“She's not going to like that,” I say. “She's used to working alone.”
“She's going to have to get used to backup.” Jake's tone is final. “Because if she's yours, that means she's ours too, and we don't let family walk into hell alone.”
Family.The word settles into my chest, warm and solid and terrifying. “I need to talk to Lily.”
Luke raises his brow. “You think?”
“And Hendricks?” Jake asks.
I shake my head. “We need more details before we commit.”
“Agreed.” Luke closes his laptop. “When are you seeing Lily again? We need to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
“Today. I'll head over after the Hendricks call.”
Jake nods. “Good. Because if she's hunting Turner, she needs to know she's not doing it alone anymore.”
Luke stands and stretches. “I'm going to pull up everything we have on Turner's current operations. If we're integrating Lily's mission, we need a full tactical picture.”
“I'll handle the Hendricks call,” Jake says. “Mason, you take a nap. You look like you're about to fall over.”
“I'm fine.” Lying in bed without Lily doesn’t sound appealing.
“You're not fine.” Jake's voice is firm. “Three hours. Sleep. Then we regroup and figure out how to keep your girl alive and out of trouble.”
Your girl. I don't correct him.
Because he's right. Lily Carter is mine, and I'm going to make damn sure she survives and stays that way.
45
LILY
Yesterday I whipped myself into enough of a frenzy that I drive to Blackthorn Ranch on my lunch hour today. I’m ripping this Band-Aid off, even if it takes a couple layers of my heart.
At least that’s what I’m telling myself: that I’m going to avoid having things be awkward with Mason—who didn’t text me yesterday, incidentally.
Bastard.
What does that mean? Monday night, he talks dirty to me, and Tuesday he ghosts me. I’m confused. More than that, I’m confused and horny, and I don’t know how to handle either one. It’s like he’s untapped some part of me that’s been dammed up and now the flow won’t stop. I’m constantly turned on and aching.
Aching.
I shove back the wisps of my hair that have escaped my ponytail. I have no experience with men. I don’t know what to expect or what to do, and because Emma’s my friend, I don’t want the situation to get uncomfortable.
So here I am, clutching the steering wheel, on my way to Blackthorn Ranch to see the man who made me come with just his words and the dream of ecstasy.
46
MASON
It’s already a fucking long day.
I rub my eyes, sore from staring at the screen that’s scrolling footage from last night at Turner’s ranch. Jake just left to find Emma, so it’s just Luke and me in our ops center, hidden under the barn.
I wish I could be like Jake and go to my woman, but my woman doesn’t know that’s what she is yet. And she’s skittish, so I’m giving her space.
It’s fucking killing me. She hasn’t texted me since Monday night. It’s only just over a day, but I don’t like it. At least I can watch her on the feeds I have set up around her work and house.