Just Kidding (SWAT Generation 2.0 #1)(67)

“And a slew of other charges,” Dad said. “Anything we can pin on them at this point.”

I grinned then turned to my man.

“Did you get that cookie?”

He produced a cookie out of his sweatpants pocket.

“Why are you changed, anyway?” I asked curiously, uncaring that the cookie had been smashed to a million pieces after being in his pocket.

He’d splurged and gotten me a good one from my favorite deli.

Yum.

I took a bite as he answered.

“Shondra was in the shower when we found her,” he answered. “We took her out of there with soap suds still clinging to her skin.”

I snorted. “I hope she got shampoo in her eyes.”

Everyone in the room laughed.

“That’s my girl,” Dad said.





Chapter 20


My alone time is for your safety.

-T-shirt

Rowen

I got up and shuffled through the house on wary feet.

The last few days had been… rough.

There were no other words for what I’d experienced.

What Dax and I had experienced.

Thank God he was there as fast as he was.

If he hadn’t been…

I shivered as I made my way to the kitchen, my sights set on getting a cup of coffee, stat.

I was honestly going to hell.

I’d given Katy so much shit about drinking coffee when I’d first come home that I honestly should be apologizing.

It was literally the hardest thing ever to give up all caffeine.

I should know.

I’d tried.

No wonder she was so fierce when it came to keeping the few things she was allowed, even if it was only a certain amount a day.

Arriving at the coffeepot, I grinned wide at the cup that was waiting for me.

It read, ‘Hello, Beautiful.’

Smiling wide, I got my coffee started, then turned to the fridge.

The favorite part of my day sometimes was reading the little notes that Dax had left me.

I was sure it was the same for him.

But today? I was almost sick to my stomach.

The last note I’d read on that refrigerator had left a sour taste in my mouth.

I knew it hadn’t been from him, but it’d still been terrifying to read, and then to experience.

“Don’t be a weenie.” Dax’s warm, amused voice came from the kitchen doorway.

I snorted and turned, eyes closed.

“Open them,” he ordered.

I did and found my eyes settling there automatically.

‘Will you marry me?’

I felt my heart literally somersault inside my chest.

“Well?”

I turned to find Dax standing there, smiling.

I licked my lips and felt tears start leaking out of my eyes.

“I was scared to read that,” I admitted.

He walked forward and ran his hand down the length of my head, his fingers sifting through the short tendrils of hair that were covering my head while still avoiding the sore spot.

“I know,” he murmured. His eyes soft. “You’ll be okay.”

“I will,” I told him.

“I know it’s been such a short time,” he said. “I know that we’re young and you’re nervous and we’re just starting our careers and—”

“No,” I interrupted him. “I mean ‘I will,’” I said. “I will marry you.”

He grinned widely at me, then picked me up and twirled me around.

I didn’t even care that it made me dizzy or that my head was now throbbing a little bit harder.

Because seeing that smile on my man’s face?

Worth every single ounce of nausea that was coming my way.

I’d do anything—endure whatever pain I needed to—to see him smile.





Epilogue


I’m returning your nose. I found it in my business.

-Text from Rowen to Derek

Dax

“Hey,” I rumbled, sounding just as tired as I felt. “You eaten yet?”

There was a long silent pause, then the sound of chewing.

“Yes,” Rowen paused. “Was I not supposed to?”

I grinned weakly.

“No, you’re allowed to eat,” I corrected her. “I just wanted to make sure that you did. What are you eating?”

There was a long pause while I assumed she was swallowing, then she said, “A sandwich. I got too hungry to wait.”

That was okay.

She was seven months pregnant with my child.

I didn’t want her to wait.

I wanted her to eat when she needed to.

And, seeing as it was about five hours past when we were supposed to meet to get dinner, I didn’t blame her for not being able to wait.

“Why don’t you go get us a drink?” she suggested.

I would, had I not been tired as hell.

“I’m tired,” I admitted.

She sighed. “Okay.”

I frowned at the way the main road in Kilgore was so backed up.

“What’s the fuckin’ hold-up?” I muttered.

There had to be at least twenty cars in front of me holding up the turn lane.

“What was that?” she asked.