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It’s ruined, Jesse thought, watching the heart pu to want that now

“Wait, wait I brought more, just a second” Jesse waved over the thin blond woet and she, in turn, led Wain and a , and the—”

Jesse woke to the sound of a key sliding into the lock on his back door The dream vanished and he traveled froift from the United States Army He could kill a man in a hundred ways and he hadn’t fallen fully asleep in over six years

The pain ht made his brain feel thick and stupid, but the well-honed instinct in him was still razor sharp

He crept from the couch, barefoot and in his blue jeans, toward the back door, where he had heard the distinct sound of a lock sliding open

Wainwright snored on his pillow

So you turned out to be

He fully expected Rachel to be busting in, and he relished letting her know in no uncertain ter in this house were over

But he yanked open the door only to find Mac Edwards, his ars Jesse rocked back on his heels

“Help a guy out, would you?” Mac asked over the perforated edge of one of the bags The look in his light blue eyes went through Jesse like a knife It was the look his ladness to see him

“I don’t—” Jesse started, but Mac stepped in and pushed the bags into Jesse’s chest Instinctively, Jesse caught Mac’s burden and Mac used the opportunity to barge in

“Nice one,” Jesse growled, his throat rusty

“Old trick I learned from a nine-year-old,” Mac said over his shoulder He walked past Jesse, through the small mudroom and into the kitchen

The nine-year-old Mac referred to was hi Rachel and Mac’s every step