Page 83 of Range
I drew in a deep breath at the realization that the day had come for me to pack my belongings and move from the safety zone I’d made myself comfortable in. It wasn’t suitable for me anymore. I was born to take risks. I was taught to take risks. And, I lived to take risks.
They fueled my inner being, bringing me sheer joy and contentment. Kason had been a crutch. A temporary fix. A pit stop. A bargain chip. A safety net.
I didn’t want it anymore.
I didn’t want him anymore.
I didn’t want the predictability anymore.
I wanted the risk. I craved it. I couldn’t shake it. I came for it every night as I closed my eyes and replayed the moment his fingers strung me like a vintage guitar.
The time I’d promised him had come to an end. I’d avoided the correctional facility for twelve days, hoping to clear my head and get a sense of the direction I was headed in. I needed to be confident in my decision and uninfluenced by the presence of Josiah. He’d have my head all fuzzy. My brain fried. My thoughts failing.
Maybe now is the time, I reasoned.
Kason was a few feet away. He’d planned our date to a science and had done exceptionally well. There hadn’t been a detail he hadn’t considered, other than the style and size of the boat we were on. It was smaller than I was accustomed to, but still beautiful.
It is time.
Prolonging the conversation benefited no one but Kason. And, since the start of our relationship, he’d benefited enough. It was obvious in our everyday lives and in the engagement speech at dinner that night.
I opened my eyes, immediately astonished by the dimness around me. Darkness replaced the sun’s glow. But, night had yet to fall.
I lifted my body from the oversized silk scarf beneath me. The culprit came into full view. A yacht, four times the size of the vessel my ass was pressed against was shockingly close. The lack of space between us was discomforting.
“Range!” Kason called out to me.
My brows furrowed. I could feel them attempt to center on my forehead. I lowered my hand and gripped the Glock strapped to my thigh holster. Simultaneously, I stood.
The letters on the side of the yacht were big and bold. They were a cursive font, but quite easy to make out.
B. L. A. C. K.
I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth. Haughtiness was all around me. And, it should’ve been spelled out on the side of the yacht.
W. O. O. D.
“Baby–” Kason’s hand went around my waist as he pulled me toward him. “Step away from the edge.”
I closed my eyes as reality hit me like a sack of bricks. He didn’t have a holster. Or a Glock on his side. He didn’t own an arsenal. He didn’t possess the protective trait. He was ready to shoot. Neither did he have an aim.
I moved closer to the edge, seeking more information. Kason didn’t come along. Instead, he remained grounded.
“Range!”
I turned to face him. The movement from the ship made it hard to hear him. I projected my voice as I watched him cower. He was confused. He was concerned. But, he wasn’t prepared. And, that, for me, was an issue.
“This won’t work, Kason.”
“What?”
“You and I,” I explained, cutting the distance between us.
He was in the safety zone, quite literally. I wanted to be on the edge. To live on the edge. To love on the edge.
I slid the ring from my finger and took him by the hand. I lowered the beautiful diamond onto his palm.
“We were fun, Kason. I never wanted to complicate things with rings and unnecessary titles. Maybe because I always knew there was someone better for me. Maybe because I always knew there was something better for me. I am a soldier, Kason. No matter how soft. No matter how sweet. No matter how pretty.
