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“Hard to say. There’s a fucking horde of traffic out there today, and this is a residential neighborhood. Lots of coming and going.”
“Fuck,” Joaquin hissed. “I’ll fix the office problem. One minute.”
As the quietest of his bosses whistled at Ethan to get out of the pool, cut his holiday short, and head to the office, Hunter and Jack exchanged a glance full of silent communication.
Then the Cajun took over. “If you asked Hunter to loop me in on this conversation, you obviously had a reason. What do you need from me?”
“I’ve heard rumors that you’ve got a fishing cabin so remote it’s basically off the grid. If a bunch of boys from DC want to come to Louisiana and fuck with a lady, they’ll have a much harder time if they have to contend with the local wildlife.”
Jack burst out laughing. “Absolutely. The swamp is tricky even for a seasoned man to navigate. But if you don’t know where you’re going…well, the gators are usually on the prowl.”
“Is it a safe place to keep Madison while we figure out how to carve her a future?”
“One of the safest,” Jack assured, filling Matt with relief. “I’m assuming you want to take her into hiding ASAP?”
“Me? No. Either team have a spare guy? Madison would probably feel better if someone else watched over her. I’ll negotiate something with the senator. Her freedom for her silence.”
“That’s stupid as fuck,” Deke blurted. “What do you know about someone like Pershing?”
“Not much.”
“Exactly. My contacts would be better equipped since they run in those circles. You should watch the woman. You obviously care whether she lives.”
“I’m compromised.” When they all shot him narrow-eyed stares, he cursed. There was no diplomatic way to say this. “If you send me into hiding with Madison, I’ll spend way more time banging her than protecting her.” And losing his heart even more.
Logan raised a brow. “Didn’t get that out of your system after Trees and Laila’s wedding?”
“Not even close.” And he refused to explain beyond that.
The men looked at one another. Jack shrugged regretfully. “Ghost and Trevor are heading out tomorrow night, along with the new guy, Corden. Remi is still in the hospital after he got shot on his last op, and Sawyer is recovering after an emergency appendectomy on Monday. You can use the cabin for as long as you need, but from a personnel standpoint, we’re tapped.”
Deke nodded his agreement. “I’ll start talking to my contacts in DC about opening communication with Pershing’s people and get back to you.”
“After the party, I’ll put my hands on the keys to the cabin and anything else you might need to survive the swamp,” Jack said. “I’ll have to lead you there myself or you’ll never find it. But it would be safer to wait until morning. We can head out just before sunrise.”
Not the answer he wanted, but Matt understood. He’d already asked for a lot.
As Deke and Jack disappeared inside the house, Hunter and Logan exchanged a glance, then stared at him.
“We’ve got no one to give you but Ethan,” Logan said.
Hunter jumped in. “One-Mile has a government contract I can’t discuss. Zy and Trees leave Friday morning to head back to the Texas border. Kane is already there. More problems with coyotes.” And they didn’t mean the howling kind. “Since you were supposed to go with them and your head is obviously fucked up, I’m sending Nash. So if you want someone to protect Madison, that leaves Ethan…or you.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“We’re not thrilled, either,” Logan put in. “Other than that blip of horrible fucking concentration you had right after you started three years ago—which I’m guessing had something to do with her—you’ve always been clean, solid, and reliable. You need to face whatever you have with her and deal with it.”
Matt looked across the yard. Ethan toweled off next to the pool while Joaquin glared on. The kid was only twenty-one, but he was built big with a litter of tattoos that said he’d led a colorful life. He was brash and confident and a definite smooth talker. Fuck, Madison was so vulnerable right now…
And the thought of that bastard touching her made him insane.
“You’re backing me into a corner,” Matt growled.
“We’re putting the business first. What’s your real problem?”
Matt shook his head. He’d heard whispers the Edgington brothers were both Dominants and that their wives were their collared, pampered submissives. Good for them. But no way was he telling these two men he respected about his dad or his own degenerate proclivities. Nor could he risk exercising them again. He couldn’t have Madison ending up like Nicole, with her brains splattered all over his kitchen floor because he’d driven her to something awful and desperate for the sheer enjoyment of holding her in the palm of his hand.
Matt clenched his fists, fighting against everything inside him. “There’s no problem. Send Ethan with her to Jack’s cabin. I’ll stay here and do whatever needs to be done.”
