The Squad

I know my brother had only agreed because he trusted a few of the others, like Blade and Summers, and had dealt with Lyon once or twice in the last year and had grown some kind of fondness for the guy. I stopped my little mind fart when she jumped off the bed and grabbed her stuff. “Let’s go!”

“What?” Is this some kind of trick? I thought for sure I was going to have a battle on my hands.

“What do you mean?”

“You said we have to be out of here soon, right, so let’s go.” I looked at her trying to read her, but she wasn’t giving anything away. “Why the sudden change of heart?” I looked at her skeptically as I tried to recall if I’d said anything that would’ve facilitated this, but there was nothing that jumped out at me.

Surely it wasn’t my talk about the FEDs closing in on her. I got the feeling she didn’t give a shit about that. So what the hell just happened to make her this damn agreeable? To say that I’m suspicious of her actions is an understatement. But still, this is what I came here for right.

“Fine, let me go tell the others, and we can go.”

“I’ll go downstairs with you; I don’t need you to speak for me.” She tried walking past me out the door, and I grabbed her. So much for not manhandling her any longer. I ignored the kill lights in her eyes because this shit was serious. “You don’t go anywhere near them, understood.” She bared her teeth and got in my face. “Who…the fuck…are you?”

Don’t do it, Jason. Oh, fuck it! I pulled her in all the way and brushed her lips with mine. Soft as butterfly’s wings, even softer than the one outside and just as brief, but each one went straight to my gut. I also like the way my kisses seem to shut her up and make her stupid. I like even more the dazed look on her face and the way she blinked as if coming out of a stupor when I let her go.

“Come!” I took her hand and led her from the room, and she let me… for the first few seconds until her brain started working again.

“Hey, get off, and don’t do that again.”

“Sorry, can’t comply.” I held onto her hand and all but dragged her down the stairs when she proved to be difficult.

The others looked like they’d settled in for the long haul, no doubt expecting it to take hours for me to talk her around. So there were a lot of surprised looks when I told them we were ready to bounce. Each of them looked from me to her and back before looking at each other. There was even a look of respect on some of their faces, but Lyon was the only one who seemed skeptical at this sudden turn of events.

“He snapped his fingers at her from across the room and pointed at the bag over her shoulder. “You gonna give those up, or are you going to promise me right here and now that you’re not going to try to hurt any of the women and children on that island?” I didn’t think of everyone here that I could tell him not to talk to her directly, and besides, he had a valid point. I hadn’t thought of that. That we were taking a killing machine to a secluded island with women and children loaded down with deadly weapons.

That’s because I innately trusted her without question. What the fuck?

“Would you trust me, take my word for it?” She asked him as the two of them sized each other up.

“Yes!” He didn’t even hesitate, something I’m sure would’ve been different had she been male. Or maybe it’s because of what she’d been through. The guy seems to be much deeper than his appearance would suggest. Then again, I guess he’d have to be if like Mancini said he’s the heir to this outfit.

His answer seemed to throw her back a little, and for the first time since I took her from that warehouse, I saw a softening around the edges. “Fine, I promise, but how come you didn’t add the men to that equation?”

“If they let you kick their ass, that’s on them. Let’s go. My fucking wife and kids have been way too fucking far away from me for too long.”

The others got to their feet and stretched before we all headed for the door. I was still trying to figure out why she’d agreed to come along so easily, but I guess you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Now I’m nervous as hell and don’t know why.

When we reached the plane, the pilot was already there waiting. Things were a little tight in the cabin, or at least it seemed that way to me even though it hadn’t on the way here. The shit was big enough to hold at least six more easily, but with her, in the mix, it seemed like everyone else was too close for comfort.