Chapter 29
Feeling restless, Leo nodded to Patch as he passed. “Keep an eye on things. I’m taking a walk.”
“Will do, boss,” Patch murmured as he scanned the area.
Walking toward the mess hall, Leo heard someone yelling his name.
“Yo, Leo.”
Turning around, he saw Wolf, Cookie, Abe, Dude, Mozart, and Benny approaching him. Surprised, Leo broke out in a grin.
Shaking their hands, he greeted each team member.
“I’m surprised to see you here,” Wolf said, patting his shoulder. “Did Catherine finally kick your ass back to the sandbox?”
Chuckling, he said, “She has every reason to.”
“I get it,” Wolf replied. “We spun up on Caroline’s birthday. This job doesn’t allow us personal time when we want it. What’s your excuse?”
“Working on some leads,” he said quietly.
“Then I don’t need to tell you to watch your back while you’re here,” Wolf warned him subtly.
“We’ve come across reasons to keep our heads on a swivel. Will you be staying a couple of days?” he asked.
“We’re passing by for the night. What’s your plan?” Wolf asked.
“Hoping to complete my mission in the morning and get home. My wife’s expecting again. Patch and Knight’s wives are also pregnant. My men grow restless by the day.”
“Make sure they keep their heads in the game.” Wolf glanced around him. “You did bring Tex’s gift to your team, right?”
Shit. He forgot his. “We have them,” he assured him. “If I don’t see you before we take off in the morning, let us know when you have some free time. We can plan a get-together.”
“It’s a plan,” Wolfe assured him.
Turning back toward the barracks, Leo wanted to ensure all his men brought their trackers. The last thing he wanted to do was to return home without someone unaccounted for. Saint met him at the door.
“Where did you go?” Saint asked.
“Needed to check on a couple of things. Do you have your transmitter from Tex?” Leo asked.
“Never go anywhere without it. Bryanna might string me up by the balls. What’s wrong?” Saint asked.
“Nothing. Wolf’s team is here. They reminded me of them,” Leo said thoughtfully.
“You threatened to take a chunk out of our hides if we didn’t bring ours,” Saint said, chuckling. “Why do you seem troubled?”
“I don’t have mine. When I packed my go bag, Gracie dumped it on the sofa in my office. She grabbed it, and you know how she puts everything in her mouth? I wiped it down and left it to dry,” he confessed.
“Shit, Leo. You tell me this crap the night before everything goes down?” Saint angrily asked.
“Calm down. Hopefully, tomorrow, we’ll catch the bad guys and get the hell out of this place. We’re all together anyway,” he reasoned.
“No. We’re not. You and Shadow plan on coming in from behind. We’re separated when the shit goes down,” Saint swore.
“We’re still together,” Leo argued. “I came back to check my pack now. With all this shit going down with Kit Kat, I might’ve put it in my bag and forgot.”
“Let’s hope not,” Saint said. “I don’t like this, Leo. We have four men who obviously know something here on base. They beat a woman and left her for dead, like nothing, and threw her in the garbage. They have no sense of duty. How many people are involved and how far up the chain?”
“We’ll take them down tomorrow. We’ll know the players.
People like this have no loyalty. If they’re willing to risk their brothers, they’ll turn on each other like rabid dogs.
We’ll turn them over to someone we trust and get the fuck home,” Leo said heatedly and then sighed.
“I’m sorry, brother. I know what you’re saying.
My gut’s twisting, and it’s not a good sign.
Tomorrow, we’ll get these fuckers and go home.
Patch and Knight need to get their heads out of their asses.
Bang them together if needed. We can’t afford any mistakes. ”
“We won’t let you down,” Saint said, placing his hand on Leo’s shoulder. Check your bag. We’ll alert Shadow and the rest of the team you don’t have yours.”
“No. They need to watch everything around them. We have this. They don’t need to focus on me,” Leo said firmly. “Everyone comes home.”
Saint stared at him for a long time before nodding.
Walking back to his room, he searched his bag.
He picked up Grace’s barbell rattle, shook it, and set it beside him.
Unfolding the picture Melody drew, he smiled as he put it in his pocket for the morning.
His thumb traced his son’s pacifier. Finally, he pulled out the lock of Kit Kat’s hair he snuck and cut from the back of her head.
Tying it with a rubber band, he stuck it into the cargo pockets of his pants.
He may not have the transmitter, but he brought all the reasons why he needed to make it home.
Seeing a text message on his phone, Leo picked it up and read the message from PITA.
He texted back.
I’m counting on you, PITA. She’s my world. Tell her I’ll call her late tomorrow.
He set his phone beside him, contemplating how Kassie turned into a little sister.
His family felt blessed to live on the mountain.
If anything ever happened to him, Kit Kat and the kids would still have a family to care for them.
The team took care of each other’s families.
The women went into protection mode and circled their wagons around their loved ones.
Feeling sentimental, Leo picked his phone up and texted Kassie.
In case I haven’t told you lately, you’re still a pain in my ass, PITA. Take care of your family. Keep Doc on his toes and give him back his balls sometimes. Love ya.
Rising from his bed, he fastened his pack and went to take his turn guarding their barracks against the unknown threat.
* * *
Liam picked up his phone and texted Addy.
I might not get to your text until later. I’m sending you one to read until then.
When I get lonely for home, I see you in bed, sunlight streaming in through your window.
It kisses your skin, making it glow. My lips yearn to kiss you to feel your warmth.
My heart races when you walk into a room.
You take my breath away. I love the little sounds escaping your lips when I make love to you.
Then I realize, when I think of you, you represent my home, Addy. XOXO.
Charging his phone, Hollywood checked on Apollo and climbed into his bunk.
Something heavy lay on his chest, and he couldn’t shake it.
The mission tomorrow marked a turning point in their investigation.
He prayed he’d make it. He worried about Addy finding out something happened to him.
Despite her gesture of running down the runway and into his arms, he knew the fear that he might not return still lingered.
When they returned, as much as he loved his teammates and his new job with Apollo, he might have to decide between them and Addy.
She endured enough. She remained stuck in her life with Sam.
Hollywood wanted her to have a life of her own.
Maybe Leo might find him a job on the mountain.
It didn’t matter. Hollywood needed to concentrate on getting home first. Then he’d figure out how to keep Addy for the rest of his life. Nothing mattered more than her.