“Having me there might put everyone in danger.”
“Bullshit.” Well, maybe not total bullshit, but minimal bullshit. “We’re operators, baby girl. If Jackwad Janek wants to bring war to our front door, then we’ll be fucking waiting, and if he wants to take you from us, then he better bring his damn a-game, because you are mine to protect.”
“Possessive much there, brother?”
The asshole didn’t have to look so damn smug when he was teasing him. Caleb made a mental note to mess with something in his kitchen later, just for shits and giggles. “Shut it, Kace.”
Kacey held up his hands and nodded. “I’ll back your play.” He leaned against the counter and crossed his legs at the ankles. “I don’t see how Janek or whatever the hell his name is could find her. Especially if we can sneak her onto the plane without anyone seeing her.”
Caleb squatted next to Rose’s chair. “What do you think, Rosey-Posey? Want to come to the wilds of Montana with me?”
She chewed on the corner of her lip for a second before she nodded. “But I’ll only go if your boss says it’s okay.”
Dalton would say it was okay, or he’d be looking for two new operators because he’d walk straight out of Nemesis Inc. if he had to, and he knew his brother would be stepping on his heels all the way.
“And,” Rose continued, “you promise me that the second my being there puts even a cow in danger, that you let me leave without a fight.”
He glanced down so she wouldn’t see the lie in his gaze. There wasn’t a hope in hell he was letting her leave. If danger stalked her all the way to the ranch, then he’d be there to meet it head-on. “Deal.”
13
How is this my life?
She was more than a little sure she’d asked herself that question more than once over the last hours. She still didn’t understand it, yet here she was in what Caleb had called a weapons crate.
Weapons. Crate. OMG. I’ve lost my mind. Or at least lost the plot.
This had to be what being a character in a sadist author’s book was like. She was in a weapons crate, which was currently being loaded onto a plane. She bit back a cry when it thumped down hard. If being a human pretzel had been her goal in life, she was killing it so hard right now. If only the guys carrying the crate didn’t have to drop it, bump it, and bang it so much, it would be freaking awesome.
That’s going to leave a bruise.
Bruises are better than Janek finding you, or you know, being dead.
Closed in a box.
You can’t get out.
Stuck.
Trapped.
She was trying so hard to remain calm, but her brain was fighting her every step of the way. She bit down on her lip until she tasted blood. The pain at this point was the only thing keeping her from freaking out completely. She should probably have told Caleb she was claustrophobic before she climbed into the box and allowed him to close the lid.
Breathe.
In and out.
Don’t panic.
Don’t freak out.
She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to recapture the feeling from last night when Caleb had wrapped around her when the nightmares called.
It’s not working.
Shh. It will work.
Remember how he held you.
