Page 77 of Escape You

Tom jerked to his feet to help Leo up. When I stood, my heart skipped a bit. Tyler had that effect on me. From the moment we met, my body reacted to him. He leaned against one of the tables and waited until both Leo and Tom were gone to stalk toward me. He wore jeans and a leather jacket, which meant he rode his Harley here. That was a good look on him.

“You saw?”

“I did.” He closed the space between us and kissed me. The heat from his lips seared through me in an instant. We’d been apart for too long. Yeah, a whole day was too long. “Jesus, I missed you. I missed your body.” Gripping my hair at the nape of my neck, he tugged gently to suck on the soft spot below my ear. That first night he’d done the same, leaving a mark, branding me as his. He pulled away, and that gave my brain the chance to start thinking again.

“Why are you here?”

“We never did have that long conversation. Remember? I’m sorry I didn’t come to you last night. I had to make sure Matt and Wesley got home all right.” He held me close, pressing my cheek to his chest.

“Did everyone make it to DC?”

“They did. The contact met up with Matt. She had a place for everyone to stay until they figured out what to do.” He cocked his head to look me in the eyes. “Thanks to you those people are safe.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you.” I smiled at him. Even if it was the worst idea at the time, thanks to Tyler and his brothers, Rogue River was free of Rossi for good. And we owed the FBI no favors.

“Are you saying we make a good team?”

“Something like that.” I cradled his beautiful face. The question swirled in my head in bright red. “When do you leave?”

His laugh sent an adrenaline shock to my core. I squeezed my legs together to chase my desire away. The blue in his eyes intensified as he considered his next words. “I’m not leaving, Mia.”

“I thought you were done chasing criminals in Jersey.”

“I’ll never be done chasing you. I’m going back to Rossi’s crew. I have to finish what I started.”

“Fuck, Tyler. You’re going back to the lion’s den? They’ll kill you if they find out you’re not one of them. How do you even think this could work?” My voice quavered. I wanted Tyler to stay, but I’d rather be away from him than watch him walk into this suicide mission. “You can’t do that.”

“Don’t you see? If I walk away, someone else will replace Jac to finish what he started with Smith and your crew. And then all this fighting would’ve been for nothing. Yeah, I’m going back to the lion’s den, but this time, I’m the lion.”

“It’s too dangerous.” I took out my phone and called Tom. “Put Leo on.” He did as I asked. “Who was there the day you told Rossi who Tyler was?”

He panted in my ear for a few breaths. “Alex and four other bodyguards. I don’t know their names, but I can point them out to you.”

“How did Rossi take it?”

“What?”

“Did he seem in a hurry to let everyone know?”

“No, he asked all of us not to say anything until he was ready.”

“Okay.” I hung up the phone and met Tyler’s smiling face. This was the right play. No matter how much I hated it. “Five of his people know the truth.”

“Three died last night. The other two disappeared this morning. Courtesy of Clifton and his carte blanche. I can go back tomorrow if I want.”

“I don’t like it.”

“With me as the New York faction boss, you and your crew will be safe. This is the only way I can protect you.” He brushed the back of his hand over my cheek. The love in his eyes tugged at something in my chest. “You’ll also be my wife again. You’ll be untouchable. Clifton knows you’re off limits. If he wants my cooperation, that’s the price.” He chuckled. “Mavell turned several shades of purple when Clifton agreed to my terms. The biggest arms dealer in the area slipped right through his fingers.”

“It’d be nice if they lost my file too.” I gave him a one-shoulder shrug.

He wrapped his arms around me. “We never got to finish our honeymoon.”

“You’re using the husband card to get in my pants?”

“I don’t need that to make you want me.” He touched his nose to mine, his lips hovering over mine.

I melted all over again, aching to taste him. I shuffled my feet backward, shoving my arm between us. “I can’t think when you do that.”

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