Page 16 of Steel

“That child is going to have the best father in the world and do you know how I am certain of that?”

“How?”

“Because you’re a damn good brother. And you’re an incredible husband. How do you think Kenzie would feel if anything happened to you?”

“She’d…”

“Suffer. Now, get your fucking ass on that helicopter. Now. That’s a goddamn order.”

He sputtered as if ready to argue with me then nodded just once. God forbid he’d indicate I was right about anything. Younger brothers never did that. “I’m sorry, bro.”

“Yeah, well, you better be.” I smiled in return, trying to keep the same feelings at bay.

We moved through the trees together and just when we popped into the clearing, the earth began to rumble beneath our feet.

The ranger felt it too, glaring at us as if we were about to get everyone killed. His motions were nothing in comparison to his order. “Move it. Move it. Move it.”

As the quake began to hit, we zigged and zagged and not because we were trying to. That’s how quickly the earth was moving beneath our feet.

With the ranger still motioning like that would bring us closer quicker, a few of the jumpers had their heads stuck out of the open door.

“Get your asses moving,” Denver yelled.

We were close when a couple of the trees behind us fell to the ground only inches away.

I was faster than Axe, managing to jump onto the helicopter. With my hand stuck out, I overheard the pilot.

“I need to take off.”

“Not without my brother.” With Viper holding my other arm to keep me from falling, I threw half my body out the door, latching onto Axe’s forearm. As I began to pull, the pilot was itching to fly off the damn mountain.

The moment Axe took a step onto the bar below, we were in the air. With one brutal yank, I tossed us both inside.

Only to hear applause from the team.

CHAPTER 4

Steel

Wham!

“What the fuck?”

As Denver tumbled against the shower wall, I turned off the water for the showerhead, smirking as I shook my head. The assholes were snapping wet towels at each other like we used to do after a high school gym class. “How old are you?”

My shout was met with Denver throwing up his middle finger, the jumper wearing a wide grin. He wound the soaking wet material, the crack of his wrist louder than the sound the end of the towel made as it slapped across Raptor’s leg.

I walked around them in a wide arc, hopeful to miss their foray into an early onset midlife crisis.

Unfortunately, our spotter, Mr. Kevin Daniels himself decided I deserved to have my backside christened.

“Ouch!” I yelled, spinning around and rubbing my ass before pointing my finger toward his face. “You had better watch your back, buddy.”

Kevin backed away, offering a loopy look as he beckoned me with both hands. I was eager and willing to take him on when my brother popped into the shower room and the shit-eating grin on his face indicated pure mischief. His phone was in his hand and I had a sense he couldn’t wait to ruin my damn day.

After being gone for four days at the fire in California, all I craved was a burger, a beer, and a bed. He had way too much energy, likely given he was going home to his beautiful wife.

And unborn child. All the self-pity from before was gone.