Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
“You are not going over there alone,” Tag commanded in that he-will-not-be-moved way of his. “Tash is putting in a call for the company jet.”
Adam frowned. “Uhm, I’ve got some meetings in Seattle.”
The two companies shared a single jet. Ian and Adam had made the purchase only the year before, and now they bickered about it constantly.
“I can’t hide where he’s going if I put him on a commercial jet,” Tag pointed out. “Do you want to be the reason Solo gets caught by Levi?”
Adam’s eyes rolled. “Of course not, but I also don’t want to fly commercial. It’s horrible.”
They started to argue. Charlotte took him to the side. “I’ll have you in Malta by tomorrow afternoon. But Ian’s right. You can’t go alone.”
“If half the team here suddenly goes missing, Levi will know something’s up.” He didn’t want to go without a team either, but he wasn’t going to put her at risk. “Maybe I can take Hutch.”
“I need him here,” Charlotte replied. “But I think I might have a team for you. Some of them are out of practice, but I know they won’t let you go alone.”
The door came open again and there was another Taggart in the doorway. Theo looked like he’d run down from the gym they kept on the second floor of MT. He was in a T-shirt, sweats, and sneakers. “Hey, I got the text. We found her?”
He hadn’t expected Theo to be so excited. “Yes. Were you in on this?”
Theo stepped inside and took a look at the photos. “Not the investigation, though I’ve kept up with it. But the plan on how we’ll work this op is one I’ve been thinking about for years.” He grinned. “It’s time to get the band back together, brother. Come on. We’ve got some calls to make.”
He felt his heartrate tick up.
It was time to face his wife and find out if there was any way to earn her forgiveness.
* * * *
Bliss, CO
Jax Seaborne watched his kids running after Buster on the lawn in front of their cabin. They giggled madly and chased the big mutt who’d been his constant companion for almost eight years. Buster was slower than he’d been back then, but he could keep up with two rambunctious boys.
Sometimes better than their dad.
“Caden, don’t hit your brother,” a feminine voice called out, and then the center of his world was stepping out onto the porch.
He smiled and looked her over. No matter how many years he’d been married to River, he still took in every inch of that beautiful body as often as he could. “Hey, gorgeous.”
She moved next to him, wrapping her arm around his waist. “Are you packed? Henry should be here soon.”
He hugged her close. “Yeah. You know I don’t want to leave you, right?”
She tipped her head up and wrinkled her nose. “You never leave me, babe. You’ve barely left Bliss for seven years. Come on and tell me there’s not a part of you that’s excited.”
He couldn’t lie to the love of his life. “I love Bliss, but I wouldn’t hate one last mission.”
“Especially since it’s Solo.” River laid her head against his chest. “Please tell her I miss her.”
Over the years, his wife had come to forgive the woman who’d lied to her. Solo had been River’s friend in a time when she’d needed one. Forgiveness had always been his wife’s default position. She’d even forgiven him. “Are you sure you’re okay with me going? Hiking season is in full swing.”
They’d built up Mountain Adventures over the last seven years, and now they had twenty employees and offered everything from guided camping to a weeklong kids’ camp they were debuting this summer. He still wasn’t sure that hadn’t been a mistake because Max Harper had gleefully signed up all four of his kids the week before and then run out of the office yelling “no take backs.” He was absolutely certain the Harper kids combined with the Hollister-Wright brood would make the summer interesting.
Could he make this mission last until fall?
“We’ll be fine as long as you’re home before summer camp. You’re not leaving me alone with those hooligans.” She stepped back and grinned up at him as though she’d known exactly what he’d been thinking. Which she probably had. “If it helps, Laura came in and signed up Sierra. She’ll keep the Harper boys in line.”
“The boys? The boys are easy. I’m worried about Paige.” He heard the sound of gravel crunching and realized it was almost time to go. He held a hand out and pulled her close again. “God, I’m going to miss you.”
She hugged him tight as Henry Flanders’s truck pulled up. Henry was driving him into Alamosa where Beck was picking him up in a jet. Henry was probably going to give him an hour-long lecture on how to survive this op.