Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
“Need—” I gasped out, my head swimming. Needed his arms. Needed to touch him. But I couldn’t get my lips to work long enough to form the words.
But I should’ve known he would already be one step ahead of me. Already know what I needed.
Tango undid my wrists, and then his arms wrapped around me, squeezing me to him. He was always so prepared to take care of me, reading me so damn easily. Tears streaked down my cheeks as I clung to him, my thighs still wrapped around his hips.
“You’re okay, baby,” he soothed, pressing kisses to my cheeks, my lips, my eyebrows, and my forehead. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
“Too intense,” I croaked. But it’d felt so good. I wanted more of it even though my body was overwhelmed, my mind in overdrive.
Tango hummed. “Your body will get used to it,” he promised. “You just slipped into subspace.” He leaned up on one elbow and cupped my cheek in his hand, brushing a tear away with his thumb. “Want to soak in a hot bath with me? Then, we can have some coffee and make a late breakfast together.” He brushed the tip of his nose with mine, loosening the tightness in my chest. I smiled, even though it trembled. “How do pancakes sound?”
“With chocolate milk?” I croaked.
Tango smiled and nodded. “With all the chocolate milk you want, baby.”
I nodded and then tugged him back down to me so his body pressed mine into the mattress. Closing my eyes, I quietly asked, “Can I just have this a little longer?”
He softly kissed me, carefully settling his weight on top of mine, giving me what I’d silently demanded—his weight pushing me into the mattress, smothering me. “You can have this as long as you want, sweet boy.”
17
Tango
Gabriel grunted, his chest heaving. Sweat glistened on his skin despite the frigid temperatures outside. After finally dragging ourselves out of bed, showering, and eating a very late breakfast, he’d asked me if we could come outside and work out. Which also meant he was getting some self-defense training.
“Break,” he wheezed, holding his hand up to stop me from coming at him again.
I grabbed his water off the porch and cracked open the lid before holding it out to him. He took it from me and began swallowing down some of the cold liquid, grimacing as it slid down his throat, no doubt the cold water a bit painful.
Gabriel hated cold water with a passion, but when the temperatures were cold enough for the snow to remain on the ground, cold water was, unfortunately, inevitable.
He handed the water back to me. I recapped it and set it back on the porch. “Okay, I’m—”
The steady crunch of gravel reached my ears, and I held up my hand, silencing him. His jaw audibly snapped shut, the skin around his eyes pinching with fear and worry.
The sound of gravel rolling under tires was still far off, but it was too close for comfort—especially on a road that was as deserted as this one. In fact, this was the only house on this road. It was secluded. We were supposed to be alone and unbothered.
I gritted my teeth, snarling a curse.
“We’ve been found,” I ground out through my clenched teeth. It had only been a few days—not enough for my club to get through the Russians and get to Gabriel’s father. Which meant whoever was coming up here was nothing but trouble.
I didn’t plan to be here when they finally made it up the mountain. Thankfully, we had the snow on our side. It made it harder for whoever was coming to get to us. We had time to get the fuck away and hide.
“Tango—” Gabriel choked out, his face too pale. He looked like he was going to collapse at any fucking moment, but that wasn’t happening. Not on my goddamn watch.
I grabbed his hand in mine, squeezing it tightly to ground him. “Stick with me, you hear me? Just focus on me and what I tell you to do, and everything will be fine. I promise. I’ll keep you safe.”
There was no time for me to go inside and grab our things. Instead, I headed straight for the woods, Gabriel falling into step behind me. His breaths were choppy and labored, but he wasn’t panicking—thank fuck. I would hold him through any panic attack, but it could get us killed. I needed him to be able to move.
If he could just focus on me, the orders I gave, and where I was taking him, we would both make it out of this alive and unscathed.
I didn’t stop moving until the cabin was barely visible through the thick trees, brush, and snow. Tugging Gabriel closer, I pressed his body against my back, and I relaxed only a fraction when his fingers twisted into my jacket right above where my gun pressed against my lower back. He didn’t say a word, but I could hear him quietly breathing behind me. And now that he was against me, his front pressed to my back, he seemed to be calming down, his breaths regulating.