“Boone, great job on restraining Al-Shamrami.” Cole’s voice snapped him back to the moment, and he dragged his eyes from Luna. “I can honestly say I’ve never seen it done quite that way before.”
“Using that method works well on a two-thousand-pound bull. A skinny, scumbag trafficker is a walk in the park by comparison.” Lassoing a human was much easier than roping steers any day.
Initially, his team gave him shit about carrying a rope on missions. Now, not so much.
“I’ve been meaning to ask if you can you teach me how to do that?” Calliope’s request did not surprise him.
She was a hell of a sniper and could handle herself in most hand-to-hand situations. That said, she was also acutely aware her diminutive size could put her at a disadvantage, so she was always looking for ways to even the playing field.
“Sure.” He lifted one shoulder. “Back home, a couple of our best ranch hands are women. They can ride the hell out of a horse, are incredibly adept with a lasso, and what they may lack in size, they make up for in determination.”
“Sounds like someone else I know.” Hawk spoke up for the first time as he side-eyed Calliope.
“Hey, whatever works.” She lifted one shoulder.
“How many cows does your family have?” Luna surprised him with her question. It was the first time she’d shown any interest in his personal life.
“Well, let me think.” He looked up at the ceiling and rubbed his hand down his jaw. “At last count, there were two hundred seventy-five head of Black Angus and a hundred thirty-seven head of Hereford.”
Her eyes rounded, and her mouth dropped open.
Eddie whistled low. “That’s a lot of steaks.”
“It most definitely is.” Boone chuckled, something he did a lot of around Eddie. “And some of the highest quality in the business.”
“Let’s wrap this up so you guys can get out to the obstacle course.” Cole tapped the screen on the tablet in front of him. “We liberated twenty-one kids last night, and they were taken to the hospital to get checked out. Other than a few cuts and bruises and a bit of dehydration, they’re doing okay. Physically, anyway. ELC will make sure they’re returned to their families, if they have one, and will provide them with follow-on therapy.”
ELC, Every Last Child, was a nonprofit foundation created by Dulce Lambert, Cole’s wife.
“What happens if they don’t have any family?” Boone had carried a little guy out last night who told him he didn’t have a mommy and daddy anymore and asked if he was going to live with him now.
His heart cracked wide open upon hearing that.
Didn’t matter how long he spent in a war zone or on this job; Boone was always shocked by the abuse people were willing to heap upon innocent children.
“They’ll be temporarily placed with caregivers specially trained on how to deal with kids who’ve been victims of trafficking. But the goal is to find them a permanent home,” Cole said. “To date, Dulce’s organization has placed over two hundred kids, either here in the States or in their home countries.”
His voice was rich with pride for his wife.
“She’s an amazing woman.” Viking spoke from the far end of the table.
Folks around the table nodded in agreement.
“She is that.” Cole gave a quick nod.
“So, what’s the status of Al-Shamrami?” Luna turned her head to their boss, and her long ponytail whipped around to drape over Boone’s bare forearm where it rested on the arm of his chair.
Just as quickly, she shifted and it slid off, but not before a weird electrical charge scurried across his skin.
Shit, he was much too aware of this woman, and it was fucking with his concentration.
“He isn’t talking, just keeps asking for a lawyer.” Disgust dripped from Cole’s words.
“Guess he doesn’t understand how things work around here.” Lucas lounged back in his chair and clasped his hands together behind his head.
“He’s about to find out,” Cole said. “Andi should be here in about an hour, and she’ll take a run at him.”
One of the things that convinced Boone to come work for the O’Hallerans and Dark Ops was their freedom to operate by their own set of rules. The O’Hallerans understood that life was seldom black-and-white, that justice was often found in the gray areas. He also appreciated that they put an extremely high value on family, honor, and loyalty.
