Page 55 of Savage Escape

Automatically, Caden took the scarred one’s measure. Face ingrained. Every little tidbit she could get memorized and analyzed.

Olive skin. Hazel eyes. Sharp features. The left side of his face and neck were scarred. Deep, long scars that roughened his skin.His voice was deep and too gravelly for it to have been natural. Had the bomb that went off in his face torn up his voice too? Damn. Jackson was how he’d introduced himself before. One or two inches shorter than Nathan. Led with his right foot. Knife in his right boot. Glock on his right hip. Right-handed.

“We didn’t get properly introduced before. I’m Jackson. Nathan’s older brother.” He extended his hand.

Caden flinched on reflex and watched his arm hang in the space between them. She tried to analyze the type of hit that was coming and attempted to brace for it. But he just left it there in the space between them, like he wanted to get her opinion on the thing. Slowly, embarrassingly slowly, she realized that he was offering to shake her hand. Heat rushed to her face and someone cleared their throat.

“Oh.” One arm was out of commission, the other one was positioned to grab a gun. They were his family. They were Nathan’s family. Caden could trust Nathan. “Caden Quinn.” She gave him her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Caden.” He gripped her hand with both of his. “Thank you for bringing Nate back alive.”

“Er...” He gave her hand back, unharmed, and nodded. Off balance, the mercenary grappled to form some kind of reply. “I... it was a two-man effort, actually.”

“Caden, I was conscious long enough to get shot.Youdid all the work.” Nathan smiled at her, and it was Caden’s turn to go pink.

“Maddox.” The smiley one maneuvered around Jackson to shove his hand at her. This time Caden took the proffered hand and shook it like she did that kind of civilized thing all the time. “I’m the handsome devil Nathan’s probably told you all about.”

Maddox was brown-skinned, brown-eyed, brown-haired, and beautiful. Full lips, square jaw, wide eyes, broad-shouldered and tall. Tall as Nathan and beefier, with crinkles around hiseyes and mouth like he did nothing but smile. He led with his right foot, but his gun holster was on his left hip—ambidextrous?

“Nice to meet you.” Caden mentally channeled Julie Andrews. She could do this. She could be polite and all civilized-like.

“You ever been to Texas, Caden?” His palm was rough, and he was smiling, brown eyes bright and happy.

“Er... no.” Was he smiling flirtatiously at her?

“Maybe I can show you around sometime.” He grinned wider when Nathan sputtered.

“Over my dead goddamn body, you whore.” Nathan pointedly unhooked their joined hands and shoved the opposing giant away. Maddox only threw his head back and laughed. “Trust me,” this he directed at Caden but made sure his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, “you don’t want what everyone has had.”

“Hey.” Maddox retook his chair across the room. “I love love and love loves me.”

“I’m Daxley.” Another body took position in front of her. “Thank you, really. Nathan gets into all kinds of trouble. Thank you for looking after him and bringing him home alive.”

Daxley was shorter than Nathan by about four inches. His features were smaller and more pointed than the rest of the clan. Lean, built like a swimmer. Pretty green eyes, dark scruff, defined cheekbones, and brown hair that curled over his ears. Lefty. Two knives in his belt. Hand cannon on his left hip. He searched her face like he expected to find someone else. Odd.

“Nice to meet you, Daxley.”

Her danger barometers were slowly decreasing. It was marginally safer somehow now that she had their names. The hair on her neck no longer stood on end. Which was something.

“You can call me Dax.” He smiled warmly at her and released her hand and went to punch Nathan. “You had me worried, you son of a bitch.”

Then the one she’d had every intention of killing at the compound stepped up and put his hand out.

“We didn’t officially meet before—maybe you remember me?” He was smiling like they were already old friends. Black skin, bright blue eyes, square features. He was as tall as Nathan but lean with cords of muscles under his shirt. He was a lefty.

“Yeah.” Caden cringed and took his hand. The side of his hand was rough. “Sorry about that.”

“Nah, I would have done the same in your position. I’m Kade, by the way.” He took his hand back, but settled his stance beside her. Like he was planning on staying right beside her for the rest of the day. “You’re pretty skilled, Caden. Where’d you get your close-quarter combat training, if you don’t mind me askin’?”

“Nope, no, there will be no bonding until she is stitched up and her arm is set! I let you all meet her, but now you all have to get out. Out!” Reid was suddenly in front of her, his hands up, and his voice firm. “Everyone out.”

Slowly, the males moved to comply, but not before putting her through the torture of their gratitude once more. They all had to reiterate how much of a trouble magnet Nathan was and how much they appreciated her keeping him alive and bringing him home. Which was just so very awkward. What the hell was she supposed to say? Finally, they eventually all trickled out. She got two parting smiles, one nod, a smirk, and a particularly suspicious glare from Holden.

“Maddox’s a big flirt, and Holden is just naturally suspicious of everyone. Don’t let it get to you.” Nathan glanced sideways at her again, a rueful smile on his lips. “They’re all a bit... overwhelming all at once like that.”

“Nah, they are nice.”

“I’ll be right back.” Reid quit his muttering to glance up at the both of them and then glare. “Do not stress your wounds. Do not even move. You especially, Caden, I should have taken care of those cuts when you were sleeping. Nathan was on top of you, though, and he’s a little hard to move.”

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