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“Aye, aye, captain.”
I turn my mic off and smile down at Casey. “It’s over.”
A few emotions pass over Casey’s expression before he settles on confusion. “What do you have against tapestries?”
I'm just about to ascend the plane's staircase when my phone rings. I frown, not sure who would be calling me right now. Casey, Maison, and Travis are with me. Keats only left minutes ago. We just spoke with Ace. If Carter needed something, he'd call Travis before me. That leaves… who?
I pull out my phone, my frown deepening as I read the name on the screen. I answer, “Ronan?”
“Hey. I heard a rumor you’re in my neck of the woods.”
“Sure am. How the hell did you hear that?”
“Don’t worry, it came from a safe avenue.” He sighs heavily. “I need your help.”
I eye the plane where Travis has paused in the doorway and Maison has paused halfway up the stairs. Casey is at the very bottom, still shivering despite the blanket we’ve draped over his shoulders. “What kind of help?”
“This is still a secure line, right?”
“Of course. Always.”
“The slave I bought. The one Travis got pissed about.” He coughs awkwardly. “The one I kept longer than I’m supposed to.”
I turn my back to the plane and take a few steps away, starting to understand. Ronan isn't part of a human trafficking operation, but he buys slaves as a side project, keeping them for 30 days before pretending to kill them. This last one though… he got attached. Kept him over his usual 30 day limit. Travis heard about it when Ronan came to the compound for Travis's birthday party. He had warned Ronan the smart thing would be to get the man to a safehouse like all the others before he could get even more attached. I have a feeling he didn't take the advice. “You still have him, don’t you?”
“Yes, and it’s time I let him go.”
“What changed?”
“I can’t keep him safe.” He releases a shuddering breath. “I can’t keep him safe anymore and I’m fucking scared. Can you please take him for me? Take him to your safehouse? Please?”
My heart breaks for him. At the same time, a soft laugh catches in my chest. Maison was right. All of these little shits are ruining us. “You fell in love with him.”
“I’m a fucking idiot, okay? I know. But-”
“You don’t have to defend yourself,” I say with another laugh. “The idiocy is fucking going around. We’ll take care of him. Where do you want to meet?”
He makes a sound that’s torn between relief and agony. “There’s a place in the Highlands. Puts the phrase under the radar to shame. I’ll send the coordinates. Can it be soon?”
“The minute the coordinates come in, I’ll have my wheels up.”
“Thank you.” He clears his throat. When he speaks again, his voice is different. Cold and firm and unbelievably professional. Part of me hopes he doesn’t use that tone with the man he fell in love with when he says goodbye. Part of me hopes he does. “Thank you, Jake. I’ll see you soon.”
Chapter Forty-seven
Casey
He’s dead.
I did it.
I killed him.
DuGray is dead.
My body’s shaking manages to stop about 15 minutes before the plane sets down in the Scottish Highlands. My mind finally shrugs off the collage of memories, more focused now on this unexpected side mission we seem to have taken on. “So, this is who again?”
“Another operative,” Jake says for a second time. He sounds patient, though. Like he doesn’t mind having to repeat himself. It’s not like my brain was functioning all that well the first time around. “He’s still working his operation. Probably has another year or so on it, if I had to guess. Though I’m not up-to-date on his details.”
