Faye halted. Her chest expanded, and her arms tingled. “Raider!” She ran full bore toward the end of the deck.
Hunter clotheslined her around the waist, drawing her up short and forcing the air from her lungs. “Get behindme,” he hissed.
She coughed, her eyes watering. “What the heck?”
“He’s not alone.”
“So what?” She winced as he set her down and her lungs filled. “What is wrong with you?”
Raider emerged from the trees on the path. He wore a black leather jacket, dark jeans, and a button-down shirt. Moonlight glinted off his short black hair. “You couldn’t extend your driveway to the cabin? It’squite a hike.”
“Who’s with you?” Hunter asked.
Another man walked out—this one beyond huge. He stood about six-six with a broad chest in what had to be a specially made leather coat, one batteredand well worn.
“This is Clarence Wolfe,” Raider said, striding toward them over the rocks. “He’swith my unit.”
“Hi,” Clarence said. “Call me Wolfe, or I liketo hit people.”
Wolfe it was. No problem. With a happy cry, Faye launched herself from the deck. Raider caught her easily, lifting her off the ground and hugging her hard. “How’s my girl?”
“Great.” She kissed his chin and held him tight. While she and Hunter had gone a different direction before crashing and burning, Raider would always be her brother. She leaned back to look at him. “I swear, you get better looking every year.” It was true. Raider was part Japanese, and his blazing black eyes had alwaysfascinated her.
“So do you, sweetheart.” He set her gently to the side. “Faye Dunnaway? McGillicudy? Jordan? Who areyou this week?”
She rolled her eyes and gave her standard explanation. “Still Faye Smith. I haven’t found the rightlast name yet.”
Raider grinned. “Faye,this is Wolfe.”
The giant held out a hand that swallowed hers past the wrist. “Hello. I’m here to back Raider up in case anybody tries to hurt him.”
She grinned. “You look like good backup.”
“I truly am.” Wolfe had buzz-cut brown hair and light brown eyes. Several healed knife wounds showed along his forearm. “You’re pretty. Are you dating anybody?”
Raider tugged her hand free from Wolfe’s. “You can’t date my sister.”
Wolfe looked from one to the other. “She can’t be your sister.”
Faye’s hackles rose. “Ohyeah? Why not?”
Wolfe’s eyebrows lifted into his hairline. “You sound southern, with a very cool accent. Raider does not. Families should sound the same.”
Her mouth gaped open and she angled slightly away. “Is he serious?”
Raider sighed. “Yes, and he’s genuine.” He let his southern accent, the one he’d fought so hard to banish, out with the words. “Is this better?”
Wolfe drew back. “Dude. You’re southern?”
Raider nodded. “Yep. When I started learning languages with Homeland Defense, I worked on diction. The accent is too easy to identify.”
Wolfe grinned, looking like a lethal puppy. “That’s cool. I like your real voice.” He frowned. “Hey. Why can’t I date your sister?”
“Because one of my brothers already did,” Raider muttered, looking up at Hunter. “Putthe gun away.”
A meow caught Faye’s attention, and she turned again just as a cute little furry white head poked out of Wolfe’s pocket. “You have a kitten in your pocket.” The kitten had bright blue eyes and one mangled ear. It twitched the healthy one.
“Yeah. That’s Kat. K.A.T. He’s part of our team,”Wolfe affirmed.
