Page 90 of Savage Escape

No way was she taking the blame for this.

“First of fucking all, I didn’t push us down the mountain. The blast did. Second of all, how come all your plans didn’t account for them rigging up their foundation with explosives?”

“Is that what it was?” Holden chimed in.

“And I saved your life—twice!”

“Twice?”

“Yeah, or did you not remember the part where we were dangling over the side of the cliff?”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re a hero.” Jackson sighed a put-upon sigh. Caden decided to ignore him.

34

CADEN

Caden sat in the cargo bay of a military transport aircraft opposite of Nathan. His brothers were strapped in as well. Everyone was too quiet, and they were avoiding eye contact like they could get a disease just by looking at her.

“So… Marskib, he’s obsessed with you,” Nate yelled over the sound of the engines.

“Marskib was behind your kidnapping?” That explained a lot. Why they had gone after Nate again.

“Yes. He made a whole speech about you and how you belong to him—you two have history, I take it?”

“Yeah. Uh, he tortured me for a while and I eventually escaped. Guess he’s still mad about it. He said I belong to him?”

“Yup.”

“Creepy ass weirdo.”

“He was indeed.”

“Was? Is he dead?”

“Yeah, he got shot.”

“Okay. Good.” That was one nightmare taken care of.

Silence settled. Caden fidgeted in her seat, knowing she should probably say something. Nate opened his mouth andthen closed it again. It didn’t help that his brothers were there, watching every move they made. Money exchanged hands and Caden glared at the duo, Kade and Maddox.

“Caden—”

“Wait, Nate. Don’t.” Caden had to yell in order for her voice to carry over the sound of the plane’s engines.

He looked crestfallen. Clearly, he thought she was going to reject him again.

“I’ve got something to say.” Caden decided to ignore their audience and turned to face Nate.

“Okay.” Nate’s voice was unsure, but he sat up straighter.

“I’m not good at this. Not good at talking or sharing…feelings.” The word ripped out of her like she’d never said it before.

Which was the understatement of the year. Caden shoved a hand through her hair and tried to put the words she wanted to say in the right order. Her brain was a jumbled mess.

“I thought you shouldn’t—couldn’tlove me because… because I didn’t deserve you. I thought I didn’t deserve happiness or love because of the things I have done.”

“Caden, I’m a mercenary too.”

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