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Striker stayed by Aine’s side, insisting that he make her a plate from the Thanksgiving buffet her sister had commandeered, and then return it to the kitchen when she finished eating.
There were conversations all around them from the crowd of people gathered for the holiday meal. He and Aine managed to stay on the perimeter of the chaos, not talking, but not needing to, as though their bodies and minds were so in tune that they communicated silently.
Once they finished their pie, Aine asked if they could leave.
“I need to talk to Doc and Razor…”
Aine nodded. “I’ll track down Ava.”
“I’ll find her and send her to you.”
“I can walk, Griffin.”
He knelt down and kissed her. “You are dead-on-your-tush tired, sweetheart. Let your sister come to you.”
“Okay,” she murmured, as though even speaking the word took energy she didn’t have.
Before he went in search of Razor and Ava, he found Penelope out on the deck.
“Any luck?”
“No. That agency doesn’t have GPS on their cars.”
Striker didn’t tell her this, but given the ordeal that the four women had gone through over a year ago, it was likely K19 still had tracking installed on Tara’s phone.
“Aine wants to go back to the inn, but let Razor know if you need him to jump in on this.”
“Like Ava said earlier, she’ll be back when she’s back.”
Striker went inside and found Razor in the kitchen with his wife and son. “Aine’s ready to go.”
Razor nodded, handing Sam to his wife.
“Why don’t you just stay here?” Ava suggested. “It’ll be more comfortable for her.”
Striker looked at his teammate. It would solve his current dilemma of not wanting to leave Aine alone, but also needing to be here.
“We’ll go to the inn instead,” said Zary, looking at Gunner.
“Hold off anyone going anywhere,” said Razor. “We can figure this out.”
“What about Butler Ranch?” Quinn said to Doc, who had walked in with Merrigan.
“I’m headed there now,” Merrigan responded.
“I’m sure they have plenty of room since only one of my brothers still lives there,” said Doc.
“You aren’t going with Merrigan?” asked Quinn.
Mercer leaned forward and whispered something in her ear that Striker couldn’t hear. Quinn nodded.
“It’s going to be a late night then,” she said, looking at Ava, who nodded.
“I’ll host a girls’ night at our place,” Quinn offered. “It’ll be a little rustic, though.”
“We could all go to Butler Ranch,” said Merrigan.
Striker excused himself. He didn’t really care who went where as long as he didn’t have to leave Aine alone.
