Page 55
With a groan, he pushed away from the table, glancing around for Whitley who was supposed to join him for dinner. She was nowhere in sight, which must mean she was running a bit late in the clinic.
He grabbed the banana off his tray and ate it on the way to the security office. When he entered, Ayla looked up with a smile. “They’re waiting for you.”
He dipped his head in acknowledgement and strode to the meeting. Nearly the entire team was gathered, from the Malone brothers to Dutch and Crew from the training facility.
At his appearance, Carson nodded toward the vacant seat, and he drew it up to the table.
Carson called the room to order, and every head turned toward the big screen. Monk stared back at them.
He spoke without preamble. “We had a team hit a Talon safehouse tonight, trying to get ahead of whatever they’re planning against the ATF agent’s widow. We wanted to brief you before it goes any further.”
Everyone went still.
Monk continued, “When we hit the safehouse, only three men were on site. After questioning, they gave up the rest of the team’s location.”
The air in the room tightened.
“Wyoming.”
Monk let that sit a beat.
“They’re headed for the widow.”
The room went sharp and focused in an instant.
Carson didn’t waste time. “We need bodies on this now, as many as we can spare. Denver, your skills are required. Colt, Gray.” His gaze swept the room and landed on Wyatt. “Rhodes, you’re with them. Crew’s on transport.”
At the sound of his name, Wyatt felt a hook in his midsection. He was in. Even though he didn’t have the same kind of training as the rest, he was confident he could do this.
Carson looked at them all in one final sweep. “Understood?”
A chorus of agreement answered him, and Wyatt joined half a second after the others, delayed by the adrenaline already spiking in his system at the reality of what he’d just agreed to.
The room cleared out in seconds and Wyatt moved with the rest of the team.
In a thunder of boots they rushed to the lockers to gear up. He took his cues from the other men when selecting his own gear. Denver checked his mags twice without looking. Colt taped down a loose strap on his body armor without breaking conversation with Gray. They were small motions that spoke of experience Wyatt didn’t have yet.
But he’d trained for weeks under Reno, Church and Gabe. He knew what he was doing. He just hadn’t done it yet.
Gray tossed something at him without warning, and he caught it out of reflex, closing his fingers around a folded paper bag.
He turned it over. “What’s this for?”
“You look like you’re about to barf.” Gray’s mouth twitched as he fought a grin. “First live op does that even to the best.”
A round of chuckles rippled through the group, and heat crawled up Wyatt’s neck even as he grinned back, taking the ribbing the way it was meant instead of taking offense.
He grabbed a weapon off the rack and slid a clip into it, double-checking the safety before he holstered it.
The guys dispersed as a group, moving toward the vehicle. He was halfway across the parking lot when he glanced up and saw Whitley hurrying down the path from the community garden.
His insides lit up when he spotted her, and she continued walking, unaware that he was watching her. When she saw him, her face transformed, and in that moment he knew, without doubt.
He was in love with her.
He took in the smudge of dirt along her jaw where she must have brushed a gloved hand across her face. Though he was breaking formation with his team, he crossed to her before he made the decision.
They shared a smile that warmed his entire body. “You’ve got a little—” He reached out and wiped away the smudge with his thumb. “There. Adorable, by the way.”
