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)
Gabriel frowned at me from the bed, his hands tucked under the pillows beneath his head. “We’re doing what?” he muttered.
I used the pen I’d slipped out of the waitress’s pocket at the diner to mark a blue trail that I planned to follow come tomorrow. We were close to a friend of mine I hadn’t seen since I’d been discharged from the military, but he wrote to me once a year, usually around Christmas time just so we could check in with each other. I was hoping he wouldn’t mind me barging into his place—especially since I knew he preferred his seclusion. He preferred being alone since he’d gotten out not long after I did. But I didn’t have another plan at the moment. I was low on cash, and I couldn’t reach out to any of the club members or Alejandro.
Despite Alejandro finding a secluded cabin far north, not far from the Canadian line, they’d managed to find Gabriel anyway.
It was time to do things my fucking way now.
“We’re walking to an old friend of mine’s place,” I told Gabriel again as I stared down at the map, my head beginning to pound from tiredness and stress. “It’ll be a long walk, but right before daylight, we’ll head up to the truck stop down the street and get some water and protein bars.”
Gabriel sighed tiredly. “Okay.”
I stood from the table and walked over to the bed. Leaning over it, I cupped his cheek, stroking my thumb over his soft skin. “I’m going to keep you safe,” I promised.
A small smile tilted his lips. “I know you are, Tango.”
I pressed my lips to his in a small, soft kiss. “Get some rest, baby.”
He arched a brow at me. “What about you?”
I sighed, glancing toward the door. “I need to keep watch.” His brow furrowed in concern. I stroked my fingers down his cheek. “Don’t worry about me, you hear? I’m used to this. I’ll rest once we finally get somewhere we can lay low for a while.”
Whenever the fuck that would be.
He nodded, giving in, knowing better than to argue with me when it came to his safety. “Okay.” Turning his head, he pressed a kiss to my palm, making tingles rush through my veins. “I love you.”
I stroked my thumb over his bottom lip. “I love you, too, boy.”
18
Tango
We only had two hours before the sun began to set, and I was hoping like fuck we would make it to Ricardo’s before darkness settled over us. We were in the middle of nowhere, trekking through the woods while following the road. Snow was beginning to fall, and my breath was visible in the air in front of me with every labored breath I took.
Gabriel had long ago gotten tired, his legs sore and wobbly, so he was on my back, clinging to me, his gloved fingers curled into my jacket to hang on so he wouldn’t accidentally choke me. He’d offered to try walking again numerous times, but I knew he wouldn’t be able to do it. He needed rest. And despite how tired I was getting as well, I would still do everything I could to take care of him.
I glanced down at the map in my hands again. We couldn’t be far. The turn-off for his place should be around here somewhere. And knowing Ricardo, it was going to be a hidden drive. It was just how he operated.
“Are we there yet?” Gabriel mumbled, his warm breath fanning the skin of my neck. A shiver raced down my spine at the stark contrast of his warm breath and the fucking freezing air.
“I think so,” I told him, hoping I wasn’t wrong. My legs were sore as fuck and so was my back. I was going to be feeling this for days. I wasn’t young anymore, and my body was no longer used to this kind of shit after being out of the military for so long.
A mailbox caught my eye, and I made my way to it, barely making out the numbers written on the side: one-four-seven-zero. Fuck, yes. I turned and made my way up the drive, heading up the mountains. My muscles screamed in protest, but I pushed onward. I didn’t have the option to rest. My boy was out in the open. He was an easy target right now, even if I was headed away from the asphalt behind us.
Almost a whole goddamn thirty minutes later, we were met with a steel gate and a fence with live wire at the top. I crouched and gently set Gabriel on the ground. He looked up at me as I pressed the button on the fence post, which no doubt let Ricardo know he had visitors.
Doubted it got used very often though, which meant he might come out armed.