Page 22 of Protecting Salvation

Chapter6

He placedhis cap on his head, the bill facing backwards as he paced Peyton’s immaculate back lawn trying to get his dick to stand down. He’d known it was a risk when he sat with her on his lap but when she’d fainted, he thought he’d puke with fear. She’d looked so damn pale and lifeless and that split second was all it took for him to fully understand how much she meant to him.

He hadn’t meant for it to go like that, but even if he’d had a gun to his head, he wasn’t sure he could have let her go in that moment. Then her soft, luscious ass had pressed against his cock and he’d been a goner. Having the woman he wanted so badly in his arms was like throwing petrol on an open flame. His body had just lit up and even the heavy conversation about his pathetic health issues hadn’t managed to defuse the situation.

Finally, his dick begin to allow blood back into his brain. He glanced at the window to see her on the phone, most likely with Aoife.

Pulling out his own phone he hit dial and hoped Titan or Lotus had something for him. “Hey, Titan, any news?”

“Not a lot. We took some samples and dusted for prints and DNA. Found a few things that smell like chemicals but could be nothing. Lotus is running it over to Jack to see if Eidolon can get it tested under the radar.”

“Could be cleaning fluids.”

“True, so we should wait and see. Have you spoken to her about anyone that might be capable of this other than the boys in blue who are meant to be on our side?”

Hurricane knew Titan’s distrust of the police ran deep and he understood it. “Nah, not yet. We got side tracked. I told her about my diagnosis and she fainted.”

Titan whistled through his teeth and it said more than words ever could.

“I know, right?”

“I didn’t know you guys were that close.”

“It’s complicated.”

Titan’s laugh was low. “Isn’t it always with a woman like that?”

Hurricane stood up straighter. “What the fuck does that mean?”

Titan laughed harder and Hurricane wanted to reach through the phone and throat-punch him.

“Settle down, big guy. I just meant classy, brilliant women with looks and brains are always a complication. I meant no insult. I personally think you should lock that shit down before she figures out what an asshole you are when you’re hungry.”

“You’re a pain in my ass.”

“You wouldn’t have me any other way, brother.”

Titan hung up and Hurricane looked at his phone with a small smile and shake of his head. The truth was, he wouldn’t change any of his teammates. They were family and he’d die for them. Peyton, though, brought out a whole different emotion. He wasn’t sure whether to wrap her up tight and never let go or run as fast as he could.

Ultimately he knew the answer, she was in danger which meant he wasn’t moving a fucking muscle more than five feet from her until she was safe, whether she liked it or not. Heading back in he felt more in control, marginally anyway. That was until she looked up with those gorgeous pale grey eyes and smiled at him.

Fuck. He was toast.

“Hey, Aoife’s coming over with Bein and Val and Bás might come too. Bein is picking up burgers so I thought you wouldn’t mind waiting instead of me making you a meat-free sandwich.”

He tried to act like he was unaffected, like in the last six hours everything hadn’t shifted for him. “Yeah, that works for me.”

“I’m gonna make some tea though if you want some?”

He nodded, waiting for her to start looking at him like he might collapse at any second and when she didn’t, he let the air out of his lungs. It was his biggest fear, people looking at him like he was sick. He felt pretty good for the most part. A few killer headaches and some light headedness. Oh, and the blurry vision which had essentially achieved what the RAF kicking him out didn’t, and that was to take his wings. He let that thought slide because if he allowed himself to dwell on it, the grief would drown him.

Bertie walked over to him and he bent to give the little guy some fuss. “Hey, buddy.”

Peyton glanced over with a soft smile as he petted the pooch, scratching behind his ears. “Don’t let that cute face fool you. The little shit dug two holes in my lawn this week.”

Hurricane glanced up and grinned, loving this easy back-and-forth they had. “How old is he?”

“Bertie is three the day after my birthday.”