Page 61 of Viking

Emotion swells in my chest, hot and sudden. I press a hand to my heart, like that might hold it together.

His eyes close for a second, and when they open again, they’re shining with something raw. “I don’t know what’s ahead,” he murmurs. “But I know I don’t want it without you.”

“I…” My voice breaks, a fragile thing in the space between us, thick with everything we can’t say yet. Words caught behind ribs, beating loud in the quiet. He’s halfway around the world, and still, he’s the only person I want to tell things to. But how do I say that to someone who counts down the days until he can fly back into danger, whose entire world is built around duty and sacrifice? Someone who wakes up every day willing to put his life on the line without hesitation because he loves it, because it’s in his blood, because flying isn’t just what he does, it’s who he is?

How do you tell a man like that that you’re falling for him, when you know he’d walk into fire without looking back if it meant protecting the people he cares about? When you know he’d choose the mission, the team, the greater good—every single time?

You don’t.

You let him carry that weight without adding your own. You smile through the ache in your chest and pretend it’s just harmless flirtation, not the beginning of something that could hollow you out if you’re not careful.

So I swallow the words. Bury them deep and pray they don’t splinter through the cracks in my voice. Because the last thing he needs right now is my heart in his hands—not when he’s already carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Before I can say anything more, the door behind him swings open fast. Logan’s expression shifts from charming to murderous in half a second.

“Hey, James, you going to hog the Wi-Fi all night, or can I call my mom?” Ryan’s voice cuts through the quiet, laced with teasing warmth.

Logan groans, dragging a hand over his face. “Carter, get the fuck out.”

Ryan steps into view, leaning into the frame with an obnoxiously wide grin. His hair is slightly damp. His flight suit is unzipped to his waist and he’s wearing a T-shirt that says Fly Like You Stole It.

I slap a hand over my mouth to stifle my laugh as Logan looks moments away from strangling him.

“Hey, Lila,” Ryan says, waggling his fingers at the screen. “What’d I interrupt? Logan looks like he’s ready to fight someone.”

“Nothing,” I squeak, my face flaming, slightly grateful I wasn’t able to finish my sentence.

“Nothing,” Logan deadpans, glaring daggers at him. “Get out, Carter.”

Ryan snorts, leaning into the frame with his signature cocky grin. "Miss me?"

I laugh. "Always, Ryan!"

Logan grumbles. "Please don’t encourage him."

Ryan’s grin widens, ignoring Logan entirely. "Well, I’m here to make sure you know the truth about this idiot." He jerks a thumb at Logan. "You wouldn’t believe how hopeless he was trying to find you before you joined the team. Guy had all the subtlety of a brick through a window."

Logan scowls. "Carter."

Ryan ignores the warning, leaning closer like he’s sharing classified information. "It’s a good thing he’s an exceptional pilot because he’d never make it in intel. His ‘research’ skills are tragic."

I cover my mouth to stifle a laugh, while Logan groans and scrubs a hand over his face. "I swear, one of these days—"

"Yeah, yeah. Threats, threats." Ryan waves him off like an annoying little brother. "Anyway, Lila, don’t let this guy fool you. He snores."

"Carter!" Logan snaps, shoving him out of the frame.

From somewhere off-screen, Ryan yells, "Loudly!"

I’m laughing so hard I can barely catch my breath. "Bye, Ryan! Stay safe!"

"Always am." He leans back in and flashes one last grin before walking off.

Logan glares after him, then turns back to me with a resigned sigh. "I regret every life choice that led me to being friends with him."

I grin. "You love him."

"Unfortunately," he says shaking his head, but I can see the corner of his lip turning up like he’s fighting a smile.