Could she ever love me?The thought pinged through his head without warning.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my little brother from José’s evil influence,” she stated firmly.
He nodded and focused his attention back on the road.
It wasn’t long before the small, private airport came into view. Xander parked the Navigator and they got out.
“Go ahead and board,” Lex called, coming around the corner, conducting his final flight checks. “The gang’s all here, and we can be wheel’s up in under ten.”
Xander gave him a chin tilt and motioned for Essie to boardSpitfire.He hadn’t expected to be back on board Lex’s vintage Soviet An-26 so soon. He’d flown in the tin contraption more than he cared to remember, and each time he wondered exactly how many miles the old bird had left on her. Whatever it turned out to be, he just needed the hulking bucket of bolts to get them back down to Mexico one last time.
Stepping into the plane, Xander saw the men already getting situated and setting up their equipment. And his morally gray heart lurched. His friends had volunteered to jump into the pitsof hell with him, and that fucking meant something. It meant a whole helluva lot.
For three years, he’d been unsuccessfully trying to bring down José Barrera on his own. He’d failed miserably. Now hope filled him. If anyone could end the vicious drug lord, it was these former military men. All incredibly competent and, despite no longer being in their twenties, still highly skilled and the biggest badasses he ever had the pleasure to work alongside.
“Buckle up,” Xander told Essie. “I’ll be right back.”
While she sat down, he wandered over to his friends and helped them organize the bags of weapons, explosives and equipment.
“All good?” Brandon asked, eyeing him closely.
Xander gave a sharp nod. “I’m ready to end this.”
“End Barrera,” Brandon clarified.
“Yeah, and as many of his men as physically possible.”
“Well, this oughta do the trick.” Chaz unzipped a bag of explosives. “Enough C-4 here to implement Plan B, C and D.”
“E and F, too?” Jayson asked, glancing into the bag.
“F yeah,” Chaz growled, and they all smirked.
“I thought we told Mitch we weren’t blowing shit up,” Xander commented with a low chuckle.
“Nothing wrong with being prepared,” Brand said.
Xander crossed his arms and looked at the men standing with him—beside him—and a wave of emotion hit him hard. “Not sure if I mentioned this yet, but thank you,” he said gruffly.
“No need to thank anyone, brother.” Chaz clasped a hand on his shoulder.
“I know how risky this op is,” Xander continued, “and how much you all have waiting for you at home.”
“You dismantled a fucking nuclear bomb to help me save Ellie,” Wes reminded him. “I won’t ever forget that.”
“None of us will forget how you stepped up when we needed you,” Corey added. “And now we’re ready to do the same.”
Xander nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Why was he so damn emotional? What the hell happened to his cold, dead heart? Why was it… feeling shit?
His attention flickered over to Essie, who watched him closely. And he knew she was the reason. She looked so innocent, far too breakable, and he didn’t want her to be a part of this mess any longer than she had to be.
Leaning closer, voice dropping, Xander addressed his team. “No matter what happens to me, I need you guys to get Essie out of there. Her safety is the only thing that matters.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to her or you,” Brand stated. “No more going rogue, got it?”
Xander wasn’t about to make any promises, but he lifted his chin. “Right. Let’s get her tracker set up and going.”
Because no matter what happened, there was no way in hell he was letting the Cardenas brothers steal Essie away and keep her for themselves. Xander would do whatever it took to protect the shooting star who brightened his dark world, and whose warm light somehow managed to reach the coldest, furthest corners of his damned soul.
