Liam staredat the closed bedroom door. The shower had stopped, and silence filled the house. He hoped that Raven had fallen asleep. The woman had endured an unbelievable event and conditions in that hut. The safety of the house didn’t concern him. He trusted his men to secure the area. As Charlie One, he’d made an executive decision. His job—keep Raven safe while the team took care of the rest.
Liam had all but forgotten the comm in his ear. His men had heard everything. “Charlie Team, SITREP.”
“Secure.” The group acknowledged one by one.
“We’re golden, but can we talk about the fact that Raven just said your name like it was dipped in honey?” Dax teased.
Boone chuckled. “I caught that, too. Man, she’s got you wrapped tighter than det cord.”
“Easy, boys. He’s our fearless leader. Don’t embarrass him too much.” Rafe’s amused tone had Liam shaking his head.
“Too late.” He could hear Xander’s grin.
“Knock it off. I don’t even know her real name.” These men had followed him through horrible missions, and he trusted each one with his life, but being the focus of their amusement wasn’t on his wish list.
“Doesn’t matter. You knowher,” Boone offered.
“Boss, you realize we’ve been listening to you two for years. Half the time, we couldn’t decide if you were going to kill each other or elope.” Xander belly laughed.
“Copy. Out.” Liam muttered, but his jaw twitched, fighting a smile.
“Not terminated.” Rafe rescinded his order. “None of us are blind. You’ve carried her voice in your ear through firefights and chaos. She’s more than intel to you. To all of us. But it’s not the same for the rest of the team. Judging by the way she looks at you—even through bruises and exhaustion—she feels the same.”
Silence filled the line.
What did he say to that? It was one thing to be interested in Raven and want to get to know her in person when she was just a voice in his ear. But seeing her tied to that pole and her strength as she struggled in the jungle… Yeah, he was hooked.
“So, here’s the plan, boss,” Dax announced. “We’ll keep covering your six and help you solve this mystery, while you pull out all the stops and get the girl. Deal?”
Boone snorted. “Finally. A mission objective we can all get behind.”
“Real name or not. She’s worth the risk. We know it. You know it. Don’t overthink this.” Rafe’s serious tone brought all the teasing into perspective.
His men knew him too well. And for once, he wasn’t sure he wanted to argue. “Copy that.”
Maybe he’d have a shot at a relationship with Raven once they figured out this mess. Then again, he didn’t know where she lived or her actual name.
A few minutes later, the front door creaked. Rafe and Xander stepped inside, their boots echoing on the hardwood floor. They smirked at Liam as they strode by, heading toward the back bedroom. Without a word, they returned, hauling two large cases.
“Dining room table?” Rafe asked.
“Yes. Set up in there. That’ll leave the kitchen free for meals.” Liam removed the centerpiece from the table and placed it in the corner.
Xander unloaded gear—laptops, hard drives, and a portable secure router.
Rafe strung the cords on the table and started connecting the equipment. Cables snaked across the wood floor while multiple screens flickered to life. Liam’s second in command was a tech specialist genius. Not on Raven’s level, but between the two of them, he had no doubt they’d break through the data and find the evidence pointing to the person responsible for the mission and the ultimate reason for her kidnapping. And this time, instead of her watching out for them, the whole team would havehersix.
Xander had arranged a spread of grab-and-go food and set it on the kitchen counter before he’d caught rack time.
Raven emerged from her room a few hours later. “Good morning. Or night. I’m so mixed up.” Raven yawned, and her jaw cracked. “Sorry.”
Liam smiled. The rumpled look warmed his heart. “It’s very night.”
She squinted at the window. “Hard to tell with the blackout curtains. But I’m okay with that.”
“Come on. Let’s get you some food, and I’ll show you your workstation.” He waited for her to join him before walking to the kitchen. “I’m sure it’s not as techy as your office, but it’s what we have.”
“A keyboard, screen, and processing power are all I need.” She came to a halt. “Well, that and the secure internet access.”
