Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Cain had debriefed him the second they’d gotten out of the Humvee and into the camp. The satellite link had been active and waiting on him. The conversation hadn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. His boss was concerned about him but tried to mask it with anger. Shadow had taken his dressing down without a word and acknowledged he’d deserved it. Had Millie been a less than courageous woman, Shadow might have lost his Goddamned mind for more than one battle. That was what bothered him the most. He’d put Millie in more danger than she would have been in if he’d just remained calm and taken care of business.
“Hey.” Speak of the devil. Millie had showered and changed. She wore a black leather halter with black leather pants and combat boots. The pants were open up the side and had leather laces holding the legs together. All the way to the waistband. Yeah. No way for panties there. Maybe she had on a micro thong. As he took in the visual, Shadow rubbed a hand over his mouth. “Cain offered me a ride on next ExFil transport going out. You staying or going?”
“If you’re goin’, I’m goin’, sugar.”
She smiled brightly. “Well, get move on. Car leaves for boat in hour.”
He chuckled, “Boat, huh?”
“Yeah. Not getting on plane willingly.”
“How did you score that?”
“Don’t know. Don’t care. Cargo ship leaves out of someplace north of here.” She shrugged. “Cain said he’d get me lift and passage. I didn’t ask questions.”
“What about Venus and Katya? They goin’ with ya?”
“Nyet. Venus wants to get Katya back to U.S. as quickly as possible. I agree with her.”
“Don’t you want to go with them?”
“I can meet up with them later.” She tried to act like she didn’t care, but Shadow could tell she did. She was ashamed of her fear of planes but was trying not to show it.
“How about if I go with you?”
“Kinda hoped you go with me on boat,” she muttered.
“Sugar, if that’s the way you want to go home, I’m there. I just want you to be with your sisters if you want. And I know you want.” He reached out a hand to her. “Trust me to take care of you?”
Millie looked put out. Like she wanted to grumble and sulk, but she took his hand. “Fine. But if we crash, you and I are going to have conversation.”
This time, the plane wasn’t a cargo jet. It was a private jet, destined to stop in London, then on to Lexington, Kentucky. From there, Cain had a charter flight ready to take them to Somerset, Kentucky and a cage waiting to go to the clubhouse.
At the moment, they were sitting in the most luxurious plane Shadow had ever imagined, waiting for takeoff on the first leg of the journey. Millie was belted into the seat next to him, her eyes tightly shut, her hand gripping his in a death grip.
“I think Millie’s scared of flying,” Katya said in her lightly accented English. Apparently, the girl spoke Russian like her sisters.
“I am not!” Millie snapped, her eyes never opening. “I just like Shadow to think he has reason to coddle me. I like being coddled.”
Katya giggled. Millie broke out in a sweat.
“I think I can manage that.” Shadow chuckled, bringing Millie’s hand up to his lips for a brief kiss. “In fact, the second we level off, I’m taking her to the back to help her relax.”
Venus rolled her eyes. Katya giggled. “Does that mean you’re going to kiss her? Because I think she wants you to kiss her.”
“Oh, yeah. I’m definitely gonna kiss her.”
Venus made a gagging noise. “So disgusting.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Katya said, her smile fading. “I wish I had someone looking out for me like Millie does.”
Instantly, Shadow was on alert. This girl was hiding the trauma she’d been through. Just like her sisters tried to. “Sweetheart, the second we get to the Bones compound, I’ll find you a brother to watch out for you,” Shadow promised. “You ain’t got to worry about that from here on out. When Venus or Millie can’t be with you, I’ll make sure you have your very own bodyguard.”
“There,” Venus said, putting an arm around her sister and hugging her close. “You see? You’ll never be alone again.”
Katya looked up at Venus with such trust and hope in her eyes, it nearly made Shadow look away from the intimate moment. “I don’t want to be scared anymore,” she said softly.
“You leave that to us. Shadow and Millie will help me find guard for you, and he’ll never let you out of his sight. You’ll be sick to death of him before you’re comfortable enough to be on your own.”
“But what if I don’t ever want to be on my own?” Katya looked at Shadow. Not at either of her sisters. Shadow thought it was telling. Girl was probably embarrassed but still terrified, though she was hiding it well.