Danielgrunts deep in his chest. "Shedrinks black coffee,Christie.Twoespresso shots."
Isnap my head toward him. "Howdo you even know that?"
Heshrugs a massive shoulder, claiming the stool directly beside mine.Hissolid, denim-clad thigh presses heavily against my leg. "Istaked out your perimeter for three days beforeImoved in.Youdrink coffee while you write code.Energydrinks make your hands shake."
"Stalker,"Ichallenge playfully, entirely lacking any real accusation.
"Tracker," he corrects smoothly. "Hugedifference."
Christiewatches the exchange with a grin threatening to physically split her face in half. "Oh, this is absolute gold.Ihave to go tellMarieright now.Sheowes me five bucks."Shespins around, thumbs flying aggressively across her glowing phone screen as she retreats.
"Great,"Isigh into the noisy room. "Nowthe whole damn town knows my business."
"Good,"Danielstates bluntly.Jackreturns to slide two heavy glass tumblers of amber liquid onto the table.Daniellifts his drink in the air. "Letthem know.LettheCostasknow.Letthe entire damn world know."
Hetaps his rim firmly against my glass.
"TotheTracker,"Imurmur.
"Tothe future," he replies. "Andthe woman who hacked it."
Thepotent bourbon burns a liquid fire down my throat.Theheat settles deep in my chest, sealing the unbreakable promise between us.
Idrag my eyes across the crowded bar.Thenoise borders on deafening, the air reeks of cheap beer, and the wood-paneled walls remain trapped in the nineteen-eighties.Yet, for the very first time in my entire existence,Istop mentally mapping the fastest exit strategy.Istop cataloging the room for hidden threats.
Ilook back atDaniel.Hehandles the perimeter sweep for me.Hisdark eyes track constantly, monitoring the front door, locking onto the dark corners.Hismassive hand rests securely on my knee, the thumb dragging in slow, claiming circles over my denim-clad thigh.
Hetraded the limitless freedom of the open road for this exact table.Hegrounded himself for a bar stool in a freezing mountain town and a woman carrying a deleted criminal record.
Iplace my palm flat over his knuckles.Hisrestless tracking instantly ceases.Heflips his hand beneath mine, lacing our fingers together in a bone-crushing grip.
"Yourealize,"Ipoint out, "if we're putting down permanent roots, we have to deal with actual domestic reality.Laundry, grocery shopping, your biker brothers demanding to know whyIreconfigured their club satellite dish to track deep-space anomalies."
"I'llhandle the brothers,"Danielvows, dragging our joined hands up to his mouth.Hepresses a hot, open-mouthed kissagainst my knuckles without breaking eye contact. "Youhandle the space anomalies.We'llfigure out the damn laundry."
Thedeclaration borders on completely mundane.Comingfrom the lethal enforcer sitting beside me, it easily ranks as the most intensely romantic vowI'veever received.
Thetavern door groans open again, sucking a harsh gust of freezing snow into the room.Twomassive, heavily bearded men stomp inside wearing identicalPeaksWildernessOutfittersjackets.Mybrain instantly flags them from the digital family treeIbuilt.NickandRafe.
Theyspot our table in the back.Nickoffers a slow, highly respectful dip of his chin.Rafejust flashes a knowing grin across the bar.
Danielreturns the firm nod.TheGunnarfamily circle officially closes ranks around us.
"They'renever going to stop showing up, are they?"Iask, tracking the massive cousins as they grab stools at the bar.
"No,"Danielconfirms heavily. "That'sthe entire point.You'renot barricaded alone in that cabin anymore,Kaila.Youhave a private army now."
Isqueeze his thick fingers. "Idon't need an army.Ionly need you."
"You'vegot me," he growls, his tone dropping into that rough, highly territorial register that physically curls my toes in my boots. "Everysingle part of me.Untilthe code runs out."
Ilean my head against the solid wall of his bicep.Thecountry music twangs over the speakers, blending with the low hum of conversation and the steady heat radiating from his body.
"Thecode never runs out,Tracker,"Icorrect softly. "Itjust recompiles."
Helaughs, a deep, rusty vibration against my ear.
"Thenlet's recompile," he agrees.