Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
“You keep hold of your temper, and I’ll let you up. If not, I’ll restrain you again.”
He nodded, so Logan released him. He stood slowly, then spun in a circle searching for something. “Where’d Josh go?”
Logan turned to look where the kid had been a moment before. He was gone. Disappeared like a ghost. “I’m assuming he’s your brother, and Skylar—” he jerked his head in the direction she’d gone “—is your sister?”
“Skylar . . . fuck.” The words held so much pain; you could almost taste it on the air.
The kid started to move the direction his sister went, but Logan stopped him with a hand to his arm. “I think she needs time,” he mumbled low. “You wanna tell me what’s going on?”
“Nothing. Just more shit to add to our fucked-up lives,” he growled, jerking his arm from Logan’s grip, then headed for their truck and leaned inside, pulling out two backpacks.
“I never caught your name.”
The kid slammed the door and shouldered the packs. “Jake,” he finally replied after a long moment. “You need to stay away from my sister, Storm. She’s got enough trouble without some stranger just passing through messing with her head.”
Logan grinned slowly. The kid hadn’t missed his reaction to Skylar. “You don’t need to worry about your sister.”
“Keep it that way. The last thing any of us need is another problem.”
With that parting comment, Jake turned and headed down the street. Logan watched him for a block before scanning the road for Josh once more. The kid had vanished like smoke.
He looked in the direction of the bar and took a step toward it, the need to check on Skylar overriding his need for food, but Max barked from inside his truck, reminding him he had other responsibilities, so he walked over and let Max out. The dog started sniffing the street, following the trail of an unknown scent like he had for Logan’s unit, then promptly relieved himself on the tire of an old truck.
Logan stared at the bar, trying to decide how much time to give Skylar. He was about to head that direction, the burning need to check on her outweighing his better judgment, when a young woman with dark curly hair bolted from a car and ran inside the bar. It looked like the cavalry had arrived, so he let it go for now. He would check on her once she’d had time to calm down and rehash what happened with her friend.
“Breakfast,” Logan called out, and Max came to a Heel at his side instantly. He walked the short distance to the Bear Trap Grill and put Max in a Down before he went inside. He obeyed immediately, lowering his body to the ground. Max was used to being left outside while Logan ate. He’d brought the war dog home with him from Afghanistan when he left. Max was one of their four-legged team members who provided sentry when they were in the thick of it. When he’d lost half his unit in a surprise attack, including Max’s handler, Logan had taken control of the war dog until they could both be deployed home. When he discharged from Delta Force six months ago, he’d requested Max be as well. After four years as a sniper in the elite unit, Logan had the respect of most on Capitol Hill, so they’d honored his request.
When he opened the door to the café, everyone turned to look at him with speculation. He was used to being sized up. At six foot four and two hundred and forty pounds, he knew he was intimidating. But today, it wasn’t his size that kept their attention. He knew they were wondering about the altercation outside. Small towns loved gossip, and this one looked to be no different.
A young waitress, who looked to be about Skylar’s age, approached him with a menu in one hand and questions in her eyes. Short and blonde like Skylar, she also had an all-American look about her. But unlike Skylar, this different version of the girl next door didn’t make his blood burn with want. There was no spark like there had been with Skylar. If his brothers were still alive, they wouldn’t have believed him if he called and told them he’d found the motherload of American beauty in a single small town.
“Just you?”
He nodded then followed her to a table for two in the corner of the room. He sat with his back to the wall out of habit. Years of training wouldn’t allow him to leave it vulnerable, even in a civilian establishment. Once seated, she handed him a menu and put rolled up utensils on the table. Then she waited for him to look at the menu with her pencil in hand, an order pad poised at the ready.