“Don’t fucking do that,” I order, pausing to radio the guy waiting on the ground before glancing at him again. “Don’t act like this is some fun, easy op for you. No faking it, remember? At least not in front of me.”
His face falls, and he swallows thickly. “Sorry.”
I shake my head. “No apologies. Just…when it’s the two of us, let’s not pretend this will be easy.”
He looks down, playing with the lace hem of his skirt as he exhales a shaky breath.
“I was so happy to take these motherfuckers off the map that I never paused to imagine how coming here would feel.”
“Hey.” I reach across the console to rub his back. “You don’t have to do this. Look over there—Tolly’s docking right now. You can change now and just go straight to the boat and wait for the kids. I’ll take care of the rest. Or if you think talking with the kids will be too hard, stay on the plane.”
Another glance at his outfit fucks with my chill all over again. He looks like jailbait while I get to wear some high-end resort-wear brand. I’m wearing linen shorts and boat shoes, for God’s sake, and my shirt, a loose navy cotton, costs more than a family’s average monthly salary.
Hell, I’m even wearing my hair down for that billionaire-about-town look, and the only positive is how much Ant likes it. If it weren’t for the kids we’re saving and the explosives we’ll be planting, I’d turn this plane around right the fuck now.
His eyes track the sleek yacht as it approaches the private dock. Tolly is an old friend and a key component of today’s mission, and he would absolutely jump in if Ant wanted to sit this one out.
Ant lets out a long breath and pats his chest. “No, I need to do this. To know we’re giving these kids a way off this hellhole.”
I kiss his hand. “Seriously, baby. You don’t need to be on the pointy end with this mission. Nobody would blame you.”
He sends me a weak smile, then takes a fortifying breath. “I’m not going to lie and say I’m super awesome right now, but two things are getting me through this: you and the thought of blood dripping from my blade.”
“Wow,” I joke as I gently lower our altitude. “Top billing over murder. I’m so honored.”
He pushes my shoulder, and my belly tightens at the contact.
“Shut up,” he says through a hard-fought grin.
I reach over and pull on a pigtail, and he shifts uncomfortably. I’m immediately flooded with guilt. “Fuck, I’m sorry. You know I’m not trying to—”
“Hey,” he says, putting his hand on my arm. “You know how I know you’re a good guy?”
I shake my head as I look out the window, lining up to the small runway.
“This disturbs you. As will my voice, as will the fact that I’m about to walk two feet behind you. What this island has to offer isn’t in the same universe as kink or drag or anything fun. Those guys don’t want to know I’m of age and consenting. They’d much prefer underage and against my will. The cruelty is the point.”
“God, I just want to take this place down to the sand.”
“Oh, we will. But rescue before mass destruction.”
“A good rule of thumb,” I respond with a resigned half-smile.
After a smooth landing, Ant points out the deceptively beautiful residential building where he was kept during his time here. Red-hot rage builds in my belly.
“Seriously,” I repeat as I slip the earbud into my ear. “You don’t have to do any of this.”
He shakes his head and takes his earbud out of my front pocket. “No. I need to do this. I just…from this angle, I finally get why they put that building where they did.”
I lift my chin. “Why?”
“It’s between the dock and the runway so the rich assholes could arrive by boat or plane and immediately select the kid they wanted before they even made it to their private villa.”
More rage-filled embers fill my guts.
“It all looks so festive,” I bite out as a member of the island’s security force approaches us.
“Pretty colors to soothe any errant sense of right or wrong,” he says softly.
