What I Should Have Said (Anchors and Eagles #1)

by R.L. Atkinson

Noah’s head dipped toward me. “I’m straight and even I think he’s hot.”

Lmaooo

He had morphed into death itself. “My team and I breached the entrance, and, within two minutes, found our target. He was neutralized without a scream. The entire undisclosed compound was painted red by the time we were done. Most details of this mission are classified, but just note that the operation was such a success that remaining enemy combatants thought it was an inside job and they ended up turning on each other. Gutting each other like pigs at slaughter.”

Griffin spoke again, emotionless, unmistakable venom directed at the man who was stalking me. “I can make death look like an accident. Like it was a cheating spouse. Like it was the side piece, a jealous kid, or leave so little that there are no suspects and not a body part left to put in a fucking wooden box to send home to your mommy.”

RAW. NEXT QUESTION 😋 this man is in a school talking like this😂

He was threatening the very man who had clearly passed the realm of creeper. He had exposed the coward. “Be very careful what you do next,”

as I watched him flee, left with another reason to be grateful Griffin had been around. Instead of it feeling inconvenient, I was happy he was here. It was oddly relieving. And a little terrifying. Owing Griffin felt more weighted now. More… bound.

“Thank you, by the way,”

He furrowed his brows. “For what you did when Sam appeared.” “What’s his deal anyway?” Griffin asked, and I shrugged. “It’s a long story,” I muttered. “I’ve got plenty of time.”

I decided to just tell him. “He hit me because I refused to kiss ...

“Well, I guess I’ll just tell everyone that we met when you sat on my face in the gym then.” “You wouldn’t dare.” I pushed off of the desk and stepped closer to him. “Try me.” He stood, towering over me. “It would make our relationship believable, considering it’s been a long time since I’ve let a girl sit on my face.”

AHHHH🤭

“So, that’s your thing.”

“You’d like it,” he said, his voi...

“Except, apparently it’s been so long, I bet you’ve forgotten how ...

“Want to find out? Because all that time without has left me with quite the appetite,”

RAW. NEXTTTT QUESTION 🥵

“They’ve rented an Airbnb in Bear Lake. The Utah side, actually. We’ll leave Friday, I guess once you’re done with work, and come back Sunday.”

“What?! I thought this was like a couple-of-hours-on-Saturday type thing.” “Me too,” he

“Nope. Not happening. I am NOT staying overnight with so...

“Oh come on. Again, have you forgotten that you’ve alread...

Enough was enough, and I shot out of my chair, fists ready to sla...

So, I threw my left, and he clamped around that one, too, letting me wriggle like a worm on a hook.

“Stop.”

“...

I was strong, but he was stronger.

“Jane. Stop,” he said again, his voice light as he chuckled.

“Let. Me. Go.” I grunted, shoving as hard as I could against his grip, and this time he twisted me around and p...

crashed against him and no longer was I the only one breathing heavily. I could feel the tension in his body vibrating through the both of us. Holdin...

I squirmed in his grip, a girlish giggle full of frustration and humo...

“Stop, smart ass,” he teased, his gravelly voice tickling me close above my ear as I pushed uselessly against his hands that ...

Maybe this weekend wasn’t going to be so terrible. Plus, getting away meant even more distance between Sam and me.

“If it makes you that uncomfortable, I’ll get you a hotel or something,” he whispered,

I slowly shook my head. No. I wanted him close, no matter how rocky of a start we were off to. “We aren’t sh...

“A floor is not the worst thing I’ve slept on.”

A gentleman 🥺

Without thinking, I reached up and traced his jawline with my fingers. Just as I had when we kissed. Drifting gently along his skin, I brushed my touch across his brows, the tension in his face slowly melting away. He closed his eyes as I let my hand fall back to my side. This man carried the weight of the world.

And even though it seemed to be burning around him in a way I didn’t understand, he kept the flames to himself. In a way I also couldn’t make sense of.

“Watch where you lay down next time, I can’t have another girl sitting on my fake boyfriend’s face until after we fake break up,”

“And you watch where you sit down. I don’t want to beat up another guy because my fake girlfriend wasn’t watching whose face she decided to sit on.”

Ahh this banter🫶🫶

“I didn’t decide to sit on your face, Griffin! It was an accident!” I cried out as he exited the classroom.

“Whatever you say, smart ass,” I heard him say as he disappeared into the hallway.

We stared at each other for a bit but never once approached the other. I wasn’t really sure why, but there didn’t seem to be this intense need to converse with him. Just catching him watching me was enough. Me looking at him was enough.

In my mirror, a disheveled apparition stared back. My hair stuck out at strange angles from the messy bun I’d wrapped it in.

and a few of my old acne scars were glaringly evident upon my cheeks. My light-colored lashes looked nonexistent without mascara, with the added effect of making my pale-gray eyes look even larger and rounder.

This was a face that desired love, yet I wasn’t sure I was deserving of what my parents had. Of what I craved. All the horrible names I’d once been called in high school came flooding back. Strange. Pizza face. Bug eyes. How odd that I could go from feeling so confident and sure of myself to feeling like absolute dog shit in minutes.

My heart 😭🥺

My eyes drifted to the picture of my dad. I needed him now more than ever, and he wasn’t here.

On so many different levels this statement means so much to so many different people

It wasn’t supposed to be my responsibility to take care of my mom. I wasn’t supposed to eventually walk down the aisle at my wedding alone.

I bared my teeth in a smile. Out loud, I told the girl with the soft cheeks and pretty smile that she was a badass—strong as an ox, smarter than many, and muscular in all the right places—and she should never forget that. The confidence that my dad had constantly drilled into me flooded back in full-force. He was gone, but what he taught me didn’t have to be.

🥺❤️

“Griffin?” “Hey, smart ass.”

“Griffin,”

“There’s my good girl,”

“Why do you wear those?”

“Wear what?” “Those glasses. I’ve only ever seen you wear them at school and then once at the antique shop. I get not wearing glasses at the gym, but even at the grocery store you didn’t have them on.” He tapped the black rim and then returned his attention to the road.

“To see?” I questioned, and he pulled a mocking face.