Page 37 of Reckless: Collision

Picking at a thread on the broken-in couch, I talk just to fill the silence. “I know what I would tell my friends.”

Finn looks over, those deep blue eyes focusing on me with an intensity that makes me want to check my coding for errors. “What would you tell them?”

A humorless laugh spills from my lips. “I’d tell them it was for their own damn good. That sometimes you have to put your ego aside and let the world continue running even if you’re stuck in sleep mode.”

“Is it so bad?” He dusts off his hands and rises to sit beside me on the couch. The cushion dips with his weight, and I fight the urge to lean into his warmth.

“Yes,” I snap because sitting still has never been my strong suit.

“Tell me what’s on the drive.”

I cock my head, really looking at him. They don’t know. Malachi never told them why they’re supposed to protect me. He just gave them an assignment, and they took it with blind trust.

I’ve never trusted anyone blindly. Not even my best friends. Aria, Willow, and Ginger—I’d die for them, but if our roles were reversed, I wouldn’t have left that boardroom without knowing exactly why I was risking my pack.

Well shit. That puts things in perspective.

I study Finn while I weigh my options. The glasses, the freckles, that mess of curls he clearly doesn’t know how to handle. He’s gorgeous in his own right. Not trying to be an alpha or an omega. Just perfectly, authentically Finn.

“I’ll tell you...”

“But?” He pushes his glasses up, already sensing the catch.

“No more basement prison.” I hold up a finger before he can argue. “Non-negotiable.”

“I need to clear it with Ryker.”

“Then let’s do it.” I’m on my feet before he can protest. I know he’d rather stay in his cozy hobbit hole, but I’ve never been good at waiting. Or sitting still. Or doing anything that doesn’t involve immediate action.

The universe must be feeling generous because when I wrench open the door, Ryker’s standing there with his fist raised to knock.

“Of course.” His jaw ticks as he glares down at me. “I should have known.”

“Ryker.” Finn’s voice is quiet but steady from the couch.

“She ran.” Ryker’s gaze cuts through me like he’s cataloging all my weak points.

“And now we’re negotiating,” I shoot back. “Get in here before you let all the warm air out. Unless you want your beta to freeze.”

That gets him moving, though his glare could probably melt steel. “What kind of negotiation?”

“What do you want?” The words rumble from Ryker’s chest, and I resist the urge to poke the angry alpha bear.

Mostly.

“No more basement lockdown.” I cross my arms, meeting his glare head-on. “And in exchange, I’ll tell you what’s so damn important on this drive that Sterling Labs tried to kill me for it.”

His eye twitches.

“Aw, big guy, it’s alright if Malachi didn’t give you all the details.” I can’t help the smirk. “I’m sure he had his reasons for keeping his favorite attack dogs in the dark.”

“Cayenne.” Finn’s warning comes a second too late.

“I can still gag you.” Ryker takes a step forward, all coiled alpha energy and barely contained violence.

“Kinky.” I wink, because apparently, I have a death wish. “But maybe save that for Jinx. He seems more into it.”

Finn mutters something that sounds like a prayer in what might be Gaelic.

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