Page 41 of Ravaged Hearts

Shep eyed me in an assessing way. “Never thought Decker would go for someone like you.”

I tried not to let his harsh words bother me. These guys had known Vaughn for far longer than me, and apparently, I wasn’t his type. “What were you expecting? Taller? Blonde? Less mutilated?”

Shep shoved his hands into his pockets, his cold glare never leaving me. “Not talking about the way you look. I’m talking about your DNA.”

Kane pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus Christ.”

Sage shook her head. “Shep, don’t.”

“She’s Espinoza’s spawn.” Shep’s frown deepened as he gestured toward me. “Don’t tell me you haven’t considered that she might be leading us into a trap.”

Sage went to say something else, but I held up my palm. “It’sokay. Shep, I understand your apprehension. It must feel like you have an enemy among the ranks. But I can promise you no one wants this operation to succeed more than me.” Despite my senses telling me this man was as dangerous as they came, I stepped toward Shep and held his intimidating stare. “And I hate to bring this to your attention, but we’re only getting this shot at Carlos because of me. The last thing I want is to be anywhere near my father—Vaughn will tell you I’ve spent the last three years hiding from him—but I’m doing what’s necessary so we can end the PCC.”

It was hard to get a read on Shep, but I thought his crabby demeanor had relaxed to something like reluctant acceptance.

“What’s going on?” asked a familiar deep voice, sounding unimpressed. Vaughn’s arm wrapped around my waist like a steel band and hauled me back against his chest.

I covered his tattooed hands with my smaller, ink-free ones and smiled despite my heart still beating swiftly at having to defend myself. “Just meeting your teammates.”

Vaughn’s possessive grip tightened, and he nuzzled my neck. “Gatita, why does it look like you’re about to brawl with the most lethal hit man in the country?”

Hit man?Shep had seemed terrifyingbeforeI’d heard that piece of information.

“You might’ve mentioned that fact earlier,” I said under my breath while leaning into his warmth a little more.

“Ex–hit man,” Shep clarified.

“Wonderful.” I plastered on a fake smile. “That makes me feel so much better.”

“Trust me. You want that big bastard on our side.” Then Vaughn nodded toward Kane. “Thor’s stunt double over there is an ex-SEAL, which makes him pretty useful in and out of the water. And that”—he jerked his chin toward the hangar’s open door, where a dark-haired guy with broad shoulders entered wearing a plaid shirt and jeans and carrying a backpack—“is Owen. My pain-in-the-ass kid brother.”

Owen walked toward us, but his steps faltered when he spotted his brother holding me close. He grinned, and it was the same proud expression Sage had worn when she’d first seen us together. I liked Vaughn’s brother already.

With a few long strides, Owen made up the rest of the distance and held out his knuckles to bump fists with his brother. “Now I know why you’ve been spending so much time in Mexico. Hi.” He beamed at me. “I’m Owen.”

We shook hands. “Hope. Nice to meet you.”

Owen still wore a shit-eating grin when his gaze returned to his brother. “Mom’s not going to believe this. She’s gonna cry and claim a miracle; you know that, right?”

“Mom’s not going to know shit until this op is over. Got it? I don’t want you jinxing the whole damn thing.”

“Lighten up, Bro. Everything’ll go fine. Brandon ran me through the plan, and it’s solid.”

Judging by the tense arm around my waist, Owen’s reassurances did little to ease his older brother’s anxiety over this mission.

A loud whistle caught our attention.

“Wheels up in thirty mikes,” Brandon called out from the doorway of a small office.

I’d thought I was ready for this moment, but my galloping pulse suggested otherwise.

It was finally time to confront my father.

17

VAUGHN

Acapulco

---