Page 57 of Fastlander Fighter

He loved Captain.

She wiped another tear from her cheek and slid her hand around Captain’s bicep. When he turned those empty eyes on her, she uttered something she had sworn to herself to never say to another man.

“I love you.” She swallowed hard, released his arm, strode around the counter, and didn’t look back. She couldn’t stand the empty look he gave her as she had uttered those words.

She’d meant it.

She loved him very much, but what did any of her feelings matter?

Gunner had ruined everything.

Chapter Eighteen

This made no sense.

There was a big hole inside of Sloane now, but she and Captain hadn’t been dating that long. Sure, she’d known him for a long time, and sure, she’d been through this familiar heartache with him before, but she wasn’t supposed to get this attached to a man this fast.

For a minute there, she’d thought the saying “everything happens for a reason” was starting to apply to her life in a good way, and now? It felt like “everything bad happens for a reason” applied more.

She sighed and glared at the printouts she’d been compiling. She had been doing research for days, every waking hour she wasn’t at work or with Ruger. She’d stayed up late into the night going down the rabbit hole of online research of everything she could find about Damon’s Mountains, and about Alpha orders, trying to figure out a way to undo one.

She wasn’t ready to quit on Captain.

She’d had to quit on Ryan because he wasn’t in it and had chosen another, but that wasn’t what had happened with Captain. He just didn’t freaking remember their connection, but here was the thing—Sloane had slept with him, and she’d tried to be a cool girl about it and not make a big deal, but to her? It was a huge deal. She had been in a relationship for so long, and she’d felt so awful about herself at the end of that. Captain had taught her how to trust again, and taken care of her, and made her feel okay with vulnerability. And now he could pretend she didn’t exist?

It wasn’t okay. She was feeling that familiar sensation of rejection, and she hadn’t done anything wrong.

If Captain wanted to end things, Gunner should’ve let him do it of his own free will. That she could accept, but Gunner cutting her from Captain’s mind?

Another wave of anger roiled through her.

She’d just dropped Ruger off with Ryan, and he’d done his thing, trying to get into her head, trying to seduce her thoughts back to him, but she could only see Captain.

Problem was, Captain couldn’t see her.

Ruger says Captain wasn’t around this week. Did you break up with him? I’m glad. Want to meet up for dinner? Just the three of us?

Sloane narrowed her eyes at the text from Ryan lighting up her phone. She picked up her phone. Stop grilling Ruger about my romantic life. Her finger hovered over the send button, but she changed her mind. Ryan wanted a reaction from her. He would covet every kernel of information she gave him, so she deleted the text and typed, You couldn’t pay me enough to go out with you. Married men stepping outside of their marriage is disgusting. Blocking you today. I WILL train you on how you are allowed to talk to me from here on out. Send.

And then she blocked him.

Feeling smug, she nearly lost it when her phone immediately lit up with another text. Freaking Ryan. Did he have a burner phone or something?

But the text was from someone else. Her heart leapt into her throat, and she sat up straighter in her office chair. Captain had texted, I have your address memorized. Why?

She gasped and tried to connect a call, but he didn’t pick up.

No, he texted simply. Just messages. One of my Crewmates just asked for your information, and I knew it by heart. Why?

Which Crewmate? Send.

Silver. Explain.

Her eyes flew wide and she leaned forward in her chair as she texted as fast as her fingers would type. I like Silver. I know her and Hallie and Corey. We hung out last week. You know my address because we were friends. More than friends. She waited a two-count, then jammed her finger onto the send button before she could change her mind.

The three dots indicating that he was typing showed up, then stopped and disappeared. Showed up, disappeared.

She set the phone down face-up and stood. She paced her bedroom, chewing on the corner of her thumbnail. Come on, Captain. Fight the order.

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