“And he never gave you even a hint as to what this supposed new intel was?”
The man who may not have betrayed him after all gave a slow shake of his head. “No. And to be honest, I didn’t ask. But that’s only because he said he’d fill usin later. Whatever it is, it must be pretty damn solid because according to Webb, it’s how he convinced a judge order her federal protection.”
“Why didn’t you call me?” Van growled. “You could have at least given me a heads-up that he was going to be there.”
That the smug bastard had planned to take the woman I’m pretty sure I love away.
“Because I knew if I told you what Webb was planning to do, you’d probably never show up at that marina.” Logan took a deep breath and paused, running a hand over the light scruff of his jaw. “Listen, Van. I know you’re worried about Kam, but Webb promised me he and his men would keep her safe. And the fact is, we need this to happen.”
“I hate to say it, brother…” Chase met Van’s angry stare. “But Hayes is right. I mean, less than a week ago, we were all ready to kill Kam ourselves. And now we’re standing around going at each other’s throats because you’re more worried about her than the fact that we mightfinallybe getting Hunt the justice he deserves?”
“You don’t understand.” He turned to Chase. “Kam’s…important.”
Lucky scoffed. “Well, yeah, she’s important. She was the last known person to speak to Farzad Akimi before he died.”
“Akimi didn’t give her a name before he died,” Van argued the man’s point. “Just that the person who ordered the hit was someone with high political connections.”
“Either way, she’s now a federal witness,” Logan continued with his point. “And…she’s also no longer our problem.”
“She’s mine.”
All eyes shot to his. Because the wayhe’d said those words…
“Uh…what does that mean, exactly?” Lucky stared back at him and waited.
Van took a few seconds to consider his teammate’s question. Up until the moment he’d said those words, Van wasn’t sure he knew what they meant himself. But now, after hearing himself staking claim on Kam…out loud and in front of his closest friends…
He met each of their gazes, determined to make himself crystal fucking clear. “It means she’smine.”
The breath in his lungs refused to move while he waited. It didn’t take long for understanding to fully sink in.
“Ah, hell.” Archer hung his head, rubbing the muscles behind his neck. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“Yeah, he did.” Lucky’s mouth spread into a wide, knowing smile. “So you and the terrorist, huh?”
Van was moving before he even realized it, his fist filling with the front of the other man’s shirt. “Kam’snota fucking terrorist,” he seethed.
But Lucky just lifted both hands in the air while his shoulders shook with laughter. “Dude, chill.” He laughed again. “It was just a joke.”
“It wasn’t funny.”
“Duly noted.” The other man nodded with a grin.
“Wait, so you and Kam?” Chase spoke up again. “Seriously?”
Van released Lucky’s shirt as Archer chimed back in.
“Well, Cass will be happy.” The explosives expert looked over at him with a smirk. “She thought Kam was super sweet.”
“Scottie, too,” Chase agreed.
“Same with Nat,” Logan joined in. “And, for the record, I believe she’s innocent, too.”
Well, that was something, at least. But there was still the matter of her being taken away by Webb. And since Kam was safe and under the government’s care, Van did his best to turnhis focus—for now—on the guys who shot up his fucking boat.
Switching gears, he asked Lucky, “You get a hit on the dead guy from this morning?”
“I was actually filling Logan in on that when you got here.” He went over to the table and grabbed the tablet that was never very far away. “Guy’s name is…or was…Damon Young.” Lucky tapped the screen and pulled up an electronic police record and mugshot. “Guy’s got a sheet a mile long. Assault. Burglary. Attempted murder.”
