Page 296 of Allegiance

This was fear.

Crossing to her, he held her hair back once more and tried everything he had in him to soothe her.

It was damn hard.

Why?

Because he was nervous too.

There was a lot riding on her plan, and it could get four men killed.

Jagger knew that once Chevy got him, he’d pay the price. There was no doubt in his mind that he’d be tortured unmercifully.

Then add in the other three men, and the slightest mistake, and children wouldn’t have fathers, and wives wouldn’t have husbands.

This was beyond dangerous.

“It’s okay,” he said.

She didn’t speak.

Instead, Maura started sobbing uncontrollably. Her whole body shook as she fought that fear and terror. She was sending four men to their deaths if she dropped the ball.

He sat on the floor, pulling her between his legs to soothe her. Jagger held her tight, and it brought back so many memories.

After she sacrificed herself to the Columbian guerillas to keep him safe, and they’d raped her, she’d been this broken. They’d done the same thing in that foul, nasty prison cell.

He’d held her against him, promising her it would be okay.

She said nothing.

There weren’t words.

“We’ll be okay, Baby,” he said, leaving kisses on her forehead.

Finally, she spoke.

“If I’m wrong…”

Jagger knew.

Only, he wasn’t going to let that doubt and fear creep in. Maura had never let him down.

And he had to believe that she never would.

Going into this mess, it had to be his focus.

To get them through alive.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Underground

Saturday

Five P.M.

W hen Maura received the text, they knew they had to get going. She, Jinx, and Eve were going to have to stay hidden, making sure that Merla didn’t see them. While she agreed to help them, they had to keep their ace in the hole secret.