Page 53 of Kyle

I tried to stifle a yawn but Kyle saw it. He rolled to the side, hit the little switch near the nightstand, plunging the hotel room into darkness, and rolled back to me.

“Get some sleep, sweetheart.”

I wanted to verify he wasn’t going to leave but I refrained. Kyle had promised to keep me safe and I knew down to my soul, he’d keep that promise. So really there was no need to ask; I knew he’d stay beside me.

I closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep but my mind wouldn’t shut off. In a few hours I was going back to the States with a man I desperately wanted to get to know better. A man who scared me shitless because I knew if things didn’t work out, I’d be crushed. And it was only a matter of time before he realized I was too fucked-up to fix. I talked a big game about wanting to move forward, about wanting to be normal, but the truth was, I wasn’t brave. Not when it came to my demons. They always won.

“Take a chance, Anaya,” Kyle whispered in the darkness. “I swear I won’t let you fall.” But I would fall, I already was. “Be brave and jump, sweetheart.”

He tightened his grip on my hand and I squeezed back. A nonverbal agreement I hoped like hell I would survive.

Chapter 16

We’d made the long journey back to Maryland.

As soon as we’d hit altitude, I let go of the breath I’d been holding. Last night as I laid in the darkness next to Anaya, I’d been afraid she was going to change her mind and decide being with me wasn’t worth the risk. I’d been stupid and almost lost her once. I didn’t think I could handle it happening again, especially after she’d admitted she felt the same way I did. There was something between us that was worth exploring and I was willing to pull out all the stops to make sure that happened.

The first half of the plane ride, Anaya and I had talked. Most of the conversation had been innocuous. Favorite books and movies. Places she liked to go in San Diego. We waxed poetic about both of us being in the same city for years and had never run into each other. How different would my life have been if I’d met her when I was stationed in Coronado? Would I have recognized then that Anaya Baker would be the woman to crawl under my skin? Or would I’ve been too young and dumb to accept what my heart was telling me? By the end of our conversation, I was grateful I hadn’t met her back then—neither of us had been ready for the other.

But now I was ready. More than ready. Not only did I welcome the knowledge; I was ready to fight to keep her in my life.

Anaya had looked shell-shocked when Brooks, Thad, and Max had picked us up from the airport. She’d taken one look at the three overly large men and had stepped closer to me. I can’t deny that it felt good, her looking to me for protection.

The team hadn’t missed her reaction even if she’d immediately tried to hide it. Pride swelled in my chest when she stood tall next to me and offered her hand in greeting. For a woman who didn’t think she was brave, who had admitted she’d gone years without so much as a handshake, she sure was courageous.

We’d all piled into the SUV and gone straight to the Z Corps office in downtown Annapolis. During the drive Anaya sat between Dec and me, and with her hand firmly in mine, she’d engaged the team in conversation. I was grateful they hadn’t brought up what had happened in Timor-Leste. If she wanted to talk about it with them, she’d bring it up.

Brooks pulled into the parking structure and I glanced around at all the cars occupying the reserved parking for Z Corps.

“Who’s in today?” I asked.

“Full house,” Max returned.

“The women?”

“Seriously? You even need to ask.”

Fuck, shit, and goddamn.

Brooks cut the engine and we all piled out.

“You guys go ahead and go up. I need to talk to Anaya a minute.”

The team all nodded, except for Max. He was staring at Anaya and I didn’t like how he was eyeing her with suspicion. Such was his way—he and Declan were neck-and-neck in the trust department. Meaning, neither trusted outsiders, and to Max, Anaya was an unwelcomed stranger.

Declan passed by Max and slapped him on the shoulder twice and gestured toward the exit. Max followed, but not before his gaze swung to mine and his eyes narrowed. Something Anaya wouldn’t miss because he didn’t want her to.

Shit, fuck, goddamn.

I waited for the team to disappear and turned to Anaya. Her back was ramrod straight and fear danced in her eyes.

I needed to shut this shit down before she closed down.

“Anaya, look at me.” My gaze went from the exit to mine. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”

“Why doesn’t Max like me?”

“It’s not you,” I sighed. “Max has serious trust issues. Actually, issues don’t begin to cover it. He’ll come around. In the meantime, ignore him. I wanted to warn you, there’s gonna be a lot of people in the office. Not only all the men, but their women, too.”