Page 24 of All In

“You know how weird trauma can be.” Gunner shrugs. “At least she’s letting Nova close. That’s a step in the right direction.”

I turn back, and sure enough, Nova has her massive head in Laken’s lap.

Hmm.

Maybe that is a good sign.

Ranger finally disengages from Laken, heading our way.

“Do you think we should go over and apologize?” Maverick asks, scratching his beard.

“Nah,” Gunner says. “She’s still looking a little like she wants to claw someone’s eyes out. It’s probably best we wait until she simmers down.”

“Good point,” he acknowledges, catching the glare Laken shoots at Annika.

Annika misses the look because she’s focused on Grady as he picks chunks out of her hair.

Ranger finally makes it to us, with his brown curls bouncing in the wind.

He turns to Maverick and Gunner first. “Your victim etiquette training needs to be revisited.” His light aqua-blue eyes roll. “Needless to say, the two of you failed to comfort your target. You’re coming with me to do a final sweep.” His gaze moves to me. “Apparently, she’s the least afraid of you, so you’ll accompany Laken inside to use the restroom.”

“Me?” I ask, frowning.

“Yes, you. Go now.” Ranger points at my chest, giving me a slightly intimidating look. “It seemed to be an emergency. Also, see if you can get her to drink a few sips of water. No more than that with how dehydrated she is, or it could overload her system. The last thing she needs is to start vomiting because she overdid it.”

“Yeah,” I grunt. “Got it.”

“You two come with me to dismiss Sparrow and her pack back to the hotel,” I hear Ranger say before I jog off toward the obviously miserable woman. He’s already tried to send them away twice, but Annika has been stubborn about not wanting to leave without Laken. “I don’t want them anywhere near this mess when we light the fire. It’s going to be quite the blaze.”

Nova raises her head, lazily perusing me, but Maverick and Gunner clearly canceled whatever commands they issued during the siege, because she doesn’t do more than watch me approach.

“So, I know we already did this, but I’m Tanner”—I hold out a hand—“your bathroom tour guide.”

“Thank goodness.” Laken grabs my fingers, allowing me to pull her up.

She holds the crinkly emergency blanket tight around her shoulders as her eyes meet mine.

They’re striking.

The outer rim of her iris is dark blue, but the interior is gray or an extremely pale blue. It’s difficult to tell in the low light. She has a scratch on her soft cheekbone and some bruising on her jaw.

Fury pounds through my system.

It takes a certain kind of piece of shit to put their hands on a woman.

I’m used to getting my hands dirty, but orders or not, I would never hit a woman.

I curl my fingers into a fist to keep from running them over the dark purple bruise.

She’s been through hell.

What she doesn’t need is another alpha invading her personal space.

“I take it you guys aren’t the police?” she asks, staring up at me like she’s wondering why we haven’t moved toward the house.

I hold out an arm to gesture for her to head for the back door. “Private security.”

I’m not even part of the team, but I did time in the military, just like most of the guys who work for Ranger.

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