Page 52 of Holiday Hostage
The bastard. I should have kept after him, made sure to kill him this time. He deserved it.
My hands tightened on the wheel, but one look at Payton and I eased my grip.
She’d been so worried about me and Maverick catching up.
I wasn’t used to that from anyone except the two men I’d fought alongside for years.
Women came and went in our lives.
Sometimes we’d shared as we were on mission, but overall, no one ever created that lingering feeling of hope that threatened to spiral out of control.
Maverick worked his hands into Payton’s hair, and I gritted my teeth to keep from jumping up from the seat and joining them.
I cleared my throat and elbowed Tarron with my good arm. “You should tell the lovebirds we’ll be pulling in at the dock soon enough.”
Tarron glanced their way, and I swore his entire being transformed from soldier to lover in an instant.
My desire for Payton overruled the pain in my shoulder. From the look on Tarron’s face, he had a similar feeling.
Tarron blinked and took a step away from me, heading toward Payton and Maverick.
The tiny boat didn’t offer any kind of privacy, but it was sturdy enough to carry us to our destination.
I’d have preferred something heavier, with a cabin where Payton would be out of the elements.
We didn’t always get what we wanted. I’d recognized and accepted that fact a long time ago.
My shoulder ached when I turned the wheel, and I dropped my hand to my lap.
The meds Tarron gave me wore off hours ago, but I’d be damned if I asked for more. Mercenaries on our tails meant staying alert at all times.
Except…
I grinned at the thought of Payton with the three of us. We had time for a bit of fun before we scrambled for our next location.
The storm bearing down on us pitched the nose of the boat into the air.
We came crashing down with a wallop that rocked the entire frame.
Payton released a soft scream and clung to Maverick.
I angled the boat so we crested the waves at an angle, slowly chugging our way toward the dock I’d not set foot on in decades.
Exhaustion threatened, but I pushed it aside.
A little TLC with Payton was what I needed.
What we all needed.
I killed the engine and let the waves carry us forward.
“Tarron, do you see the dock?” I pointed at the dark stretch of wood jutting into the water.
I might not have been here in ages, but Dad would’ve kept the thing maintained and ready for company.
Same for the house.
I lifted my head to stare up the long, winding stack of steps.
