Blade raised an eyebrow.
“I really wasn’t!” Dakota protested, pretending to be hurt that he would even think such a thing. “I plan to survive thislittle adventure of ours, and if I can, I’d prefer not to get hurt in any way.”
“But you’re also willing to risk getting hurt or worse...”
“I wouldn’t have insisted on coming along if I wasn’t,” Dakota pointed out. “Both of us know the risks and are willing to take them.”
Blade nodded and smiled at her. “I guess that’s true. I just don’t like the idea of you getting hurt.”
“Same,” Dakota agreed. “So let’s just try really hard not to.”
Blade laughed at that, and Dakota joined in as she watched him put away the list and maps and then dig around in his bag.
“You’re going to need this,” he stated, removing something from his bag and handing it to her.
Dakota took the piece of black material from him and held it up in front of her to see what it was. “A neckerchief?”
“A mask,” Blade corrected. “We don’t want anybody seeing our faces.”
“Don’t you want the men to know who you are and why you’re killing them?” Dakota asked, tilting her head to the side.
“I do, and they will, but only if there aren’t any onlookers.”
Dakota folded the piece of material between her fingers. Blade had really thought of everything.
“These men we are after, they’ve managed to remain hidden for years, even though I know for a fact that their gang is still active. The people they surround themselves with probably have no idea who they really are,” Blade explained. “If they see us killing them, we’ll look like the bad people to them, and I really don’t want to end up in prison or on a wanted poster.”
“I didn’t even think of that,” Dakota admitted. “Thank you.” She put the neckerchief in her bag and took a sip of her coffee. “Do you have another one for yourself?”
Blade nodded. “I brought a few.”
“That’s clever. You never know when it might come in handy.”
“Exactly,” Blade agreed as he fidgeted with a small stick lying on the ground. “It’s not too late for you to go back.”
“Not happening.”
“Dakota . . .”
“Look, this is where I want to be. By your side, righting the wrongs.”
“You’re not going to change your mind, are you?” he asked with a smirk as he shook his head.
“No, so you can stop trying.”
“Okay,” he agreed with a sigh.
“You’re making it sound like having me with you is a horrible thing,” Dakota said with a laugh. “And here I was under the impression that I’m your best friend.”
“You are, and that’s why I’m worried about you.”
It was sweet, almost too sweet. Dakota looked down at her hands as heat rose to her neck and face. “I’ll be fine.”
“I really hope so,” Blade said beside her.
Dakota kept her eyes on her hands, not daring to look at him. “So, is there anything else I need to know about the plan?”
Blade shifted and tossed the stick he had been playing with into the fire. “I want Austin to be scared, not just a little, a lot. I want him to know how Millie has been feeling the last seven years.”
