Chapter 19 #3
Quinn pulled back, flushing. For a moment, she wondered if the team knew she’d basically slept in Knox’s arms.
“We’re all set,” Knox confirmed.
His hand landed on the small of her back, and he guided her down the hall, Boone leading the way.
The corner of Quinn’s mouth hitched up when she entered the living room.
It was funny to see so many big, gruff men standing around Sloane.
Sure, Quinn worked with these guys daily, but she wasn’t used to watching them in full commando mode.
It was humbling. They took risks she’d never dream of, and this time, they’d risked their lives to come for her.
“Looking good, Quinncess,” Cooper joked, taking her in.
Her cheeks pinkened. Clearly, they’d all realized she was wearing Knox’s clothes. What did they think happened?
“Can it,” Knox said, and Quinn chuckled. They’d had this same conversation at the office, only a few days and a lifetime ago.
“I’ll bring you both up to speed,” Sloane said, moving toward a map spread across the table. She quickly showed them the route.
Boone cleared his throat. “Holt arranged for a ride. We’ll get to the extraction point at oh-four-hundred. If for some reason we fail to show, we’re to be at the same location tonight at twenty-three hundred.”
“Tonight?” Quinn asked in shock.
“We always have multiple backup plans,” Knox explained quietly.
None of the men looked concerned, and they continued discussing a few specifics. “I’ll take point as we move out,” Sloane said.
Gage bristled. “Honey, you’ve got five former Spec Ops guys here.”
“And which one of us has been living in Kabul for the past eight months?” she asked, slanting him a look.
Coop chuckled. “Point taken, Sly.”
Knox muttered under his breath. “Now she has a nickname, too?”
“Sure does,” Cooper said with a grin. “We can’t let Quinncess have all the fun.”
Before long, they were moving out of the home in the dark early morning hours, Sloane and Gage heading up the front of their entourage. Quinn didn’t even want to know what was going on between them. They seemed to have definite sparks, but whatever it was obviously ended here.
The group was silent as they crept down the block.
Silent and deadly, Quinn thought. Everyone was armed but her, and she knew the team would kill anyone who tried to stop them.
They exited the city quietly, as they’d hoped.
The mobs and turmoil from yesterday had long since died down.
Quinn cast a quick glance back toward Kabul after they’d made it to the outskirts.
The past few days felt almost like a dream—a living nightmare.
“This is where we part ways,” Sloane said as they lingered for a moment, eyeing the vehicles in the distance.
“It’s a shame we can’t stay longer,” Gage quipped. “We were just getting to know each other.”
“I’d tell you to call, but it’s best this was just a one-night-thing,” Sloane retorted mildly.
Boone signaled their rides in the distance, and they flashed their lights back.
“We’re a go,” he confirmed. After briefly saying goodbye to Sloane, they were moving, jogging toward the idling trucks.
Knox took Quinn’s hand, and she gratefully clutched onto it.
She had no idea who was giving them a lift, but she trusted Bravo Team knew what they were doing.
Quinn slid into the backseat beside Gage, sandwiched between him and Knox. Cooper, Xaden, and Boone rode in the other vehicle. Their drivers immediately pulled out, and then they were heading away from the city.
Gage let out a long, contented sigh, and grinned. “I’m pretty sure I have whiplash after talking to Sloane.”
“She’s something else—not to mention unavailable,” Knox pointed out. “That’d be a hell of a long-distance relationship.”
Gage glanced back as Sloane strode away, hips swinging. She disappeared from sight, on her way home. “She’s sexy as fuck. I’d get along with her better if she let me do all the talking though.”
Knox shook his head, chuckling. He seemed more relaxed now that they were headed to their next ride, but he kept Quinn’s hand firmly in his own. “Where’s the fun in that?” he asked.
Gage chuckled. “Oh, I’m sure we’d have plenty of fun. With an attitude like that, she’s probably wild in bed. Don’t need to do a whole lot of talking there,” he pointed out.
“You’re hopeless,” Quinn said.
“Nah. I’ve just got a bad habit of meeting women who live nowhere near Seattle.”
They rode in silence for a bit, Knox finally leaning forward to speak with their driver. The other truck was up ahead, the men all still in communication with each other via their comms units. Fifteen minutes passed by quickly, and then Quinn heard the sound of helicopters in the distance.
Whomp, whomp, whomp.
“Helos are here,” Gage said unnecessarily.
Quinn clutched onto Knox’s hand, her heart suddenly pounding.
“Then let’s get the fuck out of dodge,” Knox quipped. He leaned toward Quinn, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “That’s our ride, sweetheart. We’re on our way home.”