Page 23 of Protecting Salvation

“And when is that?”

Peyton smirked as she poured boiling water from the kettle into two mugs. “Are you saying you don’t have an inch-thick file on me that has every detail of my life, including my favourite childhood shows, preferred sleeping position, and teenage crush?”

He stood and leaned a hip against the counter, folding his arms across his chest and he didn’t fail to notice her reaction to that. Her eyes wandered all over him, appreciation in their grey depths.

Her eyes came to his face and he raised a brow, causing her to blush. She threw a cloth at him and he laughed. “Shut it.”

He caught the cloth and folded it. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to, that smug look said it all. Yes, I was checking you out. You’re hot, okay, and I’m a red-blooded woman with needs.”

Hurricane bent forward when she handed him a mug, leaning his elbows on the side. “Want to know a secret?”

“Is it classified?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then sure.”

“I’ve been checking you out too and you don’t even want to know the things I want to do to you, baby girl.” He saw her throat move as she gulped and fought a grin.

“Well, I think I do want to know. You know, seeing as we’re keeping things just friends, the least you can do is give me a good fantasy for me and my vibrator to share.”

Hurricane had just taken a sip of tea and at her words he choked, coughing and spitting tea all over the place.

Peyton laughed and handed him the cloth. “Here, you have a little something.” She pointed at his chin and smirked.

He swiped it from her hand and moped up the mess he’d made. “Warn a guy next time you’re about to drop a bomb like that.”

“Oopsie, sorry.”

“Yeah, of course you are.” He shook his head and chuckled. “And to answer your question, Bás has a file on everyone. That doesn’t mean I’ve read them.”

“Good to know. And for reference, I sleep naked on my back.”

She winked and he growled.

Peyton laughed just as the bell rang.

Hurricane shook his head but he couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face. There were so many different sides to Peyton Lawson and he wanted to know them all. Suddenly his reasons for fighting their attraction mattered less than before, or maybe he was just a selfish asshole.

“I brought food.”

Bein walked in carrying two take-out bags filled with food, the smell reminding him how hungry he was. He dove in and began unpacking it all as Peyton walked in with Aoife, the two friends hugging and whispering to each other. Aoife looked paler than Peyton and anxious.

“Aoife okay, man? She doesn’t look so good.”

Bein cast a look at Aoife, a soft look he only gave to his wife on his usually hard face. “Yeah. She’s not feeling so good and this upset her.”

Alarm hit Hurricane as he glanced at the two friends. “Shit, anything I can do?” He didn’t want to pry but the thought of Aoife sick made him feel ill. All the women in Shadow, including the wives and girlfriends, had become like sisters to him and the thought of anything bad happening to them killed him.

Bein grinned, a look of love and pride crossing his face and they both watched as Peyton burst into tears too. “I think she just told her best friend she’s going to be a mama in eight months.”

Hurricane looked between the two women and settled his gaze on his friend. “Are you for real? You’re gonna be a dad?”

“Aye. We just found out and we were gonna keep it secret but she’s feeling proper shitty. We figure you’re all family and if something goes wrong, which it won’t, we’d want you guys with us.”

Hurricane lifted his hand and grasped Bein’s, pulling him in for a hug. “Congratulations, man, you’re gonna be a great dad.”