Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Dylan Rodriguez is the worst distraction of all, but something tells me being with him would be worth taking a bullet.
“I’m the boss,” I say. “I make the rules, so they don’t apply to me.”
“Wow. I bet your team loves you with that kind of attitude.”
“Nope. They love me because I’m a fair boss and pay them well.”
“Mm,” Dylan hums and leans back, resting his palms on the comforter. “I’m sure it has nothing to do with you being the one to pull them out of an unideal situation and give them the world. A place to be open. To be themselves.”
“That might have something to do with it, but none of my guys owe me anything. I do what I do because I love it, and I recruit men and women who want it. Well, woman, but we haven’t found anyone else who can put up with the guys like Angel can.”
Dylan’s lips press together. “Okay, second thing I know about you. You have a hero complex, and it’s not an attractive quality.”
“I was in the military. Good luck finding anyone who served who doesn’t have a hero complex. We sacrifice everything for our country. We fight for freedoms—”
“Freedoms that half the population take for granted by acting like fucksticles.”
“True, but what about the other half? There will always be people who need help. Always someone to save. To protect. And today, that person is you.”
As if all at once, the energy drains from Dylan, like he’s actually realizing the gravity of why we’re here. It’s all catching up to him and showing through his pinched expression and exhausted eyes.
I stand and approach him, taking the spot next to him. “I know everything is a mess, but I promise you, I’ll get you out of this. I’m waiting for my guys to call with some good news, but until we can figure something out, we can stay here for as long as we like.”
Dylan’s big brown eyes meet mine. “Why can’t you be this Trav all the time? You’re actually really good at the reassuring thing, and I didn’t even ask you to be. It’s like …”
Okay, nope, being serious is too hard. “It’s like I can read your mind? That’s a power only true soul mates have.”
“And there you go ruining it again.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it. By the time we’re married, you’ll love everything that falls from my mouth.”
“If there ever comes a day where I like your stupid comments about us getting married, being soul mates, or even being together, that will be the day I agree to marry you.”
We’re practically engaged.
Chapter Seven
Dylan
There’s something about being this close to Trav, having his domineering body practically pressed against me, that makes me want to straddle him and push him down on his bed.
The way he’s promising to fix my life, to get me out of this … I want to thank him in a really inappropriate way.
Thankfully, his phone starts ringing, and he stands. “Make yourself at home. I need to take this.”
He walks out as he lifts the phone to his ear, and I know the call is about me.
Standing from the bed, I approach the bedroom door cautiously and as quietly as I can.
There have been few occasions where I’ve actually witnessed Trav in action. Mostly my interactions with him have been him taunting me while we exchange information or leads. But watching how he handles this call and how he reassured me just now, I can see that he actually has a serious side.
His story of joining the military to try to man up and stop being gay could be real or exaggerated, but in that moment, my heart might have lurched toward his.
Growing up in my family, with my Mexican heritage, I can understand that fear. I thought my parents would disown me, that they wouldn’t accept me, and for a while after I came out, my father didn’t speak to me. Family gatherings were tense, and I hated going to them. I was convinced my parents were going to tell me to stop coming, but they never did, and I kept going because they were my family, and I held on to the hope that they’d accept me one day.
Things were strained for a few months, but then one day, my mom yelled ¡Basta ya!—that’s enough—in front of my whole family. My dad, my aunts, uncles, cousins, brother, and sister all went dead silent.
“Dylan is a good boy with good values, and that’s all I need to know about him. I love him for everything that he is. And if that’s gay, then I love a gay man.”
I’d tried really hard not to laugh at that, but it slipped out. And then everyone joined in.
Suddenly, with her blessing, the rest of the family fell in line. I was no longer given disapproving looks when I’d walk in the door. My aunts and uncles acknowledged my existence again. It took longer for my father to come around, and I wish I could say it’s been smooth sailing since they both apologized for the way they behaved, but I can’t help feeling like they’re still disappointed in me.