The Squad

He stopped at my indrawn breath.

“Catalina?”

“Yes, don’t worry, he didn’t get very far, and she wasn’t hurt. My guys and I have been doing this long before we ever even heard about you, so have the others here. Our very reason for coming together like this is to save as many innocents like yourself. Your friends won’t be the first, and they won’t be the last.”

“You’ve done this before?”

“Yes, and I give you my word that we will get them out. No one will be left behind. So what do you say?”

I want so badly to believe him; to have that kind of help would be beyond my wildest imagination, and if what he’s saying is true, then it would solve so much. But how…?

I looked into his eyes, eyes that held no guile, no artifice, and without a second thought, let go of the burden I’d been carrying on my own for so long.

“Waterford, Virginia.”

“Thank you, Roxy, for trusting me. I promise not to betray that trust. Now you just relax and let me and the others take care of things. It may take us a few days to get things in order before heading out.”

“Wait, are you bringing them here?”

“I doubt it; we have a safe house back on the mainland that’s ready for them.”

“But I want to see them.”

“That’s something you’ll have t take up with your man.”

“What? I don’t need his permission.”

“I’m sorry to tell you this, but you do. That’s part of belonging to one of us. And before you ask, none of us will go against the other where our women are concerned. I’d tell you to take lessons from my wife, but she doesn’t listen for shit either.”

He grumbled something under his breath that I didn’t catch before getting to his feet. As if being summoned, Jason came striding onto the lanai. The two men exchanged a look, and I wondered just what the heck I’d gotten myself into.

“Don’t look so worried, babe; you did the right thing telling him.”

“Were you listening in on our conversation like Catalina? That kid is too much.”

“That reminds me, there’s something I need to tell you about her.” The inflection in his voice had me looking up from the plate of fruit I’d just been about to raid. Just what could that innocent baby have done to put that look on his face and that tone in his voice?