Neil (The Uncompromising Series Book 2) Read Online Free

in Florida, I sucked at geography.
    “North of Kazakhstan and Mongolia.”
    Score one for me. I had the north part right. “Well, that clears things up.” Not. “Why were you there?”
    “The military sent me. Is it by choice that you do not know where he is?”
    I couldn’t help it, I laughed.
    Viking’s brow ticked. “Why is that funny?”
    “Women don’t choose to raise a kid by themselves, not where I come from.” You worked hard and you saved harder. If you were lucky, you lived with three generations of relatives in a small concrete block square outside a flood zone where everyone shared a bathroom and a TV. I wasn’t lucky. My mom split two months ago and I was waiting to be evicted because I couldn’t afford the rent on a two-bedroom apartment.
    Viking didn’t comment.
    I waited a few minutes for more questions but when they didn’t come, I leaned my head back. The interior of the car smelling like spicy musk and man, the hum of the big diesel engine as it roared down the highway, the comfort of not being alone at night for the first time in forever… it was intoxicating. Exhaustion swooped in and I fell asleep.

S OMETHING SCRATCHY TICKLED THE SIDE of my face. My limbs heavy, my body perfectly warm, I ignored it until hard muscles swept under me and I was airborne. My eyes flew open just as Viking lifted me out of the truck.
    “Hey!” I struggled but his arms tightened. “Put me down.”
    “No.” He pushed the passenger door shut with his shoulder and started toward my complex.
    Going from blissful sleep to heart-pounding surprise in two seconds flat, I panicked. “Where’s Conner?” I tried to look over Viking’s shoulder but he was a wall of muscle.
    “Already inside.” He hit the first flight of stairs.
    “You left him alone?” Oh my God . “That’s not safe!” I kicked against his hold.
    As if I weighed nothing, he curled his arms in and lifted. I smashed against his chest and air whooshed out of my lungs. His gaze fixed on mine and he halted midstep. “Calm down.”
    “You calm down!” My heart racing, my breath coming in short bursts, I didn’t know why I was so upset but I was.
    His tone took a one-eighty and a soft cadence started flowing out of his mouth. “He is asleep in his crib and the door is locked. He has only been alone for two minutes. He is safe.”
    His reassurance worked. My heart continued to pound erratically because his arms were too strong and he smelled too good, but my anxiety disappeared like smoke in the wind. I grasped for something logical to say. “My keys.”
    He nodded. “I have them.”
    We were so close, a few inches and I could kiss him. But I couldn’t imagine Viking kissing. Or caressing, or doing anything affectionate besides holding my son. “You can put me down now.”
    “You are not wearing shoes.” He redirected his unwavering stare and we were moving again.
    My arms wrapped around his neck and I pretended I got carried all the time. But I didn’t. I’d never been picked up by a man, let alone carried. I wasn’t a hundred-pound supermodel. I had thighs and hips and curves all over, and Viking wasn’t even breaking a sweat. He rounded the first flight and took the second as if carrying a hundred-and-forty pounds of woman was nothing. And because I couldn’t keep my mouth shut, I said the first thing that popped out. “You’re strong.”
    “You are stubborn,” he countered.
    I was this close to a snappy retort of denial but I caught myself. “I’m independent.” There was a difference.
    He didn’t reply. He stopped at my front door and without putting me down, somehow managed to use my key and let us in. Once we were inside, he closed the door then carefully let go of my legs.
    Needing distance from him, I turned but his hand shot out and caught my wrist. Thick fingers wrapped around my skin and heat raced up my arm.
    I tried to retreat. “I have to check on Conner.”
    His hold tightened. “Your cell phone has a broken