“What else did you find out?” Ryker gets us back on topic.
“There are three possible safe houses where Dakota went,” Flint nods to Tatiana, who pulls up a map with the three spots circled. “One is the home of Tova Norton Rose, which you guys already checked out and found Ms. Tova dead.”
“And the other two?” I blink.
“One is not far from you,” Celia points to the map. “We pulled up satellite feeds, and it looks empty, but we’ll keep the surveillance going to be sure. The other spot is about 200 miles from the Norton farm. Our surveillance indicated movement there, so we have a breach team headed that way.”
I nod. “That’s good. We’ll head over to the first location now.”
Everyone seems to answer at once.
“Nope.”
“No way.”
“Absolutely not, Kitten.”
I glare at my family members, Ryker, and Tatiana. “And what, pray tell, does that fucking mean?”
Ryker must have lost the toss of who would talk to me first. “Kitten, you’ve been shot. You have a concussion…”
“You don’t know that.”
He arches a brow.
“Fine, it’s a possible concussion,” I concede. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t surveil a suspect.”
“That’s exactly what it fluffing means, sis,” Celia’s face is getting red.
I sigh. “So, what are we going to do? Sit on our hands while someone else goes after our target? This is my job. This is my mission. The only reason you’re part of it is that you can’t keep your damn noses in your own business.”
“And our damn noses being in your business saved your life, several times over, from what I understand,” Celia points at the screen.
I glare at Ryker. Turncoat.
He shrugs. He doesn’t look sorry for narcing on me.
“I’m not sorry about that.”
See? He’s… wait.
I frown.
“Take a few hours and heal, Cat,” Celia engages her Mama Mode. “We’ll be in touch when there’s an update.”
With that, Tatiana cuts the video call.
I’m shaking my head and considering what to say to Ryker when he presses his hand to the small of my back again. I lean into it and him, letting his musky man scent wash over me.
I don’t even realize my eyes are closed again until Ryker’s lips brush against my ear. “C’mon, Kitten. Let’s get you home so you can rest.”
All of a sudden, I’m no longer tired.
And Lord knows, Coochie Mama is wide awake, offering to show him therestof her real estate.
Fatigue grabs me again. I shake my head and follow Ryker out to the borrowed car. Thank God. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stay upright on the bike.
Chapter 31
