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“Clear the area. Another team will be on site in thirty minutes to clean up. Head to the evacuation point,” Ox commanded.
Surprised at the mention of another team had Growler looking up at his boss. “Do we need to take pictures before we go?”
Ox tapped his vest. “Done. Let’s get out of here.”
The sound of muffled cries came from outside, and Growler looked through the open door to see that Angel had wrapped the young girl in a blanket. “And her?” he asked.
“She’ll come with us part of the way. Cass has already got onto Julian, and he will have the relevant authorities meet us at the airport and collect her. They’ll question her and then take her back to her family. If she has one.” Ox gave the room one last look before heading to the exit.
Growler nodded. “Roger that.”
The four of them headed behind the cabin to the extraction point. Irish had the young girl in his arms, and her tears had stopped. Her eyelids were drooping as she lightly bounced up and down with each step Irish took. Even though Growler couldn’t see Irish’s face, he imagined that the other man was as pissed as he was that a girl as young as this one had had her innocence torn away from her from a fucker who got off on power plays and tormenting whoever he could.
An hour later, they were airborne on their way to the meeting point where they would then get on another aircraft and head back stateside. He’d been away from Astrid for three days, but it felt like it was a lifetime.
He couldn’t wait to see and hold his girl again.
Astrid strolled the aisle of the grocery store, putting random items into her cart. Her mind was not on the task of filling up her refrigerator or pantry. Her mind was on Callum and the many miles that separated them. She didn’t know where he’d been headed or what he was doing, but she wouldn’t feel relaxed again until he was in her arms.
Her phone trilled in her purse and she grabbed it, smiling when Penni’s name flashed on the screen. Wheeling her cart to a place where she wouldn’t inhibit people from getting to the shelves, she connected the call.
“Hey! How’s it going?”
“Hi, I was just calling to see how you were doing?” In the background, she could hear Logan’s excited squeals, the sound so happy and free. She envied Logan. He didn’t know how bad the world could be. The innocence of a child should always be protected, and that was what his dad did every time he was called away.
“How do you do it?” she blurted out.
“Do what?” Penni asked.
“Deal with Fort going away to places unknown and not knowing if he would return or not.”
A sigh echoed down the line, and Astrid felt bad for asking her friend that. Should she have even told Penni that Callum was away on some trip? Penni had called a couple hours after Callum had left, and because she was still feeling so raw about him going away so soon after the threat on her life had been cleaned up, she’d blurted out that Callum had gone away.
Penni being Penni had calmed her down. If she’d been surprised about Callum and the other guys from Alliez going away, she hadn’t said anything.
“Honestly, it’s not easy. The first couple of times are always the hardest, but I knew he had a good group of men at his back and that, all of them combined, would make each other get back safely. While Callum may not have been with Alliez long, and not know the others well, but they’re all former special forces, working as a team is as natural as breathing to them.”
Penni’s words helped a little, but Astrid wasn’t sure she could do handle if Callum went away a lot. Then again, she knew that he also needed this. That personal security wasn’t what he loved doing, but this was.
“I suppose. I’ll just be happier when he’s standing in front of me.”
“Girl, I know how you feel. Do you want to come down for the weekend? May help you take your mind off things.”
“Yes, I’d love that.” It really was a no brainer for Astrid to accept the invitation. Getting out of LA was exactly what she needed.
“Great. I’ll ask the other girls around, and we can have a girls’ night. Let the men look after all the children. Let me know when you’re leaving so I know when to expect you.”
The dark cloud that had been hovering over her since Callum walked out the door lifted a little. Astrid suspected it wouldn’t disappear until her man was safely home. “I will. I think I might catch the train.”
“Perfect, then I’ll know exactly when you’ll arrive. It’s going to be a fabulous weekend.”
“I can’t wait.”
They disconnected the call, and Astrid immediately proceeded to the checkout, eager to get home and plan her trip. She didn’t know what she’d done to deserve Penni coming into her life, but Astrid was most thankful the other woman had. Not only had she become a close friend, she’d also been the catalyst for Astrid to meet the love of her life.
Life was pretty perfect.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
