Page 27 of Faron (The Golden Team #8)

Faron

T he sun clawed its way up the cracked blinds, catching in the strands of her wild hair splayed across my chest.

I was still here.

Still in her bed.

Still breathing.

And Blue… God, she was curled against me like she finally believed I wasn’t going anywhere. One leg tangled over mine. Her fingers tucked just under the hem of my shirt like she didn’t know how to let go.

Bear was at our feet, snoring like a freight train. His tail flicked with every slow exhale — as if he, too, could dream easy for once.

I let myself pretend.

Pretend we were just two broken people trying to learn softness again.

Pretend her clinic was safe. That no one wanted her dead. That I could keep her forever.

She stirred, murmured against my skin, “Hey, Cherokee.”

I smiled into her hair. “Hey, Doc.”

And then my phone buzzed.

Once. Then again. Then again.

I didn’t move.

“You gonna get that?” she mumbled.

“Not if it ruins this.”

She lifted her head, eyes bleary but amused. “Answer it, Lightfoot. Or I swear I’ll drop it in the sink.”

I groaned, grabbed it, thumbed the screen.

Cyclone.

Shit.

“Lightfoot,” I answered, voice rough.

“We got a hit this morning. Name drop. Yours. Not street-level. Organized. Serious muscle. They don’t want you in the way.”

“Location?”

He didn’t even pause. “Blue’s clinic. Word is they’re circling. You need to move. Now. River and I are en route.”

The call cut off.

I sat up so fast I nearly dumped Blue onto the floor. She swore, scrambled up after me.

“What is it?”

I cupped her face. Brushed my thumb over the red mark on her neck — one of a dozen I’d left last night in love and claim and ruin.

“They’re coming for us. Not just Rico. This is bigger. They don’t want me near you. They want you scared and unprotected.”

She shoved my hand away, eyes hard.

“Then we fight, Cherokee. We don’t run.”

Bear barked once at the door — deep and certain.

Outside, an engine idled too long.

I grabbed my jeans, my sidearm, and her hand all in one breath.

“Stay behind me. And stay mean.”

Her grin was the only thing in this world sharper than my blade.

“Always.”