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Darren gave a sideways grin. “I never said I was any kind of role model.”
“So you expect me to take your advice when you don’t take it yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Asshole.” I shoved at him, and he rocked back onto his elbows.
He patted the pillow on my side. “Lie back down and finish the story. Is the brother after you now?”
“It’s Khalil’s younger brother, Ahmed, not Omar. According to intel from X, Ahmed was devastated by Khalil’s death. He tried to find Khalil’s body but never did. Omar forbade him from even mentioning Khalil’s name again, but a few months ago, we heard both brothers had been killed in battle.”
“So you thought it was over?”
“I did, but the report was wrong. Ahmed survived, and now he’s out to avenge his brother’s death, and I can’t stand the thought of anyone here being hurt because of what I did. I’m the only one he’s after.”
“You got that information from Khalil so you could save everyone. Let us pay you back.”
“I never saved you.”
“But X did, and he asked for a favor. Now turn over and let me hold you. You need some sleep.”
“Sleep? Is that all I need?” Even if he said I needed more, I didn’t really have the energy for it, and the hangover headache was already starting to set in.
“For now. We’re going to have a lot to face tomorrow.”
Yeah, we were.
26
DARREN
I woke hours later with my leg asleep and pinned under Fox’s. I tried to slowly work my way free without disturbing him, but my bladder made it clear I didn’t have a lot of time to waste. Finally, I pulled myself free as Fox grumbled and looked at me through squinted eyes.
“Go back to sleep,” I told him as I rushed to the bathroom.
He didn’t of course. In the short time we’d been together, I’d learned that once he was awake, he wasn’t going to fall asleep again for a long time.
It wouldn’t have mattered anyway because a few moments later, Grant called and demanded our presence at the ranch house. Apparently, things were moving more quickly than expected, and we’d be heading to Houston in a few hours.
I’d barely had enough coffee and breakfast to dull the throbbing in my head when we were on the road to Houston to meet up with Blade’s boyfriend Carlo and Carlo’s cousin Devil. Carlo had been insisting he needed to be here since Blade had left, and when the misinformation sent out by X and his men encouraged Ahmed to assemble his men in Houston, X gave in to Carlo’s demands. We needed more people who were used to maneuvering in large urban areas, and Carlo and Devil fit the bill.
There had been a lengthy argument about who from the ranch was going to join us on this mission. Grant knew he needed to stay at the ranch to keep things running there, and Rogue finally admitted he’d be in over his head. Blade said there was no way he was staying out of it because he hadn’t come all that way to sit on his ass at the ranch. TJ had insisted he was the perfect choice to go since he had plenty of urban experience, but Grant put an end to that, saying, “If you think I’m going to have TJ, Fox, and Devil working together on this, you’re out of your fucking mind.”
Ghost assured me that would be the disaster Grant suggested, and I’d spent enough time with TJ and Fox and heard enough about Devil to imagine it might be true. In the end, Blade and Rhys came with us, and I was thankful to have Rhys’s sniper capabilities at our disposal.
“Carlo’s calling,” Fox announced.
“Put it on speaker,” Blade demanded.
A second later, Carlo spoke through the car’s sound system. “When will you be here?”
“What the hell are you doing forcing your way into this mission?” Blade asked before any of us could answer.
Fox turned and looked at him, eyes wide. From what he’d told me about Blade, this was wildly out of character.
“Baby, you’re not doing this alone,” Carlo said.
“I’m not alone. I’m with Fox, Rhys, and Darren.”
“Hi, Darren!” Devil said, letting me know Carlo also had us on speaker. “It’s been a while.”
“Yes. If I recall, the last time we worked together, you ignored everything we had planned and almost got us all killed.”
“But I didn’t, did I?”
“See why Grant didn’t want TJ joining this?” Rhys said.
“I sure as hell do.”
“Carlo, I told you not to come.”
“Oooh,” Devil whistled. “You’re going to get it tonight, little cousin.”
“Is it really going to be over tonight?” I asked. X thought we could get into position, coordinate our strategies, and take them all out in one day, but I wasn’t as confident. I never liked rush jobs.
“It’s possible.” Devil sounded more serious now.
