JACE-1(Lane Brothers, Book 3)(43)

I feel shitty just realizing the toll this must be taking on him, and I lean forward to squeeze his shoulder.

“Roman will be okay, Miah. He’s too stubborn to let those assholes win.”

“Yeah.” The laugh he lets out is humorless and I drop my hand to lean back as he steers the car home.

Roman and Miah are more than brothers or blood. They’re best friends, even closer than Miah and Jared, and have been ever since the moment Ma took Roman in all those years ago.

Miah is not the eldest, but the man takes his role as a brother so seriously that I sometimes get the impression he thinks he’s our father or something. It must be killing him that Roman hasn’t been found yet, and even worse, it must be a source of debilitating guilt that it was his call to let Roman continue on this road, knowing this could happen.

I love all these guys equally, but if Jared ever went missing I think it would drive me freaking nuts, so I kind of understand that anger swirling beneath the surface.

The silence as we get closer to home becomes almost oppressive when Miah refuses to talk anymore, and I sigh my relief when he pulls into the drive and I’m able to slide free of the car moments later.

“Miah—”

“Get my little sister to bed and get some sleep yourself. You look beat and Ma will only put the screws to you if she catches you before you can get to your rooms. Go, I’ll keep her off your back for a while,” he mutters, opening the door and peeking in before waving me in with a grimace.

“Jace?”

“Yeah?” I ask, swinging around just at the foot of the stairs when he calls out softly.

“Thanks, man. I know it must have been hard to let your woman do that, despite the instinct screaming at you not to let her. Thanks. This is going to crack this case wide open, I just know it will.”

All I can do is nod because a lump has formed in my throat at the knowledge that this is Miah crying without tears.

“This is family.” I hear the words and look down to see Trace smiling sleepily at me, her eyes already closing again.

“Yeah,” I whisper, so overcome by it all that I don’t register taking the stairs or making the trek to my room as the emotions bombard me.

This is family. We live and love and laugh together, and when the bad times come we stick it out and do what it takes to bring our loved ones home safely.

For the first time ever, I realize that I can leave the SEALs and just live now, happily, because I already have all the family I need, and it’s all the stronger now because of Trace.

“God I love you, woman,” I whisper as I fling back the sheets and lower her to the bed.

“Hmm, love you, too,” she whispers, pulling me down and onto her small frame with a sleepy sigh before she opens her eyes to smile up at me. “Make love to me, Jace.”

The emotions overwhelm me as I seal our mouths and pour every drop of adoring devotion I feel right this minute as she kisses me back.

I make love to her, as tired as I am, because I can’t do anything but. I need her now more than ever, and I hope and pray that she needs me, too, because I’m damn positive that I won’t be able to live without her anymore.

She’s so peaceful and nothing like the frenzied woman I usually fight against for soft and slow lovemaking as I worship her with my hands and mouth before sliding up and pushing into her with a sigh.

This Tracy is calm and relaxed as her body opens up to accept my length into the tight, wet depths of her sex.

“Babe, you okay?” I whisper, flicking my nose against hers before kissing her deeply because I can’t help myself.

“I’m perfect now that we’re home and I have you,” she whispers back, flicking her own tongue against mine as I slowly rock into her, making sure to hit her every pleasure spot with every stroke.

Our breaths are combined and rushing out as I continue the slow glide into her and I smile down at her, loving that answer. I want her to feel the need for home, our home, and knowing that I fulfill part of her needs is so humbling, I struggle to keep the rhythm slow and gentle like she needs it when all I want to do right now is claim and mark her as mine.

“Tracy Mayfield.”

“Hmm?” she gasps when I hit a spot deep inside that makes her bow beneath me and yell out her pleasure when her orgasm suddenly hits and sends her sex contracting and clenching around me, followed by my own climax.

It’s only when I’ve fallen to the mattress beside her and have her back pressed against my chest that I gather enough strength and courage to say what I wanted to say before.

“Trace,” I whisper into her ear as my heart thunders in my chest.

“Hmm?”

“Will you marry me?”