“If you risk nothing, you gain nothing.” Jewel leaned forward. “Besides, I’ve always had this reckless faith in you two. I think you should go for it.”
Jace pumpedhis arms as he jogged through the mountains, the cool morning air gliding over his face. Fuck, it felt good to move his body. He liked to get outside for a workout everyday, sometimes twice a day. He was used to pushing his body to the limit as a Tactical Controller. To having a team pushing themselves beside him.
His gaze shifted toward the mountains. Even after fifteen years away, the familiarity remained. Like this forest had weaved itself inside him, becoming a part of him. How often had he gotten lost out here as a kid? Hidden in the trees and run around with his brothers?
Every damn day.
But today, it almost felt like he was running away from something. The taste of Elle on his tongue. The feel of her skin on his fingertips.
Her skin had been so damn soft and warm. And the way she’d reacted to him, her soft groans and hums…they’d replayed in his dreams over and over again last night.
Was he done running from his feelings for her? Was he finally ready to accept that he couldn’t stay away from the woman?
With a growl, he sped up his jog. Being back, being around her, made him feel weak. Made him want to take something he’d never allowed himself before.
Her.
And kissing her, holding her in his arms, had just intensified his lifelong need for Elle. It felt like he’d finally been exactly where he was meant to be.
He pushed his body so hard that his chest began to tighten and his limbs ached, but he didn’t stop or slow. He liked the burn. The pain. It reminded him that he was alive. That he was home.
When he finally reached the house, sweat ran down his forehead as he unlocked the front door and stepped inside. The eerie quiet surrounded him. The house had never been quiet growing up. With six kids, the home had been loud andwarm and busy. He had a hundred memories in every room. A hundred sounds from past moments that rang through his ears.
He stepped into the master bedroom off the hall. There were five bedrooms upstairs, but the master and his old childhood bedroom were the only ones on the first floor. It had made it easy for Elle to sneak inside when she came over.
He smiled at the memory. The lock on his window had broken when he was fifteen, but he’d never told his parents, because a part of him had liked that Elle had had access to his room whenever she liked. Was it still broken or had the previous owners fixed it? He hadn’t checked yet.
He pulled his shirt over his head as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He tugged it out to see a text from his brother.
Eastern: Please tell me Sadie misinterpreted last night and you didn’t crash Elle’s date.
Jace: I didn’t crash Elle’s date. I prefer to see it as being a welcome guest at the table.
Eastern: Jace…what the hell were you thinking?
Jace: That I didn’t like her dating another guy.
Eastern: She’s allowed to date whoever she wants. Unless you’re going to date her?
Jace scrubbed a hand over his face.
Eastern: If you came back for her, tell her. Otherwise, don’t go crashing her dates.
His gaze caught on the tattoo on his hip bone, in the mirror.You’re too loved to lose.Her words, in her handwriting. And every time he read them, he heard her voice in his head. It had given him hope during his deadliest missions. It had allowed him to breathe when sometimes breathing got too hard.
Jace: Thanks for the advice, big brother. And thanks for letting me crash your family night.
Eastern: You know you’re always welcome. Just be careful with Elle. You could both get hurt if you’re not.
Didn’t he know that? Wasn’t that the exact reason he’d denied himself for so long?
Jace: When am I not careful?
He dropped his phone onto the bathroom counter and gave the tattoo one more glance before stripping off the rest of his clothes and stepping into the shower. The warm water beat down on his shoulders, and the second he closed his eyes, memories came back to him. Of missions that had been so difficult and dangerous, he’d wondered if he’d make it out alive.
Throughout it all, his team had kept him sane. His team had kept him alive…but he hadn’t done the same. Not for everyone.
He squeezed his eyes closed as memories of that day flashed in his head. Of the whisper of steps from behind. The flash of movement before gunfire sounded.
