Anthony hums. “I know that look. You’re gone for that woman, aren’t you?”
I don’t even try to deny it. “Completely and I’m pretty sure Alex is, too.” I’ve seen the way he looks at her. Hell, I’m pretty sure Rhys is right there with us, although he’s still fighting his way back into her good graces.
“I don’t know how you guys do it, sharing her between you. I could never do that; I’m possessive as fuck.”
“It’s easier than you think, especially with her. She’s… special.” My lips curve upward and I know I have a sappy smile on my face. “Besides, between the three of us, we’ll have a better chance of keeping her safe. God knows she needs it, considering how she constantly finds herself in trouble.”
“Three of you?” Anthony cocks a brow. “Rhys is with her, too?”
“Kind of. They’re mostly just dancing around each other at the moment. He fucked up and now he’s having to make amends.”
“Ah, yeah. That sounds like Rhys.”
“You fucks know I can hear you, right?” the man in question grouses from the comms room. “I gave you orders and I’m pretty sure they weren’tstand outside the room and gossip like little old ladies. Move your asses. Shit needs to get done.”
Anthony and I stare at one another for a second before we both burst out laughing. Rhys is still grumbling, calling us assholes as the two of us stride out of the building.
“You take left, I take right?” Anthony asks.
“Sounds good. See you in twenty minutes.”
We part ways to round up the supply teams.
I’m still chuckling to myself as I knock on the respective caravans where the team members live. Some come easily, but others are reluctant, even complaining about the early hour. Those are the newer guys, the ones who’ve only been out once or twice—if that—and you can tell. Early mornings are a normal occurrence when you’re outside the walls and can sometimes be the difference between life and death.
By the time I’m done rounding everyone up, the sun has fully risen, shining brightly in the surprisingly clear sky. Haven has yet to wake up, the paths deserted as I make my way back to the main building.
Upon entering the conference room, it quickly becomes apparent that Rhys has called a bigger meeting that I first thought.
Not only are the supply teams here, but so is every single security team member, including the ones who’ve been reassigned to other jobs. And there’s even Simon, Rachel, and Andy, who’ve all expressed interest in joining the security team, standing off to the side with matching frowns. Anthony stands at the front of the room with Rhys, both of them whispering to one another as they wait for everyone to file in.
“What’s this about?” Simon asks quietly as he and Andy approaches me. Rachel hangs back, talking with a couple of security guys as she eyes their guns with jealousy.
I don’t know either man very well, but they both seem pretty solid. Simon is a former security guy who’s been steady and clear-headed in tough situations, and from what Rachel and Ollie have told me, Andy is ex-military. Although you wouldn’t think that looking at him now with his bushy beard, unruly hair and huge stature that make him look like a mountain man.
“Rhys is pissed at how the Council is running things, so he’s going above their heads and putting things back to the way they should. Especially since we not only have the Scourge to worry about now, but the Lodge guys, too.” I keep my voice low, but that doesn’t stop a few guys from flicking curious glances toward me.
Andy nods. “Good. I’ve been worried about how things have been handled here, but didn’t want to say anything. Not after how one of the Council people reacted when Rhys’s sister called her out for crippling our security.” He winces at the memory. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman turn that shade of purple before.”
“Damn. I would have loved to have seen that,” I say, just imagining the indignant look on Elsa’s face. If she’s the driving force behind this bullshit, she deserves so much more than to be called out and embarrassed in front of people. She deserves to be removed from her position.
“It really was something,” Andy says with a low whistle.
“Is everyone here?” Rhys’s voice rings out through the room, immediately silencing the chatter. When no one speaks out, he nods. “Good. I’ll cut to the chase; all changes the Council have made in my absence are to be immediately revoked and ignored. I didn’t assign them as head of security, and I don’t think they’re for the good of this community.”
Several people murmur and whisper in shock, but the noise quickly dies down as he continues.
“Everyone who was part of security and wants to come back can re-join and old rotas are being put back into place until I can update them. Training will happen as it did before. This includes weapons trainingandearly morning training. I want word spread about that to the residents; I won’t have Haven falling to enemy hands because we’re incompetent.”
He outlines several more security measures and changes that he’s implementing, before turning towards the supply teams.
“I want a list of everyone on supply teams, including which team they’re a part of and when and where you’re going.”
Several from the team nod, although a few look like they’ve just swallowed something sour. They must be the newer guys since I don’t recognise any of them.
Rhys asks them for more reports and orders them to join in for certain training sessions with the security team. Those sour looking assholes look down right mutinous by the end. I make a note of them to bring to Rhys after the meeting.
Finally, Rhys addresses the room. “Any questions?”
