My heart thundered, knowing this story wouldn’t have a happy ending since I hadn’t

heard Kip talk about a wife or a daughter. Not once.

“I tried to convince Kip to get out when his daughter was born,” Rowan said, his volume lower. “He didn’t need to be risking his life when he had everything to live for. His stubbornness runs deep, though, so he stayed. And so did I. Because I didn’t have a wife and daughter at home, and because I considered it my job to make sure he made it home to them in one piece. But I had a sick feeling. One I couldn’t shake. That I’d be knockin’ on their door, telling my best friend’s wife that I’d been unable to protect him, that their daughter would never know her father. But it didn’t turn out that way.”

He gritted his teeth. “They died while we were out on a mission,” he ground out. “Car accident. His wife died on impact. Their little girl somehow held on for three days. Three fuckin’ days. They knew… our superiors. But they couldn’t get us out. Or wouldn’t. Don’t know which. By the time we got home, they’d already had the funeral. Already buried them.”

My heart hurt at the horrors Kip had gone through. Loss I couldn’t even fathom someone could recover from. I tried to reconcile that with the Kip I knew... Always smiling, womanizing, never hinting at a past in ruins.

Then I remembered the night when Rowan had left, speaking about needing to pick up Kip from the bar. I thought of the dinners he had alone.

“His family are good people,” Rowan continued. “But overbearing. He couldn’t be around them, the memories of our hometown. Had to leave. I was more than willin’ to go with him. I wasn’t exactly in the best place after coming home either. I was not the man my family had known before.”

I got up from my seat so I could curl into his arms, unable to be so far from him, hearing the pain in his voice. We hadn’t spoken in depth about what he’d told me that night in the parking lot. About the people he killed. What he’d seen. The fact that he’d said it was enough. Uttered words I knew he hadn’t said to anyone.

“I love you,” I said.

Rowan blinked at me in surprise, which made sense. It was an unusual time for me to finally say it. But I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

I ran my hand down the stubble on his cheek. “I love the man you are,” I whispered. “Every single part of you. I love what you do for your friends. Your family. I love what you do for me. How you make me feel. I love you.”

Rowan gazed into my eyes. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ, Nora,” he growled, standing us both up so I was in his arms.

“I’m not a fuckin’ twenty year old anymore, but you’re making it impossible not to have my cock in you after hearin’ that.” He threw me on the bed.