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Stan pushed off the wall and pulled a toothpick from between his teeth. “I’ll give it a shot, but we both know you’re the best person for the job. You’re the one she knows best. The one she trusts.”
He snorted, staring at her. “She doesn’t trust me at all.”
“Well, we could always force her off this island. There are ways to make people compliant.” Stan suggested, staring at her as well and letting his words sink in.
Her arms came unfolded.
Dusty reiterated his earlier point. “Then we’d be just as bad as them.”
Stan sighed. “Okay, fine. Then we do it.”
“What?” Dusty snapped.
“I think we can do it,” Stan suggested with a shrug. “Let’s give it a shot.”
Dusty paced to Asia, considering Stan’s words. He stopped before her and met her eyes. “For the record, I’m not for leaving that girl behind, either. I find it hard to sleep knowing I watched those girls be auctioned off, and I did nothing to save them. Do you understand that?”
She nodded.
“So, we’re agreed, we’re doing this? Yeah?” Stan asked.
Dusty nodded once. “If we do this, we don’t tell Chris until after.”
“Amen to that one.” Stan clapped his hands together. “Okay, then we need a plan, because one way or another, we’ve got to meet the boat Chris is sending in tomorrow night.”
They gathered around while Stan took a laptop out of his bag and pulled up a map of the island of St. John. He pointed to a spot. “I ever tell you I came here to honeymoon with my second wife? Fun times. Anyway, we did some exploring. There are trails through the jungle mountains, overgrown with tree roots and a bitch to navigate, but there’s a spot right here where an old sugar plantation used to be. Very few tourists ever get up that far. It's too overgrown and remote.” He met Dusty’s eyes. “If things go sideways, and we get separated, we meet up at the plantation ruins.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Dusty knelt, packing his go bag and checking his weapon, when a white t-shirt hit him in the face. He pulled it off and looked at Asia. She was wearing the matching one they’d bought at the souvenir shop yesterday. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going with you. We’re newlyweds.”
“Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous,” he replied, zipping his bag and standing.
“You said it was safer if we stuck together, and it’s good cover,” she insisted.
“She’s got you there, buddy.” Stan double checked his weapons and ammo, kneeling at his bag.
“No one asked for your two cents,” Dusty snapped.
“Just sayin’,” Stan replied, shoving his items in his go-bag.
“This is dangerous, Stan.”
Stan paused and looked up. “Dude, so is leaving her alone. God knows what trouble she’ll get into.”
Asia saw her opening and pounced. “I’ll follow you. I will, Dusty.”
“See?” Stan lifted his palm toward her.
“Thanks, asshole,” Dusty bit out.
Asia stepped forward. “I can help you with this girl, besides you might need me to talk her into going with you. She’ll be terrified, and that will make it harder to sneak her out.”
“She’s got you there, buddy.” Stan grinned, throwing his bag over his shoulder.
Dusty ignored him, focusing on Asia. “We didn’t have any trouble taking you, did we?”
