Page 141 of Rogue Mission

“You protect me, but allow me to be me,” Rosalie says emotionally. “As your wife, I promise to walk by your side in darkness and light. To have your six, and protect your heart with everything I’ve got.”

Well.

Damn.

There’s grins and tears, and fist bumps in our circle, and Justice seems to forget the sequence of events because he grabs Rosalie and kisses her like the world is about to end.

This goes on. And on.

Until he knocks the veil out of her hair.

“Hey!” Beast whistles. “You’re supposed to save that until you’re pronounced man and wife.”

Justice, not breaking away from the lip-lock flips Beast off with his middle finger.

It takes a throat clearing form the officiant to get things back on track. “Shall we continue?”

“By the power bestowed upon me, I pronounce you Mr. & Mrs. Justice Cruze.”

As a round of cheers go up, my phone vibrates in my pocket. Stepping back, I glance down.

Jade.

As if thinking about her made her call me. My pulse spikes predictably.

But the tightness she causes in my chest snaps into something different. Almost panic.

I step further back from the circle, thumbing the Answer button.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

Not sure why I take the liberty to call her that, but it rolls out of me.

“Ryker, I’m sorry to call now, I know you’re traveling, but…I need you.”

The world narrows to a pinpoint. “Where are you?”

“Texas,” she whispers. “Please—just come, my father’s on the warpath and I didn’t know who else to call.”

“Send me the address, I’ll be there as quickly as I can. I’m sending someone to keep you safe until I get there.”

The sniffing sounds she’s making when we hang up nearly crush my airway.

I have to get to her.Now.

My mind is already calculating the fastest way to make that happen as I bring up the contact in my phone for a guy I know in Texas.

When I turn back, Justice and Rosalie are wrapped in an embrace, the team surrounding them, laughter and champagne mixing with the music of the falls.

It’s perfect. It’s peace.

And I hope that I don’t ruin it.

I make my way through the crowd. Justice spots me first, brow furrowing at whatever he sees in my face.

“Hey, brother,” he starts, but my voice cuts roughly through my throat as I interrupt.

“I’m sorry, man. Congratulations to you both. This is beautiful. I hate to step out, but?—”

Rosalie’s hand goes to her chest, concern soft in her eyes. “Is everything alright?”

I shake my head, swallowing takes effort. “Jade, the girl from the donut place called. Something’s wrong. I’ve gotta get to Texas. Now.”

For a heartbeat, no one says a thing. Then Justice grips my shoulder, firm, steady. “Go. Let us know what you need.”

“Thanks. Happy for you guys.” I give them hugs, but my mind is already a thousand miles away.

Blessedly I know how to ride a horse, because when I mount up, there’s fire in my veins and a horse that knows how to run.