“Are there eggs and bakey?” I mumbled, wiping the sleep from my eyes, thankful I had scrubbed my face of makeup before Gavin’s call came in.
Laughter rumbled inches from my face. My eyes popped open, and Priest’s friendly gaze met mine.
“No. Sorry. I wish.”
“Have we landed?” I asked, letting my eyes fall closed again. I wasn’t ready to be awake yet.
“Not yet. We woke you early because we figured you’d have things you wanted to handle before we touched down. Plus, I don’t know about you, but I hate having to rush around as soon as my eyes open.”
I nodded, opening my eyes before yawning.
Cameron laughed. “That’s because you’re an old man.”
Priest flipped Cameron the bird, making the other man laugh.
I looked between them. They didn’t look all that much different in age, but they did look a little older than Hayden. Both were very attractive and in unbelievable shape, but they did nothing for me. Like looking at famous paintings by the masters, I could recognize and appreciate their beauty, but I wouldn’t want to have them for myself.
Not like Hayden and Declan. They were unimaginably gorgeous, breathtakingly so, and if they were paintings in a museum, I wouldn’t hesitate in turning to a life of crime. Short, curvy art thieves were a thing, right?
Priest’s phone buzzed.
“Declan says there’s food in the kitchen area.”
Cameron moved away while Priest hung out in front of me, probably afraid I would go back to sleep.
“What kinda plane has a kitchen?” I asked.
“The bougie ones owned by billionaires.”
His laughter was deep and comforting like his voice.
Cameron called out, “Once we get to the hospital, I’ll see about getting us all something to eat. For now, I’ve scavenged some fruit, yogurt, protein bars, and juice.”
“C’mon, princess. Time to get your legs under you.”
I sat up, overcome with a yawn, my eyes blinking and watering. I stood to stretch before moving to sit across from the two men who were already diving into the food Cameron had dumped onto the table. I grabbed an apple and a peach yogurt, leaving the protein bars for the two beefcake guys.
“Grab one of the protein bars, princess. It’ll hold you over better.”
My nose wrinkled at Priest’s words. I wasn’t a fan of fitness food. It always tasted like chalk. I was a southern girl. Give me full fat, full flavor. Well, unless it was the stuff I made from the recipes the team nutritionist sent home with Gavin.
“No, thanks. I can’t stomach those things. If we have the time, I’ll make you some food that actually tastes good.”
They both laughed, and at first I thought they were laughing at me, but Cameron said, “Ask Hayden about MREs. Especially the crackers. Those things are so bad.”
“They make the Sahara seem like a rainforest.”
I chuckled.
We landed not long after, and my nerves ramped up. I’d received a couple of texts from Gavin while I slept, but they weren’t urgent. Mostly no news yet. I’d reacted to his messages, but didn’t actually text him back. Or so it appeared. Not that I remembered doing so.
When we stepped out of the plane onto the stairs, a black luxury SUV rolled to a stop next to the plane. The passenger door opened, and my brow furrowed.
“Jackson?”
“No, darlin’, but we get that a lot. I’m his cousin, Asher. My brother Bauer is in the driver’s seat. He looks more like Walker while Jackson and I look like Foster, who’s mine and Bauer’s dad.”
And Declan.
