my lower back and ushered us inside. As soon as we were there, I set the gun I was carrying down at the kitchen table.

“I know this is serious,” I said, turning to all of them, “but I really need to clean the mud off my feet. Can we wait two minutes while I do that?”

Cort opened his mouth, already shaking his head, but Shawn silenced him with a glare. “Of course. Go.”

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