AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah?” His stomach gripped again. Fuck. Lena would be in the center of it all. Hell, she probably had a big red bull’s-eye painted on her back since she was the last person to see Ramon alive, and she’d been seen leaving a bar with the man.
They paused outside a door to the common room. Several guys were lounging in various poses. One was watching the game on a flatscreen, one was on his phone. Two sat at the table with a card game between them.
Apollo waved a hand. “Make yourself at home, Overstreet. I’ve got business.”
“Thanks.” His tongue lay thick in his mouth, the words drying on it. He wanted to call out and ask where he could find Lena, but he could still hear her voice in his head, telling him that he embarrassed her in front of her team, so he remained silent.
Mustang set his cards down on the table, fanning them out. Gunnison let out a disgruntled noise at what he saw there. At the same time, they both noticed Slade.
“Hey, man. Wanna join the next round?” Mustang asked.
“Not right now, thanks. I’m actually hoping to find Lena.”
Mustang popped a brow. He knew more than most, but he only nodded. “She’s tied up with Sparrow in a video call with Chief of Defense Jennings.”
“Jesus,” he grated. “What about?”
“Shit’s heating up. Last night someone took out the leader of the Black Bloods.”
“You’re kidding me.”
Mustang shook his head. “A crime spree followed. And apparently Ramon’s son is in the States.”
Slade stared at him. “We’re just now hearing about a son?”
“Lena sprang it on us in the debriefing. Guess she saw the kid.”
Fuck!It was just like the woman not to share that bit of intel right away. She was even more deeply embroiled in this mess than he’d thought. It was all on him. If he hadn’t been so stupid and careless, she would never have come to Mexico. She would be safe.
Well, as safe as anyone in Blackout could be.
He swallowed back a protest. “When do you think she and Sparrow will wrap up with Jennings?”
“Dunno.” Mustang accepted the cards that Gunnison dealt him and returned his attention to the hand.
Seeing he wouldn’t get more out of him, Slade turned for the door. Damn. He hoped to talk to her.Neededto talk to her. But he couldn’t just barge into a meeting and make demands.
All he could do was wait. He returned to the common room and took a seat in front of the game. Ramsey gave him a chin lift in greeting before turning his attention back to the screen. Slade stared at the players moving around but didn’t focus on what was happening. His mind was in that room with Lena. It was laser-locked onthe woman he loved.
Was she feeling all right? If Sparrow tried to send her after Ramon’s son, Slade didn’t know if he could remain silent on the matter.
But if he spoke up and said she was in no condition to go, she’d sever ties with Slade forever.
His entire life was spent toeing one line or another. But this wasn’t some op. This washislife, what little there was left belonging solely to him. If he wanted Lena in it, he needed to play by her rules more.
The game on TV ended and the highlights came on. He checked his watch. He’d heard a couple guys talking about grabbing dinner, but he hadn’t responded when asked.
When he glanced over, he saw Ramsey no longer lounged on the sofa. In fact, the room had emptied out, but headquarters still seemed to breathe like a living entity. He’d gotten a sense of the same in Charlie HQ and wondered if the other members of Blackout felt it.
He got up and roamed the halls, listening for voices. When he heard Sparrow’s, he knew they were still sequestered in his office. They’d be formulating a plan. To what? Hunt down Ramon’s son to ensure he wasn’t planning revenge for his father?
Slade’s hands were tied, but he could still do something for Lena. Like feed her.
He saw her struggling with a sick stomach, though. What could she eat that wouldn’t make her feel worse?
He walked into the tech room, hoping to find a particular member of Blackout support. Sure enough, the devoted woman was still at her desk—the one he needed to talk to most.
“Hey, Gia.”
