Page 243 of Entangled

He nods. “Fine. Head down for the count. We’ll take over here until you get back.”

We watch her leave, then I turn to face Dom. Neither of us says anything for a long moment, and I can feel the bitterness hanging between us.

It makes it hard to be the first person to talk. “All I’m saying is that I might have taken it too far. I’m not a total asshole, Dom. I might be done with the idea of you, me, and Eden, but I’m still here for the team. I can help with planning.”

Dom crosses his arms, his eyes narrowing on me. I see the vein at his temple that tells me I’m pissing him off. “Very Christian of you.”

My temper rises too at his flippancy. “I don’t trust you with her, Dom, and I don’t trust you with me. I saw how you were with her tonight, and I might not be able to stop it, not if that’s what she wants, but I won’t be a part of it.”

I hold his eyes so I know he’s hearing me on this. “I won’t top with you. I won’t talk about her with you. All I’m going to do is get myself ready to pick up the pieces when you eventually break her heart—because that’s what’s going to happen. Only this time, I’m making sure mine isn’t in the crossfire too. When you get over it and you’re ready to move on, I won’t go with you next time. I’m staying with her.”

He’s so very still across from me, like a wolf facing down a rival pack. It doesn’t feel good, standing against him. It feels like a false split on a timeline—a low-likelihood reality we wound up in but never should have been spun into existence.

“It’s not like that,” he says finally, in a tight, unhappy voice. “You always rush in and push things too fast, way before we’re ready for them. I was making sure it was right, Beau, and this time, it actually is. Whether you like it or not, she wants me, and I want her too. I’m going all in with her.”

I raise my brows, but it says enough that I don’t even feel a blip of hope at his words. “You love her then?”

Dom hesitates, and the sound that escapes me is cynical. “See, this is whatyoudo, Dom, every time we do this. You never care as much as you should—it makes it too easy to change your mind. Then I end up having to leave someone I care about, and it doesn’t even matter to you.”

“Bullshit.” His eyes blaze. “You neverhadto leave anyone. That was your choice, and you made it because, for all your words, you never loved any of them either. You were just nicer about it. Heather ripped my heart out, Beau. I never planned on doing any of this ever again—I swore I wouldn’t. But Eden is something else. So yeah, I’ve been playing defensively here. I don’t want to break her heart or mine.”

Like he can help himself.

I don’t think I ever realized before just how much bitterness I was holding in. How much it hurt me every time I had to say goodbye to someone new. Every relationship, I felt like I had to work doubly as hard, doing all the emotional heavy lifting that Dom avoided on top of my own.

“Yeah, well, defensive doesn’t suit you.” I turn toward the HAM radio so we can call Bentley. We won’t be able to say much—these communications are always open to anyone listening—but we can give him a heads up. I run my finger over the short list of known call signs beside the radio, skipping past our own and the Reapers’ and going straight to Red Zone.

My lips compress bitterly as I add, “You’re a Ranger, through and through. Rapid offensive deployments are your specialty. You’re quick in and just as quick to get out before you get hurt. It’s a real shame you never look back to see the destruction you leave behind you.”

I flick the switch on the radio. I’m adjusting the dials to start transmitting when Dom sucks in an audible breath behind me.

“What did you just say?”

I turn warily. Dom and I haven’t brawled since military school—not outside of practice—but I know he’s on the edge.

He doesn’t look angry, though. There’s a look like a dawning sky breaking across his face.

“We’reRangers,” he repeats. He runs a hand over his hair.

Quirking a bemused eyebrow at him, I nod, but I’m not sure he sees it.

Then he looks up at me, his eyes refocusing—and hegrins.

“We’re Rangers, Beau. Why the fuck are we sitting here planning for a battle we can’t win or a siege we can’t outlast? We need to change the game. Play to our strengths. I’ve been too focused on the civilians. I haven’t been looking at the big picture.” Dom shakes his dark head, relief stark in his eyes, and I struggle to catch up, because if he’s saying what I think he is, then...

“You want to take the fight to them?” I ask in shock.

His grin becomes a slow, confident smirk. “We need to get the team ready. We’re going to Cyanide.”

Chapter53

Eden

Survival tip #309

Friends don’t give friends orders.

(Unless they like it.)

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