“We have to get back to base.” Bulldog informed them. “Thank you for letting us in at least this mission, even if we didn’t get our bad guy. Still had fun.”
“Thank you for your assistance. I told you before,I didn’t have a lot of warning before we found the informant.”
“I just have to give you shit, Midas. Relax.” Bulldog gave him what he would assume was a grin and walked off to rejoin his team.
“Cora and Hannah are welcome to stay if needed.” Hound informed Ben and Liam. “With Alejandro still on the lose it may not be safe for the women to leave.”
“I agree,” Midas clapped Hound on theback. “Hannah won’t mind. I’d like to get some shut-eye before we have to head out anyway.”
“And Cora, will she be staying?” Hound asked Liam.
He opened his mouth to tell him she’d stay when the woman in question walked out on the porch with her bag in hand. He was going to have a hell of a time convincing her now.
“What’s she doing?” Hound asked confused.
Liam ignored them and ran upto Cora. Cora kept her features neutral and tried to ignore him. “I need a ride back to my house since Liam drove me here. Can one of you take me?” The men remained silent and looked around nervously. They didn’t want Cora leaving with Alejandro still on the loose, and no one wanted to be the focus of her ire when they told her no.
Cora looked at each man, but no one would look her in the eye.“Fine, Charlie you look like you are set to leave. Can I get a ride from you?”
Bulldog looked between Cora and Liam. “We’re not headed in the same direction, Cora. Sorry. Maybe you should stay here the night. Let these guys catch up on some sleep, and you can head out then. They just got off a mission and raced here to keep you safe. They need some shut-eye. One more night here won’t kill you.”Leave it to Bulldog to be blunt. The fact was they would pass her house to leave but Bulldog knew the dangers with Alejandro still on the loose and wanted her to stay there.
If he thought his word would appease her however he was far from right. “Very well, I will call a cab.” Cora started pulling her phone out of her back pocket. Liam realized she wouldn’t give up her quest to leave.
“Thatwon’t be necessary. I’ll take you home.”
“No thank you.” Her words clipped.
“Cora, why are you so determined to leave?” Hannah asked as she came outside. It was the first Cora had seen her since sending her down into the computer room. Cora’s stiff posture dropped at hearing Hannah, but she didn’t turn to look at her.
“I’m just ready to go home.”
“As I’m sure the guys are too. They didjust get back from a mission and fought all of Alejandro’s men. I’m sure they are exhausted and could use some rest before having to travel back to town.”
Cora looked down at her feet guiltily. Charlie had just said the same thing but hearing it from another woman had apparently done the trick. She had been so focused on leaving she hadn’t thought of anyone else until now. She knew they allhad to be tired after fighting and Liam and his team just getting back. She could survive one more day here. She would just have to make sure that Liam kept his distance from her. “You’re right. I’ve just never been gone from home so long. I’m just eager to get back. I can leave in the morning.” Cora spun around and raced back up the stairs to her room.
Hannah glared at Liam before racing insideafter Cora.
“Well on that note, good to see ya’ll. Until next time.” Bulldog said and ushered his team into a van parked off to the side of the house and drove away.
“What was that all about?” Mike, “Tiny”, asked Liam.
“She’s leaving me.” Or she at least thought she was. He was tired of being passive in their relationship. He was a take charge kind of guy in the military he should be athome as well. His heart ached at the long road ahead of her forgiveness. He wanted Cora. He loved her. It took him a long time to realize it, and now that he had he didn’t want to lose her but how could he assure her that some secrets were required between them? If he didn’t he was facing a long life of them breaking up and getting back together.
“And you’re just going to stand there while ithappens?” Mike looked at him irate.
“What do you want me to do? Cora wants to leave, so I’m letting her leave.” He tried to persuade her, and she wouldn’t listen. He would give her some time and try again. It worked in the past, it would work again.
“Idiot,” Tiny mumbled before stomping into the house.
“Tiny’s right,” Midas told him.
“I don’t want to hear it from you. You were willingto leave Hannah in Oregon.”
Midas looked towards the house. “Because I love her. But I didn’t want to leave her, and she had been without her family for over a year and a half. She needed that connection again. Cora is hurting right now. You kept things from her, and it doesn’t make her feel important to you. You have to tell her how you feel.”
He should tell her before it was too late. Helost her once, and he never recovered. Losing her again was unacceptable. He would talk to her tomorrow. Everyone was right in saying he didn’t do well with arguing. He always chose to walk away. In this case he needed sleep before he talked to Cora. As tired as he was and an angry as she was someone was bound to say something they couldn’t take back. She wasn’t leaving until tomorrow. He had plentyof time to come up with an all-out war to get his woman back. Failure wasn’t an option.
