Page 34 of Rescuing Brinley

“They were going to take those women and sell them. I told Dash that I could fly us all out of there. I wasn’t working with the people who took over the conference center. All I wanted was to get the women away. Keep them safe. Dash was forced to kill those men because they were shooting at us. If anyone should be punished for us stealing the plane, it’s me.”

Shadow opened his mouth to tell her that no one was getting punished for saving the beauty queens, or for taking a plane out from under the noses of a group of terrorists, but the officer beat him to it.

“No one is under arrest. We just need to document what happened. Then you’ll both be free to go.”

Brinley didn’t look convinced, but when he took hold of her hand and squeezed, she turned her head and gave him a brave smile.

This woman. She was killing him.

And he was falling hard and fast for her. It was so out of character for him, he felt off balance for a moment.

He didn’t know what it was about her that had him so entranced. Shadow had met plenty of people during stressful and deadly circumstances like the one they’d just endured, but none had affected him like Brinley. Maybe it was because he’d gotten to know her a little before the shit hit the fan. Maybe because he already felt protective of her. He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he couldn’t wait to get the hell off this island and back home to Alaska, where he could court her without guns and violence being a part of their relationship.

The trip to the police station didn’t take long, and Shadow kept hold of Brinley’s hand throughout the drive. When they were separated at the station, he wanted to protest. Wanted to stay by her side, but in a move he was coming to recognize as typical Brinley, she gave him a brave nod and told him she’d see him soon.

His interview was short and to the point. He told the officer taking his statement everything that happened, not leaving out any of the gruesome details. He also made sure Brinley got the bulk of the credit for saving the eight innocent women who’d been handpicked by the Red Vipers to be carted off and trafficked.

He paced the room where he was led after his interview, as he waited for Brinley to reappear.

When she did, it was all Shadow could do not to lose his shit. She looked awful. Stressed out and worried. She’d been in the interrogation room for over an hour and a half, and he had no idea why. It had taken him just thirty minutes to explain the same circumstances.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded quickly. “I’m good. Can we go back to the hotel now?”

“Of course.” Shadow looked at the officer who’d accompanied her to the waiting area. “We’ll need a ride.”

“I believe a couple of your friends are here to take you back to the other side of the island.”

And that was another thing to be upset about. That part of his team was here, and he hadn’t been told, nor had they been allowed into the room where he was waiting.

“Here’s your cell phone back,” the man said, handing it to Shadow.

At this point, Shadow was barely able to be civil. He was pissed the officers had taken his phone to begin with, but since it was one he solely used for missions, and it didn’t contain anything top secret, he hadn’t resisted.

Brinley took hers back and walked toward him. Shadow wrapped his arm around her once more and felt her lean against him. If it was up to him, she could lean on him for years to come.

He led them out of the room and down the long hall to the lobby of the station. After going through a locked door, he saw Echo and Grinder waiting for him. He let go of Brinley long enough to give his friends a heartfelt man-hug—complete with some hearty back slaps—before taking hold of Brinley’s hand.

“Talk to me. Where’s the VP and his family? Everyone is okay?”

They began to walk as Grinder filled him in on what happened back at the resort when he and Brinley were making their escape with the kidnapped women.

“Shit got dicey there for a while, and as much as we wanted to be in the middle of the action, the Secret Service and the local police force did an excellent job of holding the line and making sure none of the Red Vipers escaped.”

“Except two of them almost did,” Shadow growled. “They were able to load eight women into the back of that truck and move them to the waiting plane.”

“Yeah, from what I understand, that was before the bulk of the backup arrived. They surrounded the conference center right around the time you guys were leaving with the plane. They almost shot it down, but thankfully, we were able to get word to them that you were onboard. Roling and his family are on their way back to the States as we speak.”

“What about the rest of the contestants?” Brinley asked, as they neared a black SUV.

“In shock, but most are fine. The winners of the pageant will be announced at a later date, as the rest of the schedule has been canceled. The hotel is working with everyone to try to facilitate getting them home…shuttles to the airport, helping those who were injured figure out what they need, that kind of thing.”

“Our flight is wheels up at oh-five hundred tomorrow,” Echo said.

Shadow could feel Brinley tense against him. It was crazy that the first thought he had was that he didn’t want to leave her.

“When’s your flight scheduled?” he asked her.