Page 100 of Talk to Me

That sounded amazing. The smell of the roast and the potatoes were all hitting me at once. They’d prepared a huge meal. It was divine and my mouth watered.

“Thank you,” I murmured as Remington served out slices of the meat then the potatoes were handed to me. I got the first serving of everything. It was a huge meal. Now that I was aware of it, I was starving. “Guys…”

All three of them focused on me and the air backed up in my lungs. There was no mistaking their attention, no matter how much I tried to ignore the meaning behind each of their kisses or the depth of feeling they aroused in me.

In their own ways, they were all predators. Apex predators in their particular fields. While they were extremely dangerous, they were also incredibly gentle with me. Even when I didn’t pay as close attention as I should, I could see that they were.

They also capped their own impatience with the process and me, instead, they looked after me in their own ways.

“Thank you,” I murmured, taking a moment to meet each of their gazes. “I don’t know that I actually said that in all of this. Thank you for coming for me and for getting me out. Thank you for—” I motioned to the cabin. “All of this.”

“You’re welcome,” Locke said easily, a sentiment echoed by Remington.

“Just remember that the next time you get pissy that we’re making you take a break,” McQuade said and Locke groaned.

“You really don’t have a sense of when not to push it,” he muttered.

“I don’t need to,” McQuade retorted. “She has you and the Brit here to hold hands with and skip merrily to her doom.” All at once his gaze locked onto mine. “That’s not what you want or need from me, is it, Sugar Bear?”

No, it absolutely wasn’t. I swallowed, unable to look away from the ferociousness in his eyes. The feeling unfolding in my chest sent waves of heat and cold to every extremity.

“Of course not,” I murmured, fighting for normalcy. “I would never ask you for something outside your wheelhouse.”

The corners of his lips twitched. Yeah, it wasn’t a denial…

“Nor skillset,” I continued and his eyes narrowed at the tweak. “It wouldn’t be kind.”

Some of the tension bubbling there eased and I could take a breath. It wasn’t like I didn’t know how to talk to them. I always had.

“I’ll remember that,” McQuade reminded me.

“Of course you will.” I managed to look at Locke who seemed to be shaking his head at McQuade and Remington both. The latter lifted his chin as though encouraging me to continue. But I just smiled and saluted him with my first cut of the meat. “This smells wonderful, Remy. Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” he said and a fresh shiver raced over my skin, leaving tingles in its wake. These guys were—a lot.

But I could handle it, I reminded myself. I knew them. I’d handled them for years. Maybe if I told myself that enough times the pragmatist in me would stop reminding me that for years there’d been miles between us with only the internet and a phone for contact.

Yep, the pragmatist in me was a real bitch because she highlighted the fact the only thing between us now were clothes and based on those kisses—that didn’t have to be a thing either.

Heat flushed me and I fixed my gaze on the plate as I ate. The food was wonderful, but all the air in the room seemed to escape as it filled up with their presence.

I really needed to get us the information we needed so we could get out of here in one piece.

All four of us.

Chapter

Thirty-Two

LOCKE

The clock ticking down had grown more audible over the past few days. Initially, the only time constraints had been to find her as soon as possible. Then it was to get her out. After—the drive was to get her to safety and keep her there.

Once we reached Michigan and dug in, the clock had all but stopped. For me anyway. Then it was a series of tasks that needed to be completed—side quests as it were. McQuade and I handled the bulk of it.

He took care of weapons while I handled everything else. I didn’t even mind it. Granted, I’d spent more time in jeans and flannel shirts than I thought remotely reasonable. The fact I’d not worn a tux or anything involving silk ties or shirts was almost amusing.

I didn’t hate it though. The fact I’d more or less gone totally off the grid wasn’t that unusual in my life. My accountant would make sure all my bills were paid—including his own. I had a housekeeper who looked after my home and she handled the bills there.