Page 101 of The Scout

This time, Ryker’s response was immediate. Unshaken. Deadly serious.

"I’d let you."

A muscle in Will’s jaw jumped. His hands curled into fists at his sides. He shook his head once, exhaling another curse, before muttering?—

"Christ. You were supposed to be the safe one."

And then?—

Something shifted.

It wasn’t acceptance, not yet. Not entirely. But it was something.

Will sighed, shaking his head, rubbing the back of his neck like he had no idea how the hell this had happened.Like he was reluctantly coming to terms with something he didn’t want to.

"Guess I should’ve known." He let out a humorless laugh, rolling his shoulders. "You never did take your eyes off her."

Ryker didn’t deny it.

Will’s gaze flicked to me, something softer creeping in at the edges. "You sure about this?"

I nodded. "I’ve never been more sure about anything."

Another slow exhale. Then?—

"Then I guess that makes you family, Dane.”

His voice was begrudging, like the words physically pained him, but they were there.

Real.

Final.

Something in Ryker’s expression shifted—something quiet, something rare. He didn’t say anything, but his grip on me tightened, his thumb brushing over my skin in a way that felt like a vow.

Across the porch, Pia and Marcus were thick in their own world. She was wearing a fitted sundress, all long tan legs and golden skin, her blonde hair tousled from the sea breeze. Marcus, in a linen button-down and rolled-up sleeves, was leaning against the railing beside her, his easy smirk tugging at his lips as she teased him about something.

She nudged his arm, laughing. “So, do you ever turn off the whole scary military thing?”

Marcus arched a brow. “Do you ever turn off being sexy as hell?”

She rolled her eyes, but I didn’t miss the way her lips parted slightly, the way her fingers toyed with the condensation on her glass.

Sasha, on the other hand, was having no trouble making her interest known. She sipped her drink, giving the guys a slow, appraising look. “So which one of you is single?”

Charlie shot her a grin. “Depends. You looking for a fun night or a bad decision?”

Sasha grinned back. “Can’t it be both?”

The group laughed, but there was a heat in Sasha’s gaze, a spark of something dangerous that told me she wasn’t just here to joke around.

I shook my head, smiling as I turned back toward the horizon. The sun was nearly gone now, the sky slipping into twilight, the stars winking to life one by one.

Strong, familiar arms wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me back against a solid chest. Ryker’s scent wrapped around me, grounding me.

I tilted my head, smiling. “You keep sneaking up on me.”

He hummed, pressing his lips to my temple. “I like the way you feel when I catch you. Come with me.”

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