Page 74 of Declan

“Zane—”

“All right. All right. How about this? I’ve heard nothing but you bitchin’ about Thad, Kyle, and Brooks and the struggles they faced. You didn’t complain too much about Max. So, to conclude, you fucked everyone by sorting your shit in private. Not a single one of your men get payback for the shit you shoveled at them. So, I’m gonna share this intel. That the Recon specialist, the Marine, missed a CIA agent tailin’ him. Priceless. Be at the office in twenty.”

“I got Autumn with me.”

“I’ll bring the snacks.”

And with that, the asshole hung up.

Then I smiled.

I might’ve missed Ashaki following me, but Z was mostly right. I’d sorted my shit, mostly in private, and only had to endure one day of airing it in front of the team.

“Let’s get a move on, baby, we gotta head into the office.”

“You want me to go?”

I shook my head. “Teamwork, Autumn. We’re a team. You go where I go.”

“But Zane—”

“He’s a marshmallow and a sucker for a pretty girl.”

He was absolutely not that, and I’d find myself with a bullet hole in the gut if he heard me say it.

“You’re such a liar.”

“You’re right, I am. He’s a sarcastic asshole but he’d step in front of a bullet for you.”

“He doesn’t even know me.”

“Baby, you’re mine. Before that, you were Thad’s sister-in-law. He doesn’t need to know you.”

“That’s just crazy.”

“It is? You barely know Thad. Yet you know your sister loves him, and I know that’s enough for you to go all out and protect him just so your sister doesn’t lose what she loved.”

I lost Autumn’s eyes when her gaze skidded to the left, then she looked anywhere but at me. I was right, Autumn talked a lot of shit about not wanting to be in her sister’s life, yet she would take a bullet for her. She’d do it with no hesitation with that in mind, I was unsure why she looked upset.

“What’s got you thinking so hard, baby?”

“I’m yours?”

For years I’d done everything in my power to lock everyone out. I’d suppressed any feeling that had the barest hint of happiness, honesty, or family. I wanted nothing to do with those emotions, I fed on guilt and loneliness. I spooned that shit up and shoveled it in as fast as I could, especially when my sister was around.

So how in the hell did I go from that to pouring my heart out?

“Yeah, Autumn, you’re mine.” Then I decided since we were letting it all swing in the wind, I’d give her more. “Not pleased your girl’s been hanging around watching me, less pleased I didn’t clock her while she was doing it. Something’s off about that. But, while she was watching, she was obviously paying attention. And, Autumn, she is not wrong in her assessment. I might not be able to give you those words right now, but you have to know I feel things for you I’ve never felt. And that’s screwing with my head. I need to sort that out and come to terms with it. In the meantime, you mean something to me, something that’s deep and consuming. So for now, we’re gonna leave it at, yeah, you’re mine. Which also means I’m yours.”

“Do you like tacos?”

The change of topic was so abrupt my body jerked and the muscles in my neck spasmed.

“Uh…sure.”

“I haven’t looked, but unless you went to the grocery store since I’ve been gone, we’re gonna have to stop on the way home so I can pick up what I need.”

“I didn’t go to the store.”