I gasp. “Why would you even say that?”
He chuckles, pressing a kiss to my jaw. “Because I don’t give a fuck how big that creepy fucker is. You keep checking him out, and I’m going to have to challenge him to a duel.”
My mouth falls open, but before I can say anything, Daniel is clearing his throat and barking orders. I shake my head, my shoulders trembling from how hard I’m trying not to laugh. Hunter squeezes my biceps and steps back. All the tension before leaves me in a whoosh, and I smile, knowing that was his intention.
“Alright, everyone.” Daniel claps and the room falls silent. “Let’s go over things one more time.”
I listen with rapt attention as each team lead barks out orders like a well oiled machine. With every word, my nerves slowly shift to something else. Excitement. Anticipation. It’s finally happening. After days of waiting, we’re finally getting them back.
Hunter and I have been placed in the Shadow Team and are heading to the house. The plan is for me to go in with them, and with Oliver’s remote help, hack the computer. It’s our best shot at finding the guys, and I’m clinging to that hope like a lifeline.
But Shadow Team isn’t the only group preparing. A second team, Strike Team Bravo, is getting ready across the room. This team is led by Robert and Madeline, along with Jean-Luc, who gives me a kind smile as he straps himself into his gear. There are three others with them, their faces unfamiliar but their actions confident. Strike Team Bravo will be heading to the Den, our second-best hope. The air around them is charged with tension, but there’s also a sense of determination. They know what’s at stake.
A third team, Alpha Unit, is preparing to head to Rush, the guys’ bar. They’re hoping to find another computer there, or any sign of the guys. The team is made up of equally formidable individuals, their faces hardened with resolve. I don’t know their names, but I can see they’re ready for whatever comes next. Thank fuck, because we get no do-overs. This is our only shot.
As I watch all of this unfold, I’m surprised by how quickly everything has come together. I thought I’d have to convince them more, that I’d have to fight to get everyone on board with my plan. But as it turns out, being the queen has its perks. They’ve rallied behind me, and the realization fills me with both a sense of responsibility and a sliver of hope.
This is a world I didn’t fully understand until now. This compound isn’t just a hideout—it’s a home. A fortress where families live, where people take refuge, where they find safetyin numbers. It’s a community, a family, and I’m their leader. Whether I wanted this role or not, it’s mine now. And that means it’s my job to protect them.
I can feel the weight of that responsibility pressing down on me as I watch the teams prepare. There’s so much at stake, and the fear that we might not make it out of this gnaws at my insides. But I can’t let that fear control me. I have to be strong. For them. For my men. For everyone who’s counting on me.
Hunter is beside me, his expression serious as he checks his own gear. He’s dressed just like the others, in a black tactical uniform, his movements practiced and precise. Sometimes I forget how capable he is when it comes to combat. But then my mind flashes back to that night at the tattoo shop. The way he took on all those men by himself. Men sent to kill him. He survived then. He will now, too.
“Are you ready?” he asks, his voice low, but there’s a calmness to it that steadies me.
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat, as I take in the scene around us one last time.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice firmer than I expected. “Are you?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he murmurs, cupping my cheek. His eyes flick between mine, searching. “We will get them, my love. Even if this doesn’t work out. We will find another way. I promise you that.”
“Hunt—” My voice breaks. “You’re doing all this for them—”
“No,” he interrupts, giving me a cocky smirk. “They may be hot as hell…with the exception of mybrother…” A shudder rocks him, making me smile. “But make no mistake, I am doing this for you.”
With that, he presses a hard kiss on my lips, that ends far too quickly, and pulls back. His hand comes down on my ass, jolting me from my shock. I let out a squeak, and he chuckles.
“Check your guns, baby,” he mutters, looking around. “We’re about to leave.”
Oliver steps forward, his expression a mix of worry and determination as he adjusts his glasses.
“We’re set to go,” he says, his voice carrying across the room. “Remember, the primary objective is to get in, gather the intel, and get out. We’re not looking for a fight, but if it comes to that…” He trails off, his eyes sweeping over the gathered teams as he ruffles his messy hair. “Be ready. Comms on, everyone?”
There’s a murmur of agreement, a collective readiness that’s almost palpable. I can feel the energy in the room shift and it sends sparks across my skin.
My heart is pounding, my palms slick with sweat as I check my own gear. It’s strange, feeling the weight of the equipment on me, knowing that this is real, that I’m about to walk into something that could change everything. But I push the fear down, focusing on the task at hand. I can’t afford to let my emotions get the best of me now.
“Ella,” Daniel’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts, and I turn to face him. He’s standing there, fully geared up, looking every bit the leader I never knew he was. There’s a softness in his eyes, though, a flicker of the man who raised me, who’s always been there for me.
“Stay close to Ghost,” he says, his voice gentle but firm. “We’ll get through this. Just remember your training and trust your instincts.”
And by training, he means the past I’ve just barely remembered. I wince. No big deal.
He flicks his gaze at Hunter, a hard, but surprisingly kind, expression on his face. He squeezes his shoulder, drawing him in.
“You take care of our girl,” he demands. “You hear me?”
“Yes sir,” Hunter agrees, his expression just as fierce. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”
