Page 69 of The Wrong Drive-
“Um, because you’ll need him. You’re not invincible, Turner,” she reminds me, just like always, though it’s with a smile.
“Right, he just looks like he’s going to be a shithead,” I laugh as the puppy, who she named Boomer, runs up and starts playing tug of war with my jeans.
“Well then the two of you should get along just fine,” Em bursts into a fit of giggles as I shoot her a dirty look. The sun shines through the front windows, no longer covered by curtains, and the hint of light glints off her wedding ring.
We somehow managed to make the move back to this cabin, even with all the secrets buried around the place. But it’s different now. The air isn’t heavy, and the days aren’t dark. We laugh, and my job and medication keep the urges away. Bradford taught me methods to control myself, and my job of hunting people down… Well…
It’s good for the fucked up person inside of me.
“Who is it this time?” Em asks, drawing me out of my thoughts.
“No idea. He just said it was someone who deserted and is on the run in the foothills. I’m sure it won’t take long. It never does.”
She nods. “True. You’re efficient.”
“And you’re fucking hot,” I breathe out as I take in her full lips, and her disheveled brown hair on top of her head. "I hate leaving you on Christmas.”
Em laughs, grabbing my shirt and tugging me into her. “We already celebrated, but…” She stands on her tiptoes and kisses my jaw. “It just means you owe me later.”
I run my tongue along my bottom lip. “I do, huh? I could probably make a little time to make good on that right now.”
“Oh please,” she swats my chest. “How about let’snotget caught by Bradford. I’d want to crawl into a hole and die.”
“Damn, that’s intense. I didn’t know it was so embarrassing to be with me.” I shoot her a wink and then sigh. “I really do hate taking off on this day though.”
“Yeah, I know,” her voice grows soft. “But this isn’t an easy day, and it’s better spent in the field.”
I eye the wooden pendent, still hanging around her neck. “Not everything about this day is all that bad,” I tell her, reaching out and brushing my fingers across the heart. “Sometimes, the best and worst days can be interchangeable.” I meet her gaze. “He’d be glad that we’re turning his room into a nursery, you know.”
She brushes her hand across my cheek. “Yeah, I bet he would, and if it’s my guess, I bet he’d be really proud of you.”
“Maybe,” I say, emotions swelling in my chest as I kiss her on the forehead. The sound of an engine grows outside the cabin and I sigh. “I have a feeling my brother would want to smack me across the face for a few things as well.”
“Meh, details.” She places a kiss on my lips. “You better get going. I’ll see you when you get home.”
“Keep the gate locked and the fire going,” I tell her, running my thumb along her bottom lip. “You know I hate leaving you.”
“And I know you’ll always come back to me.” She gives me a look. “Besides, Catie is coming over. She’s got herself another new boyfriend.”
“Lovely,” I mutter, kissing her once more. “I love you, Em.”
“I love you, too.”
I give Gunner and Boomer a good pat, and then slip out the front door. Bradford’s truck waits just outside, and he honks the horn a couple of times. I flip him off and grab my duffle bag from where it sits on the front porch. I toss it into the back of the truck, taking one last look at Em and Gunner, watching me through the window.
She blows me a kiss, and I wink at her once more. I got fucking lucky when it comes to her, and that’s something I’ll never stop thanking the universe for. I whip open the passenger door and climb in.
“Merry Christmas, asshole,” I tell Bradford, smacking his arm as he lights up a cigarette. “You really should quit that.”
“Yeah, okay, Mom,” he shoots back at me with a grin. “But Merry Christmas to you, too. I was hoping we could take the holidays off, but duty calls.”
I nod, a rush of excitement flooding through my veins as he backs out of the driveway. “So a deserter, huh?”
“That’s all I’ve got. He’s apparently violent as fuck, walks around wanting to pick a fight.” Bradford puffs on his cigarette as he puts the truck in park, waiting for me to shut the gate. I slide out, shut and lock it, and then climb back in.
“What’s the goal with him?” I ask as he tears down the road, heading north. “You want to take him out or recruit him?”
Bradford shrugs. “We’ll feel him out when we get there. Not everyone is cut out to come and work for me. Being a mercenary is a bit of a calling, I’d say. It’s not for the weak minded, don’t you think?”
