22
Mack stiffened. “We got here as quickly as possible. They tracked us for a while. Marley was attacked.”
Not that he owed them any excuses—he was the commander. The fact that Hunter had questioned him was an act of insubordination and Mack could drill into him for it. If Mack had been alone, he would’ve made it back here yesterday, no question, but Marley couldn’t keep the same pace he could, whether she wanted to admit it or not. But he wouldn’t call her out in front of his men like that either.
“She’s slowing us down.” Hunter said in a flat voice.
Mack pushed Marley behind him, buffering her from Hunter’s harsh countenance. The rest of his team was looking at them with blank yet grim expressions. “Like I said, we got here as quickly as possible. I want Mankel as badly as you do. As bad as each and every one of you do. Who here doubts that?”
Mack stared each man down, daring his team to question his devotion to their cause.
Hunter stepped forward. “How do you know she’s not working for Mankel too? I’ve been thinking it over. What kind of pilot doesn’t realize when the automatic pressure control has been tripped off?”
Fury blasted through Mack’s veins, but he held himself in check, not allowing Hunter to see how much his words had affected him. “The kind of pilot who was tricked just like we were.”
“Or her copilot simply cheated her out of her half of the money Mankel promised them in exchange for killing us. She’s just using us to get out of the jungle.”
“Shut your mouth, Sergeant.” Mack took a threatening step forward.
Marley would never willingly betray him. He felt it, knew it in his bones, and his instincts had never been wrong before. Mack had never lifted a hand against one of his own men, but if Hunter didn’t stop talking about Marley like that, he would shut him up and quick.
Ranger stepped in front of his brother, putting a hand on his chest. “Hunter, stand down.”
Hunter shoved his brother out of the way. “I’m only saying what we’re all thinking. She could be working for Mankel. We all know it.”
Ranger shouldered his way back in front of his brother, trying to shut him down. “Why don’t we talk to her about it. Mack is obviously satisfied with her story.”
Mack tamped down his fury and crossed to Hunter, getting within an inch of his sergeant’s face. “She’s as much a victim as we are. She only wants to get home to her daughter. End of story. And you’re going to treat her with respect.”
Hunter’s eyes widened, dark with realization. “You had sex with her. I can smell it on you.”
Mack’s arm shot out, passing Ranger’s shoulder to clamp a hand around Hunter’s throat. “What I did with Marley is none of your business. But I can promise you, she has nothing to do with that bastard. Don’t say it again.”
Hunter had four inches on Mack and maybe fifty pounds of muscle. He could’ve easily thrown his brother off in order to get at him, but he didn’t move a muscle. He stood there and let Mack squeeze his throat. Mack shoved him back with a disgusted sigh, pacing away before he did something stupid.
Marley stood about five feet away, her face pale. Fuck. Mack speared his hand through his hair and scrubbed it down his face. Their emotions and hatred for Mankel were clouding their logic. Mack was just contributing to it. He gave Marley a reassuring nod before turning back to his men, all of whom stood in a tight half circle, warily watching him for his next reaction.
This was his team. These men would give their lives for him, and he would give his life for them. And right now they needed his reassurance. “Marley, come here.”
He heard her shuffling up behind him. She paused just behind his shoulder, but Mack pulled her around to the side so that his men could clearly see her. He turned to her and tilted her chin up with his finger. “Tell them that Mankel didn’t hire you to crash the plane.”
He tried to say the words as gently as possible, tried to soothe her with his expression. He didn’t like those tight lines around her mouth one bit. His team was intimidating to fully grown men, he could only imagine how scared Marley must be with all of them glaring holes into her chest.
“It’s okay. I’m right here.”
Damn, he wished he could read her mind. But all he saw was the anxiety and worry in her eyes, and it hurt like hell to know that he was partially responsible for it. He couldn’t blame her if she broke down in tears right now.
Marley drew in a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Pride burst through Mack’s chest. Damn, he was one lucky man to have found her.
Marley faced his crew with her chin lifted, looking like a proud queen despite her torn and dirty clothes and the bruise marring her cheek. The sight was utterly breathtaking.
“He did not hire me to crash the plane or set off the bomb. Ramsey took me as much by surprise as he did each and every one of you. If I could find that bastard right now, I’d put a bullet between his eyes without blinking.” Fire blasted from her gaze. Mack wanted to take her into his arms, but he held himself away, letting his men see the truth behind her words.
Mack thought briefly about adding that Marley was a widow and a single mother, but he held silent. Saying that wouldn’t really lend anything to her credibility. As a single mother, she could probably use some extra money. Even though Mack knew she would never consider stooping to crime to get it, they were trying to convince his men of her innocence.
Marley held their gazes, unblinking.
Riser was the first one to break the silence. “Sounds to me like she’s telling the truth. I believe her.”
