Page 57 of Three of a Kind

“So, you kill people.”

“Sometimes,” I hedge. “But anyone with a military background has been in the same boat. The guys we take out aren’t good people.” I sigh, wondering if I should have kept my mouth shut. “Maybe if I tell you about my last job, it’ll help you feel better. A woman was kidnapped trying to get into her apartment after a night at work. They took her because they thought she was her sister, but that’s not the point. The point is, she was completely innocent. She didn’t even know why she’d been taken. The Andrettis were a mob family out of Boston, and they were responsible for her kidnapping. They held her for days, interrogated her, and we went in to get her back.”

Her hold tightens on my shoulders, and it actually helps me feel better. She’s not pushing me away or telling me to get the hell out of her apartment. “Was she okay?”

I nod. “Yeah, she ended up falling in love with my boss. They bonded within like a week of knowing each other…” I laugh. “Which, if you knew Ranger, you’d fully understand how fucking wild that is.”

“You’re a mercenary?”

“Yeah,” I admit, grimacing. “Kinda. I mean, not all of our jobs are straight-up kill contracts, but some are. We took out that mafia family in Boston and wiped the majority of their men off the map in one night, but they deserved what they got. Anyone who is willing to traffic human beings is someone the world can live without.”

She nods. “I agree. If you’re here now…” She exhales heavily, and her entire body trembles. “Does that mean Avan and his family do the same thing?”

Nova barrels into the room, jumping onto the couch and trying to nose her face between me and Brooklyn.

It mostly fails because of how Brooklyn has her arms wrapped under mine, so Nova lies her head on the omega’s shoulder.

“Nova was bred for companionship,” I say to distract from her question. “She also has boundary issues.”

Basically, she’s a codependent mess.

And heavy as hell when she lies right on top of you. Giving her a gentle shove, I try to nudge her off Brooklyn.

“That’s okay.” Brooklyn laughs, pulls her arm from under mine, and moves to scratch Nova’s head. “She works with you?”

“Yeah,” I agree. “She and Haze—that’s Gunner’s dog—are part of our team. They do search and rescue and, occasionally, subdue targets.”

“Wow, do you earn a paycheck too?” She laughs. “Or do they pay you in treats?”

Nova tilts her head.

The chubby ass.

She knows exactly what that word means.

Someone bangs on the front door, and my stomach drops.

Dammit.

I was just helping Brooklyn calm down.

Not to mention, I’m really fucking fond of having her body this close to mine.

Brooklyn moves to climb off me, but I lift her and set her on the cushion next to mine.

“Let me get it, just to be safe.” I nuzzle my cheek against hers and move to stand up.

Chapter Seventeen

Gunner

“Where is she?” I growl, shoving my way inside as soon as Maverick opens the door.

“She’s on the couch. Dial it back a few notches,” Maverick huffs, grabbing my arm. My helmet almost goes flying, but I catch it with my free hand. “She’s stressed to the fucking max. Do not add to that right now. She can’t handle it.”

My instincts are fully feral, making it nearly impossible not to take a swing at my best friend.

Maverick leans in, getting very close to my ear. “She’s seven months pregnant and hiding it from literally everyone. Do not stress her out needlessly. Calm the fuck down before you make it into the living room.”

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