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Her leaving is my fault. But fuck, it’s not guilt that’s driving me to her. I meant what I said.
She’s my woman. My baby. And I know with a certainty that goes all the way to my bones, t
o the core of my dreams, that I love them both and that I’d do anything to see them safe.
I’d do anything for my family.
***
I’m already heading for the helipad, although there are still hours to the meeting time, and Rook and Storm have to physically haul me back to the house.
They insist we should have a plan. I can’t fucking see what the use of a plan is at this point, but I sit glaring at them, and it takes everything I have not to punch them both in the face and take off.
“Hey, are you paying attention?” Rook waves a hand in front of my face. “Snap out of it, man. I know you’ve had a few too many shocks today, but—”
“Can’t put them in more danger, Rook.” My hands are shaking, so I press them together and clench my jaw. “Tell me you get this.”
“Loud and clear, bro.” He nods, and something in my chest relaxes. “Nothing will be done until she is delivered to us alive and well. But after that, Hawk… After that, we need to have a damn plan in place.”
“If we have guys surrounding the place, they’ll know, goddammit.”
“Then we don’t have them surrounding the place, moron. We call them the moment we know Layla is out.”
“And then what?”
“And then we make our move. I have an idea.” Rook grins and it’s disturbing. This guy’s relaxed face is a scowl, so you can imagine. “You have to trust me on this.”
“Oh boy,” Raylin says, and yeah, that sums it up.
Damn. Shoot me now, why don’t you? Should be less painful than what Rook has in mind.
***
“Okay, any questions?” Rook asks, and the urge to knock his teeth out is back, coupled with the urge to go looking for that bottle of scotch.
“Nah.” This is worse than I imagined. Go figure. “Okay, recap. I let them grab me while you take Layla to safety.” So far so good. “Meanwhile you’ll have people surround the place, and I’ll take Sandivar hostage… and everyone attacks?”
“Solid plan,” Rook says.
Storm is staring at Rook, his eyes dark. “Am I the only one thinking this is a stupid plan?”
“Let’s hear your clever one, then,” Rook shoots back. “It may not be subtle, but it will work. The devil is in the details, like I told you.”
Yeah, he did. Damn, I wish I had his confidence.
Then again, it’s not his woman and kid on the line. It’s not him who’s got to make sure those pesky details are exactly right.
Not that it’s his fault. I’m the one who got myself into this mess in the first place, when I insisted getting kidnapped was a good way to find out some vital info.
That was then. Now I have a woman and a kid. Baby. Whatever. My mind freezes, like every time I remember this little fact—if the woman still wants me, that is. If I play my cards right, if I make sure she’s okay, and apologize enough, then maybe…
Maybe I won’t be alone anymore. I’ll have my own family. Layla is the one for me.
***
The devil is in the details.
I pat my right hip, then my left. All there. I touch the pen in the breast pocket of my blue shirt. Tap the brand new hearing aid in my ear.
