When Day Breaks

He might have initially fought his attraction to Eden and he might have doubted that she could possibly be attracted to him, but here and now he knew that what was between them was real. Their attraction was a living, breathing thing. Tangible. It danced in the air between them and when they were close, her in his arms, it smoldered like a slow-burning fire just waiting to ignite into an inferno.

He thought she’d drifted into sleep when she shifted and turned toward him, her eyes seeking.

“Do you like working for KGI?”

“Yeah,” he said without hesitation. “They gave me purpose when I thought I no longer had one. I was at loose ends after coming back from that last tour. I suppose I was going through a self-pity stage and railing at the injustice of it all. It wasn’t a pretty sight. But there were things that happened during our escape and rescue. Things I needed answers to, and so I went to see Nate. He wasn’t faring much better than I was.”

“What kind of things?” she asked curiously.

He hesitated, unsure of how much he should share. One, she’d think he was crazy, and two, he didn’t want to betray Shea or Grace. Not when they were the reason he was alive today.

But he also knew that if he and Eden became involved, she’d find out eventually. And he’d rather she heard it from him. So she’d know he trusted her and hadn’t held out on her.

“You’ll think I’m crazy,” he said.

She pushed upward so she could look down at him, her hair spilling like a silken curtain over her shoulders and brushing over his chest. He could bury his hands and face in her hair and stay there for hours.

“I won’t think you’re crazy,” she said solemnly. “You can trust me, Swanny. I won’t judge you. I’ll listen. And I’d never betray your confidence.”

He knew that absolutely. Maybe it was crazy to trust this woman when he’d only known her such a short time. But he did trust her. She didn’t have a mean or vengeful bone in her body.

He sighed. “When we were being held captive, Shea, Nathan’s wife, though they didn’t even know each other at the time, spoke to him, in his head from miles away. Telepathy.”

Eden’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s so cool. I didn’t think things like that truly existed.”

“Yeah, she helped hold him together. She even took his torture for him. It sounds complicated, but she could draw away his pain and make it her own. She suffered for him so he could stay strong.”

“That’s pretty selfless,” Eden murmured. “Especially for a man she didn’t know.”

Swanny nodded his agreement. “When Nathan and I escaped, I was busted up pretty bad. I knew I was f**ked up internally and I knew I was dying. I was slowing Nathan down and I begged him to leave me so he could at least save himself. This is where it gets even more unbelievable. Shea’s sister Grace has the ability to heal and as a conduit through Shea and Nathan, she was able to heal me or at least patch me up enough that I could continue on.”

“It would seem I owe both those women my thanks when I meet them.”

Swanny couldn’t help the surge of pleasure at the matter-of-fact way she assumed she’d be meeting his extended family. Like she saw a future with him in it.

“We made it out. Nathan’s brothers—KGI—got to us in time and they got us home. We were both busted up pretty bad, and afterward I went home and Nathan went back to his family. But I had no one. Just an empty house that used to belong to my parents. And it was driving me crazy. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. And I still had all those burning questions about what had happened back there. So I looked up Nathan and while I was there, Shea contacted him, the first he’d heard from her since our escape. He went off the hinges and hauled ass to get to her. Two of his brothers and I went after him to help. I just sort of fell in with them and then they offered me a position on the new team they were forming.”

“You’re happy now, then.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I feel like I have purpose again. Something to get up for in the mornings. I like making a difference. We help people and we take out those who prey on others.”

She frowned. “It sounds dangerous.”

“It is.” He wouldn’t sugarcoat his job. She needed to know what his job entailed. “There’s always a chance of one of us not coming back from a mission. But we’re good and we’re careful. We’ve had a few close calls, but we haven’t lost a man since one of Rio’s men was killed before I ever came on board. He was taken out when the Kellys’ mother was kidnapped from the hospital after her husband suffered a heart attack.”

“Wow. It sounds like there’s never a dull moment around you guys. I can see why this job would be a cakewalk for you and, honestly, far below your capabilities. I feel guilty for tying up an entire team. It seems like your talents are wasted on what amounts to a babysitting gig.”

He pulled her back down into his arms, squeezing her against him. “We take your protection very seriously, Eden. You are our top priority. No job takes higher priority than another. Every mission we take gets our full attention. Besides, if we hadn’t been hired to protect you, then you and I wouldn’t be right here right now, and I’m liking exactly where we are.”

He felt her smile against his chest. “You have a point there. I wouldn’t have missed meeting you for the world.”

“Me either,” he said. “Now how about you get some rest. I have the alarm set for early so we can get in that workout. Don’t expect me to go easy on you because I think you’re cute. I’ll work your ass off and then you’re going to show me your self-defense moves so I’ll know what else you need to be taught.”