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“I can do that,” she grinned, kissing him.
Down the stairs and into the night air, the women and children were thrilled to have fresh air on their faces. With the wind blowing, they didn’t even smell themselves any longer. Matt stood at the door of the bus, waving them toward him. He helped the women with children on board the bus, squeezing several into one seat to make room for the next group.
When the bus was full, the apartments cleared, Eazee pulled the fire alarm, setting a small fire inside their former hell. As residents poured out, they prayed they’d all made it. Just as the sirens could be heard in the distance, there was a loud explosion, the building collapsing into itself.
The children pressed their faces against the glass, watching as their prison tumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust and fire.
“Let’s go,” said East, tapping Matt on the shoulder.
He sped away in the opposite direction of the fire trucks and police cars. As they approached the gates of Fort Bliss, the arm automatically came up. Luke and Cam had come through, giving them safe passage onto the base.
Along the main road, men were directing them toward an open, empty hangar. Once inside, the bus was hidden, the women and children taken off the bus.
“They’re hungry, dirty, and tired,” said East as he stepped off the bus to face a man in uniform.
“Yes, sir. I’m Sgt. Major Rivers. My team has cots set up for them, clean clothing, and showers ready for them. We’ll get them taken care of, sir.”
“You don’t have to call me sir,” said East.
“Actually, Captain Wolfkill, yes, we do,” said Rivers. East just shook his head, grinning at the other man. “It’s an honor to meet you and your brother. We’ve heard all about you.”
“Let’s not tell anyone else,” he smirked.
“No, sir. We won’t. Except, uh, all the men behind me know.”
East and the others walked toward the wives who were anxiously waiting their turn to get showered and changed. The children who were showered were already in clean clothing seated at tables filled with nutritious food. The woman they’d first encountered stood, shaking their hands.
“Thank you,” she said with tears. “We’ve been there a long time. Is my husband alright?”
“We think they are okay, for now,” said East. “We’ll make sure that they’re home as soon as we can.”
Cowboy stared at his watch, realizing that they only had a few hours before Rivera arrived. If they were going to end this madness, they needed sleep of their own. Always able to survive on little to no sleep, the preferred method would be at least a few hours of rest to keep a clear head. With Rivera and Sutton, they needed both. Sleep and a clear head.
Matt looked over his shoulder and let out a shrill whistle.
“Let’s go,” he said. “I need to return this bus.”
“You didn’t rent it?” asked Eazee.
“Where the fuck do you rent a city bus?” he growled. “I stole this shit. I’ll take it back filled with gas, and no one will know.”
“Jesus,” muttered Liffey. “You could have told us that before.” Matt just shook his head, walking up the steps to the bus’s driver’s seat.
“You didn’t ask.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Although the room was filled with men, including her father, Brooke cuddled closely to East, just wanting to feel him next to her. After their first random, heated sexual encounter fueled mostly by anger, they hadn’t been alone for even a moment. She didn’t need the sex right this minute, but she did need to feel his body next to her own.
Growing up with East and his brothers, she’d always been able to tell them apart. After all, a young girl doesn’t forget the one she fell in love with. Even if he did have two identical brothers. The men had slept for nearly three hours, but she’d been asleep for nearly seven. So, Brooke quietly got up, hoping to start some coffee and check messages before the others needed to leave.
It didn’t surprise her to see her father seated at the table, already sipping his first cup.
“Enough rest for you?” she whispered.
“I never needed more than three or four hours of sleep before a mission,” he smirked. He shoved a cup of coffee toward her with creamer, remembering her preference for the hot elixir.
“Thank you,” she smiled.
