AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Brother, that woman doesn’t need any encouragement from me or anyone else. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”
Yes, it was definitely becoming much clearer now. And I loved her even more for it, although I wanted to tear down anyone who tried to hurt her.
“Chapman, and whoever else is in there, is expecting us from the front. But there’s a line of trees around the back. If we enter through there, he may not see us coming.”
Will looked beyond the farm to the trees behind it and smiled. “That’s my guy,” he smiled and patted my shoulder.
Adjusting my earpiece into place, I turned to Jager. “You stay with Maxine. Get Rodriguez to put her on the bullhorn to talk to him. Distract him as much as you can so we can go in from the back. Will, you come with me.”
Will inserted his earpiece and checked his holster. “Right behind you, brother.”
Walking over to my truck, my eyes met Nikole’s, and she nodded. It was as though she read the determined look on my face and knew I had a plan. It felt fucking amazing to know my girl trusted me, even though she would need some convincing to stay behind. I groaned a little inside, but I had an important role for her, too.
“What’s going on?” she asked when I opened my door.
“Will and I are going in from the back, from behind those trees.” I pointed to the small forest behind me.
Both Maxine and Nikole looked over my shoulder, and Nikole nodded. “That’s a good idea. Are the police coming too?”
“No. They’ll only get in the way. Will and I have done this a hundred times before.”
“Peacekeeping?” she asked with an arched brow.
“Yeah,” I said.
“What are we supposed to do?” asked Nikole. There was no annoyance in her voice, just a need to be useful. I respected that.
“Maxine, we need you to talk to Ed,” I said, and Maxine was already shaking her head.
“No, no. I can’t. He won’t listen to me.”
“I don’t need you to convince him of anything. We just need to keep him talking.” She seemed unsure but didn’t argue further.
The next part was difficult, but had to be said. “Nikole, you need to confirm that your mother is alive and well.”
Her body pulled back as though she’d been punched in the gut. It probably felt like it, too. “I don’t think he would have hurt her, but we need to know what we’re walking into. Jager has an earpiece that communicates directly with me and Will. He will tell us what the two of you find out.”
They both nodded, Nikole more enthusiastically than Maxine. I leaned over the console and kissed her lips. The creases on her brow smoothed a bit, and her frown straightened. “Be careful,” she said, and my heart swelled.
“I will.”
Will clapped his hands beside me. “All right, ladies. We need you to head over to Jager down there. We’re going to need this truck.”
My eyes were glued to Nikole’s, and she hadn’t moved an inch. Will nudged me and I reluctantly turned away. As I watched Nikole get out of the truck and walk away, a sinking feeling grew in my stomach. I always knew each time I walked into a mission, there was a chance I wouldn’t walk out. But this time, my heart messed with my head. Because I wanted to get back to her.
She must have read my mind or felt the tension in the air because when she was nearly halfway to Jager, Nikole turned around and ran back to me.
I pushed Will out of the way and met her on the road where she crashed into me and I’d never felt better.
Picking her up in my arms, I squeezed her body next to mine, wanting never to let her go.
Her hair covered my face and the scent reminded me of making love to her at night and waking up next to her in the morning. How powerful that smell had become to me that simply inhaling it and holding her in my arms could bring me back to heaven every time.
“I love you,” I whispered, and she shook her head.
As I slowly put her feet on solid ground, she grabbed my cheeks with both her hands. “Don’t say it like that.”
“Like what?” I ask, genuinely confused.
