Total pages in book: 178
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Peering down at my son... I got it.
Those smiles, his laughter, the way he scratched his butt without shame... it was worth all the time I spent away from him. For this child, for Lexi, I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. I didn’t want to, but I would, which was why it was so important to have taken care of business before I reemerged from my hollow grave.
I was so close to being resurrected. I could taste it, taste Lexi’s full, sweet lips as they worshipped me.
Thinking of the woman down the hall, alone in her bed, made my gut clench. How easy it would be to sneak into her bedroom and watch her a while.
Yeah. I was a sick fuck. And old habits died hard.
God. The memory of her....
My chest ached as my mind conjured up an image of her beaming up at me, smiling in that soft, warm way that was reserved for me and me alone.
I missed her.
It had been too long.
Finished with the book, I closed it then hugged my drowsy son close to me. “You tired, little man?” He nodded into my chest and I smiled. “Want me to stay until you’re asleep?”
Another nod, weaker this time, and a thought crossed me.
I would kill for this child.
Running a hand through his messy hair, I closed my eyes, breathing him in. He smelled of green apples, fabric softener, and something uniquely A.J. I pressed my lips to his head and held them there, missing him already.
One scrawny arm flopped down across my stomach and held me tight. His voice was whisper quiet. “You’re coming back, right?”
I frowned to myself. How could he ask me that?
He snuggled deeper into me, and my frown intensified. “Hey.” When he didn’t move, I nudged him and, slowly, he looked up at me, his eyes sad. “I’m coming back.” But his eyes remained sad, and I felt the familiar ache I always felt before I had to go. “I promise.”
A.J. looked up at me a long moment before he nodded. I held my little man tightly, wanting to reassure him but unsure about how. Then, I reached down and undid my watch, handing the heavy metal to him.
Grudgingly, he took it, and when he blinked up at me questioningly, I told him, “I’ll be back for that.” His eyes widened before he looked back down at the watch. God, this kid. The look of pride at being entrusted with something big like an expensive wristwatch was all I could handle. “You’ll keep it safe for me, yeah?”
His nod was solid, enthusiastic, and when I saw his slight smile, the aching feeling in my chest eased slightly.
I wasn’t sure about a lot in life, but I was sure about one thing. I loved my son. I loved him something fierce. And if somebody were ever stupid enough to fuck with him, I’d be there, Glock in hand.
Cock.
Click.
Boom.
Fuckin’ try me.
An hour later, the little guy draped over me was fast asleep and I needed to jet. Carefully as I could, I slid out from under him and readjusted the covers. I stood there a while, watching him, my gut coiling tightly.
I didn’t want to leave.
But I had to.
Before I left, I ran a light hand over my son’s hair, bent down, and kissed his brow. Whisper soft, I told his sleeping form, “Love you,” and I fucking meant it.
Those words, they didn’t alarm me as much as they used to. I had learned so much in my time away. How to appreciate life to its fullest was one of those things. I spared one last look at my child before slipping out into the night.
As I walked down the street, to my home, I wondered how long I could continue to hide in plain sight.
Fuck.
A smirk lined my lips as the answer presented itself.
Forever, if I needed to.
“How much longer?” I asked, very clearly pissed.
He sighed. “I don’t know, Twitch. These things take time.” I heard his chair squeak. “What, you think they’re just gonna go ahead and trust what I’ve got to say about you?” He scoffed. “Please, son. The U.S. has reluctantly recognized your life again, but Australia isn’t so willing.” He paused. “There’s an empty grave with your name on it, Twitch. You think that doesn’t raise questions? Think on this. Your grave disappears, your girl goes berserk and wants answers.” He let out a long exhale. “The longer this takes, the better for you. Trust me on that.”
Ethan Black, my unlikely associate, was right, and it ribbed me to no end. I was sore. “Yeah. Whatever.”
“Look,” said the FBI’s main man, “everything will work out. You knew this process was going to be a lengthy one. You said you were in it for the long haul. What’s changed?”