Free Bound By Blood: (The Betrayed Series Book 2) by Victoria Renteria

with the motion.
    “If it weren’t for you, Brighton, Sam, and Cooper, I don’t know where I’d be today.” Shuddering, he turns, hitting me with the intensity of his gaze.
    “When it comes down to it, Alex . . . I don’t even know if I’d be alive. Let’s face it, we reap what we sow, and if that’s the case, I would have ended up dead from a drug deal gone wrong. History has a tendency to repeat itself, and it’s up to us to break the cycle. But Kylee . . . Kylee is something different. I could tell from the moment she joined us around the hibachi. We all could. You want to know why I do this? It’s not just an Op. I don’t do it just for you. I do it for her. I feel this draw . . . this intense need to protect her. Kylee, she’s like one of those rare shooting stars you find, and once you grab hold of it, you make a wish and never let go.”
    The substantial weight of Noah’s words, along with his intent scrutiny, has my chest tightening. On instinct, I reach up, rubbing along the crease between my pecs to alleviate some of the pressure. For once in my life, I’m speechless. It’s not that I don’t feel the exact same way about the guys because I do. I just never took the time to stop and think about how deep the connection between all of us runs. Shit, it’s just not something we do. Well, at least not something I do.
    Fuck, I’m an asshole. Noah’s chuckle interrupts my inner musings. Frowning, I glance in his direction briefly before turning my gaze back to the store.
    “Try not to sulk so much, big guy,” Noah says, clearly amused.
    “I am not sulking,” I rumble.
    Noah’s laughter gets a little louder in the small space. “Yeah right. Next thing you know, you’re going to try telling me you weren’t thinking that you’re a grade-A asshole for only thinking about yourself? Hmm?”
    My eyes widen just a fraction. Son of a bitch. He pegged me. He nailed it, hook, line, and sinker. Guess that’s what happens when you work with someone twenty-four hours a day for the last six years. I mean, he is right. He is family.
    Hell, I see him more than I see my own family. Heck, I like him better than my own family. A laugh flows from my lips as that thought crosses my mind. Noah’s brow furrows as he looks at me quickly before moving his focus back to the business.
    “Okay, who are you and what have you done with AJ?” Noah asks.
    The use of my nickname has me tossing a smirk in his direction. Pretending to be shocked beyond belief, Noah throws himself back onto his chair. With enormously wide eyes, he hurls his arm to his forehead, palm facing out, and lets out a loud gasp.
    “Y-You smiled. W-What is wrong with you?” he breathes out in a shocked whisper, pointing to me with his free hand.
    Unable to contain the amusement raging through me any longer, my chest expands as deep peals of laughter rumble out viciously, spilling into the open air. Tipping my head back, I gasp desperately, trying to suck in breaths between bouts of laughter. My laughter is ongoing for several moments before I greedily suck in a breath through my nose. Letting my head fall forward, I catch the humorous expression on Noah’s face. It truly is comical. Noah with his black hair, green eyes, and 6’2” frame sitting slack-jawed with enormously wide eyes. It’s almost enough to throw me into another round of laughter.
    I swear, if Noah hadn’t joined the Army, he would have made a great actor. Hell, a great comedian. The man has a penchant for theatrics. It’s one of the things I love most about my brother. He makes us laugh even in the direst of situations. Noah says he doesn’t know what he would have done without us, but frankly, I don’t think he realizes the effect he’s had on the rest of us. The thought sobers me, draining away the solace that was brought on by the temporary elation.
    Tightness manifests in my throat, causing me to clear it several times before I can speak.
    “You know . . . we