Page 57 of Code Name: Admiral

When she started to protest but yawned instead, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Just a short break. The investigation will keep.”

“But—”

I silenced her with a kiss. “Let me take care of you.”

The heat of desire flickered in her eyes.

She yelped then giggled when I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. Once we both lay down, she curled into me like she belonged there. Maybe she did.

“Thank you,” she murmured against my chest.

“You’re welcome.” When I pulled her closer, I could feel her hardened nipples pressed against my chest. “I think I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

She smiled, and her cheeks flushed. “Not for that. Or this. Gah, what I mean is, I’m thanking you for something else.”

“What?”

“For not thinking I’m crazy. The hacking, the crystals, all of it.”

I turned to face her. “Nothing about you is crazy, Alice. As I said before, you’re extraordinary.”

Her eyes bored into mine. “You’ve been nothing but accepting of me when most people wouldn’t have been.”

“I’m not most people.”

“No,” she said softly. “You’re not.”

The kiss that followed was different from our others—deeper, more certain. When we broke apart, she settled back against my chest with a sigh, followed by another yawn.

I lay awake long after her breathing evened out, my mind cycling through tactical assessments and emotional revelations—the corruption in the bureau I’d dedicated my life to. Thecousin I’d failed to save. The woman in my arms, who somehow made sense of a world gone mad.Grit.

From where I rested on the bed, I could see the lake reflecting the setting sun like scattered diamonds. Somewhere out there, the K19 teams moved through their patrol routes, silent shadows keeping us safe. In the distance, I heard the lonely cry of a loon—a sound that had always meant home to me.

I’d never believed in things like destiny or fate. My military training had taught me to trust in preparation, tactical advantages, and hard evidence. But holding Alice, knowing the impossible series of events that had brought us together, I had to wonder.

Maybe some connections transcended logic.

Maybe some people were meant to find each other.

Maybe her crystals and sage had as much power as my tactical plans.

The last thought I had before I drifted to sleep was that I’d do whatever it took to keep her safe. To help her find justice for Sarah. To be worthy of the trust she’d placed in me.

My phone vibratingwith a message from Diesel woke me up.

Bryar is offering to bring dinner over again,it read.

That would be great,I responded without waking Alice to ask. While the nap I’d inadvertently taken was short but refreshing, the dark circles I’d noticed under her eyes earlier told me she needed a lot more rest than she was allowing herself.

Whether it was status quo for her or not, I’d meant it when I asked her to let me take care of her. While I intended to do just that, it didn’t mean I had any desire to change her or break her spirit. Little breaks like the one we’d taken were as hard as I’d push, and only when I sensed she really needed one.

“Hey,” she said. “Sorry, I fell asleep.”

I turned to face her. “Don’t be sorry. I did too. Diesel sent a message saying Bryar offered to bring dinner again.”

She smiled. “I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear.”

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