Page 78 of Covert Operation
“You okay?”
Okay is relative. I’m no closer to figuring out who the fuck blew that warehouse up, or what in the hell sort of shit Vincent is into, but I’m also no longer hours away from her. “I’m good.”
Savannah beams at me. “Good.” She turns to the woman at her side. “This is Audrey. Audrey, this is Zeke. My...”
Her voice drifts off, and I understand why. Explaining what we are to other people is complicated. It would also likely lead to questions. Skepticism. Doubt.
“I’m just hers.” Whatever she wants me to be, I’ll be it. Boyfriend. Fiancé. Husband. Best friend—even though Christian may not agree with it. He can kiss my ass.
Audrey barely smiles, and I can’t tell if it’s because she’s skittish, or if the side of her face is so swollen it doesn’t move well. “Nice to meet you.” The words are soft, but strong.
Seeing women in her condition never gets easier. I’ve aided many of those women over the years, but the way Audrey is clinging to Savannah, it’s evident my assistance is not needed. This time, I’m happy to be their beverage boy. “Do you ladies want something to drink?”
“That would be perfect.” Savannah turns to Audrey, finding out what the other woman would like before sending me in search of a Coke Zero and a Dr Pepper.
The main floor of the firehouse is huge. Even bigger than it appeared from the outside. It’s got an enormous living room, an open dining area with a table that looks like it could easily seat twenty people, and a kitchen any chef would be proud to call their own.
I tip my head at Christian’s brothers as I pass. I don’t bother stopping to talk—they’re all busy with their wives and families, they don’t need me butting into their lives. I reach the kitchen and go to the large refrigerator, sifting through the cans inside before pulling out what I’m after. When I close the door, Maddox is standing on the other side. His unexpected appearance sendsme stepping back, nearly making me fumble Savannah’s Dr Pepper.
“I want to come to Nashville.” He doesn’t mince words. Doesn’t try to start a conversation. It’s odd, because Maddox is usually way more talkative than I enjoy.
“You are in Nashville.” Technically, he’s in Memphis, but the op we’re dealing with is in Nashville, so I know he gets what I’m saying.
“I mean permanently.” He steps closer. “When Pierce gets the new location set up, I want it to be my home base.” He glances behind me. “We all do.”
I turn to find more members of Shadow gathering around me. I look from face to face, trying to figure out where this sudden interest is coming from. “Why?”
Luca shrugs. “Why not?” He gives me a smirk. “It’s obvious you and Savannah want to move here. If the whole team wants to go, Pierce will have a harder time telling you no.”
I’m stunned. Shocked that they all noticed my interest in this area. I’m even more surprised they’d be willing to uproot their whole lives to increase my chances of getting what I want.
“You deserve to have something good in your life for once, man.” Maddox grips my shoulder the same way Christian did earlier. “You’ve always looked out for us, so now it’s our turn to look out for you.”
“And let’s be real.” Luca shrugs. “Fairbanks is full. If we stay there, we’re always going to be shipped out. Rogue has pretty much set up shop there, so if any of us wants to settle down, our best chance of having some sort of a normal home life is here.”
I never intended to have a home life to settle down to, so what would or wouldn’t be an option in Fairbanks hadn’t even crossed my mind. But, based on the expressions on the faces of the men around me, I might be the only one.
“I don’t know what it will be like here.” I don’t want them committing, thinking it will be identical to what’s set up in Alaska. “And I have no idea what Pierce has planned for our team now that we’re not working with Vincent and GHOST anymore.”
Idoknow that my team is capable of just about anything Pierce tasks us with. Whatever he asks, we can do. Maybe that’ll give me a little leverage when it comes time to negotiate our path.
Maddox grins, finally looking a little more like the man I know. “The weather gets up in the nineties here, so everything else is just fucking gravy.”
I can’t say I disagree with him on that. After spending so many years in the cold and the dark, sweating my balls off for a few months actually sounds enjoyable.
“Okay.” My decision is easy to make. “I’ll make sure it happens.”
“There is one thing we do want as part of the deal, though.” Maddox turns serious. “A little neighborhood like they have up there.” His eyes skim the room before coming back to me. “Like Christian and his brothers have here.”
My brows lift. “You want to be up each other’s asses all the time?” I motion around us. “Like this?”
Maddox’s grin comes back in full force. “Are you really going to argue against not having to feed yourself every night?”
I don’t plan to have to feed myself every night. I plan to have to feed myself and Savannah every night. I can’t cook for shit, but food seems to be important to her, so it’s important to me. “I’m not cooking for your dumb asses every night.”
Maddox laughs. “No one thinks you’re cooking for them, boss.” He slaps me on the back. “You just make our own little neighborhood happen, and we’ll take care of the rest.”
I stand there for a second longer after the men of my team disperse, filtering throughout the room to chat with Christian’s brothers and their wives. Guilt isn’t a new emotion for me. It’s one I carry on a regular basis. But the particular one I’m facing now is foreign. And unexpected.