Page 59 of Alex

“Even that, my love.”

“Come on, Luce. Let’s get the man a coffee.” She shooed Lucy out of the room.

“I already got the tickets for the play but don’t tell her.”

A few minutes later Roz and Lucy returned with coffee and biscuits on a tray looking like the most badass servers in the world wearing leather jackets, skin-tight jeans, and shit-kickers on their feet. It was surreal but it pulled Alex out of his fog enough to feel energised.

Blake, Reid, and Liam joined them, shortly after that Gunner and Pax appeared.

“Ma’am.” Reid gave a slow nod as he passed Roz.

“Don’t you fucking Ma’am me. I ain’t your fucking mother.”

Reid smirked as did Liam.

Kanan rolled his eyes and stroked a finger down her face before handing her a cup. “Drink your coffee, Kitten.”

Alex shook his head wondering again how the man did it. “Now everyone is here we need to finish this plan and then get on the road. It is six hours to Livorno and the last ferry to Capraia is seven tonight. So, the window is incredibly short.”

“What’s the plan?”

Alex looked at Daniel. “We go in on the ferry as a tourist group. There’s one restaurant and a small family run hotel. I’ve booked us all reservations using aliases under the guise that we’re there for a fortieth birthday celebration. We’re going to go in under different couple combo’s so as not to alert anyone to a large group of single men entering the island. Blake will partner Pax again, Roz and K, Lucy and Jace. You and the rest of us will go in as singles.

“Once there we’ll split up. The house is located towards the back of the island and has a large perimeter fence. We need to breach it and go in quiet. I don’t want this fucker spooked and try to use Evelyn as a shield. I’ll take the lead.” Alex looked around the room. “Daniel and Reid, I want you to focus on finding Evelyn and getting her the fuck out of there. Liam and Blake, I want Osiris. I don’t fucking want that bastard to get away. The rest of you are on clean-up. I want all the guards taken out and I don’t care how. Everyone clear?”

“What about me?” The question came from Gunner.

“I want you as the watchman. I need to know if we’re going to get company.” He knew it was the shit job, but with Gunner wounded, he didn’t have much choice.

“Really?” Gunner asked on a groan.

“Sorry, man. You’re injured and I can’t have you in there. You’d be a liability.”

“It’s only a fucking shoulder shot.”

“Can you move your arm with full range?” Daniel scrutinised the sling Gunner wore.

“No, but…”

“No buts. You’re on watch.” Alex made sure his voice was firm stopping any further arguments. “Right, let’s get on the road.”

The drive to Livorno was reasonably uneventful. Pax had decided to go with Roz and Lucy which left Blake, a sulky Gunner, Reid, and Liam in their car. With five men it was a bit of a tight squeeze, but the Land Rover Discovery was a rental and a good cover. Plus, it had plenty of room in the back for their weapons.

Alex dozed off for an hour. With Liam driving his body was finally able to shut down for a bit now there was no more planning to be done. He was startled awake with images of a bloody Evelyn screaming through his brain from a nightmare. Her hands had been reaching for him and he wasn’t able to get to her. His heart was hammering in his chest as he gulped in a couple of breaths of air to calm his wild pulse.

“You good?” Blake asked from beside him.

“Yeah. Fine.” He looked out the window and noticed they were an hour out from Livorno and making much better time than expected.

“I’m sorry about before. I would never choose a woman over the team. I hope you know that.”

“You haven’t met the right woman then because I would choose Evelyn over everything,” Alex said honestly.

“I can’t imagine having that.”

Alex thought he heard regret in his voice. “No, you can’t but when you find it, you won’t be able to imagine life without it.”

Blake said nothing in response just nodded and turned to hassle Reid who was reading a book about meditation.