AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not a chance. I forgot what it felt like before you showed up. I don’t want to go back to that.” As he pulled the four wheeler to a stop behind King she knew it was time.
“I have a surprise for you.” She’d planned to wait. Wanted it to be just the right moment. But this felt perfect. “I did something as a thank you for all you’ve done. Carmen helped. It’s a family reunion of sorts. She’s called everyone to come back home. Just for a weekend. We found a hall and a caterer. A hotel for everyone to stay at. I know it’s not the same as dinner all together in the house you grew up in, but I thought just being together would be great. She says so far, everyone can make it.”
“Everyone?”
“Yes. Apparently, everyone has been missing each other. They’ve been hoping for an opportunity to all get together again. I’ll be fine without you for a couple days while you get a chance to reconnect with everyone.”
“You’re coming too. I want them to meet you. Plus you already promised.” He touched her arms that were still tightly wrapped around him. “No letting go.”
Mick
“This is different,” he reported as he stepped foot off the plane and was handed a briefing folder by Carmen. “You don’t normally do this in person.”
“We’re taking something new on. It’s not going to be just one person who needs an exit strategy. We’ve got word about a pipeline of people being moved and put to work against their will. It’s a dangerous and elusive group running the show. I want to shut it down. But we’ve never done anything like this before. I know I promised you some time off.”
“What would I do with it anyway? I’m like you. This is all we’ve known most of our adult lives. Gloria gave us a purpose and we turned it into our entire world. No quitting that now.”
“But this is—”
“Important. I like what you’ve been doing since you’ve been leading the charge. I never feel like we do enough. I’m down for whatever.”
“You’ll need a partner. A woman. Someone who can help you get closer to this operation and see what’s really going on.”
“Don’t say it.” He leaned back and waited for what he already knew was coming.
“Charlize will be here tomorrow. You’re the only two I know I can count on for this. You won’t tell me it’s crazy or too lofty. That we can’t do it. I know you two have history.”
“We don’t have history. We have an atom bomb implosion behind us that we can’t just come back from. Even for this.”
“Give it a chance. This is bigger than just our own things.”
“She knows I’m here? She knows we’re working together.”
“Not yet.”
He let out a loud laugh. “Then I don’t have to worry at all. You’re the one who will be in for it when she finds out.”
“I’ll handle Charlize. Just read up on that information and be ready.”
“Good luck. Most people who try to handle Charlize end up dead.”
“I promise a vacation after this one.” She patted his shoulder gently. “If we’re not all dead.”
He shrugged and smiled as he flipped through the information. “Dead is a good night sleep anyway.”
MICK
“This is different,” he reported as he stepped foot off the plane and was handed a briefing folder by Carmen. “You don’t normally do this in person.”
“We’re taking something new on. It’s not going to be just one person who needs an exit strategy. We’ve got word about a pipeline of people being moved and put to work against their will. It’s a dangerous and elusive group running the show. I want to shut it down. But we’ve never done anything like this before. I know I promised you some time off.”
“What would I do with it anyway? I’m like you. This is all we’ve known most of our adult lives. Gloria gave us a purpose and we turned it into our entire world. No quitting that now.”
“But this is—”
“Important. I like what you’ve been doing since you’ve been leading the charge. I never feel like we do enough. I’m down for whatever.”
“You’ll need a partner. A woman. Someone who can help you get closer to this operation and see what’s really going on.”
