His firm hand presses into my chest. “How about you two take a couple paces back and cool off while we talk through this rationally?”
Rationally.
There’s nothing rational when it comes to Raven or what she’s doing, what I’m helping her do. There’s so much stupidity in this plan, so much belief in things that we aren’t one hundred percent sure are true, faith in people we barely know. And everything has to work perfectly if we want to get out of this unscathed.
Tony looks to his brother. “With Barrett and Tripp back in town, I’ll have extra eyes and ears who can help me keep a watch on things—strangers, or anyone asking things they shouldn’t.”
Barrett crosses his arms over his huge chest, and honestly, the fact that the Briggs brothers all served in the military, all in elite units, does give me a modicum of comfort.
They will be in McBride Mountain.
They will be there to help protect everyone while this all unravels.
Killian paces away from me, tugging on his hair again and rubbing at the back of his neck. “I can’t have Willow and the baby on the homestead when this breaks. I need to get them somewhere far away. Somewhere safe that can’t be tied to us.”
I nod my agreement. “Liam should send Lucky, too.”
Killian’s gaze cuts to me. “You really think she’ll go?”
Considering the blue-haired woman who my baby brother fell so head-over-heels in love with wasn’t afraid to pull a gun on me, I shake my head. “Not easily. Not when she believes all of this is her fault. But we have to make her go.”
Tony and Barrett nod their agreement.
Barrett’s lips twist. “Why don’t we send them to Uncle Bubba’s?”
The sheriff’s eyes widen slightly as he glances at his brother. “That’s not a bad idea.”
I picture the old man who was old even when I was a small child and he used to visit the mountain to see his brother and nephews. “He’s still alive?”
The Briggs brothers exchange a grin.
Barrett nods. “Still kicking at ninety-two. And his place is so fucking remote, no one would ever look there. Nor is there any connection between him and Lucky or Willow, other than his great-nephews living in the same town, which is so tentative…”
Killian nods. “I like this idea. We get them all out tonight. Before any of this information goes to Agent Michaelson or the editor.”
It’s better than putting them up at some hotel somewhere, no matter how far away we could get them.
I look to Tony. “How long will it take to get to your uncle’s property?”
From what I remember, Bubba lives in the Louisiana bayou, certainly not somewhere we can drop them easily.
He shrugs. “Ten or eleven hours, maybe? But it isn’t the easiest terrain, and I wouldn’t recommend having the girls drive it themselves. Or anyone else who’s never been there.”
Barrett nods his agreement. “I’ll take them. I’ll see if I can get Tripp to come with me, too.”
Tony gives his youngest brother a pointed look, but Barrett just shakes his head as if to tell him not to bring up whatever he’s clearly trying to reference.
Whatever is going on between them is irrelevant at this point, though. As long as the girls and Niall will be safe, that takes a huge part of the concern off our minds.
Killian releases a long, relieved breath. “Okay, that solves one problem.”
Tony raises a brow. “What’s the other?”
“Raven…”
As much as I normally would agree that woman is always a problem, this is the one time I know she’s tucked away safely, where she can’t get herself into any shit.
I hold up a hand to Killian. “Raven’s fine. No one will find her where I have her stashed.”
