Page 70 of Last One Standing
I drew circles on his skin with my finger. “And you developed feelings for him.”
“Yeah, I got to know him. He was discovering things about himself, learning who he was, and he was amazing.”
I lifted my chin and rested it on his stomach. “You told him?”
“I did, and he said if he were gay, maybe I’d be it for him. But he wasn’t, and honestly, now I get it.”
“Get what?”
He looked up at the ceiling for a beat before his eyes were back on me again. “He wasn’t in any place for a relationship, and he may never be after what he’s been through. I wasn’t the end of his story—just part of it. We were able to find family of his, and he was eager to get to know them. He left, and that was it.”
“Is that it, though?”
He brushed my cheek with his thumb. “For his and my story yes, but hopefully you’d like one with me.”
I smiled so big, my cheeks hurt. “I don’t believe in fairy tales, Angel. But you know what I wouldn’t mind?”
“What’s that?” His voice was thick, his gaze uncertain.
“I’d like to maybe try life with you.”
He gasped—surprised or pleased, I didn’t know. “You’ve been through so much, I understand that you need to stand on your own two feet.”
“What I’ve been through doesn’t define me, it empowers me. Brick wasn’t so much a choice as a lack of options. You’re someone I want in my life. You’re a good man, hot as all hell, and you treat me like I’m precious.”
“Because you are.”
“See?” I gently patted his chest. “The other night I thought I’d come from your kindness.”
He chuckled. “If kindness is what you named my cock, then yes, sir, you did.”
I groaned and pressed my face into his chest. “Boooooooooooooo. You suck!”
“That I do!”
“No more. I can’t take the cheesiness; consider me lactose intolerant.”
We were laughing so hard, tears were falling down our cheeks. This was the kind of love I’d always dreamed of.
As I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, I silently prayed that I’d get to keep it.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
ANGEL
“Colette Barbier is definitelysomeone you don’t want to fuck with,” Nick stated over breakfast the following morning. “She’s got her fingers in all sorts of illegal pies.”
“Mason said he googled her, and there’s a lot of speculation that she’s in with Bratva and stuff.” JJ sipped his coffee.
“Yeah, that’s true. Noel was able to scuttle his way into the FBI and ATF database and located the agent in charge that’s dealing with Brick. He found out exactly what it is the Dead Kings are doing for Colette.” Nick gestured to Noel with flourish.
“Thank you, brother.” Noel sat up straighter. “So, we did in fact destroy property that was going to be going to Columbia for Colette.”
“Shit!” Matt yelped.
Noel waved him off. “No, no, calm down. Agent Waters, the one heading this thing, apparently is going to put together a shipment to cover Brick and his merry idiotic band of men.”
“Why? That seems stupid, dangerous, and a million other things.” It really didn’t make sense. They were going to likely use guns and drugs they had in holding, and they’d maybe be able to track the cartel, but that wouldn’t give them Colette, which was the reason they needed Brick.
