Page 128 of Stealth Mission

I shrug as my frown deepens. “I don’t know. Enough to cover my face.”

He squeezes my hand. “Enough for all of us.”

I catch the grin on a few of the men’s faces. “Why don’t they have stuff? And you?”

Evan tugs me toward the door, “I’ll put it on in the truck if there’s any left. Some of them will wear masks.”

I kick him in the butt jokingly. “This is your fault. You didn’t tell me what to do!” I toss the plastic container up in the air and he catches it and quickly slips it into his pocket.

Before I have time to process what’s happening, we’re loaded in a big truck just like the one that got blown up and another guy I have a vague recognition of is behind the steering wheel.

“Morning! I’m Justice.”

“Hey.” I’m a little breathless from all the commotion and dashing to the truck. “I think you came to the hospital.”

He nods and starts the engine. “Buckle up everybody. This party’s about to get started.”

I scurry for my seat belt as he revs the engine and we take off into the night, falling in line with Vik’s big black SUV and two others that match.

“Where are we going?”

Evan looks up from some kind of electronic device. “Vik knows where the intruder might be hiding out.”

I shudder. “Could you tell anything about him?”

The set to Evan’s jawline cues me in on just how angry he is. “He was fast and he probably had a key.”

The second part of that revelation stuns me into silence.

My hand trembles in my lap. He reaches for me, resting his warm, heavy palm against my thigh. “You’re safe with us. I’m not letting anyone get near you.”

It takes a few seconds to find my voice. “I just don’t understand what someone would want with me. I’m just a farmer.”

I catch Scout looking over his shoulder, his gaze heavy and unreadable. “You own a very large and well established farm, Marianna. Surely that has to be valuable to someone.”

I forget about the face paint until I reach up to rub my temple. “Crap, how do you guys wear this stuff? I’m going to have it everywhere.”

Evan wipes my fingertips on his face. “You get used to it. Speaking of…”

He reaches into his cargo pocket, grabs the green plastic box and flips it open with his thumb. Chuckling, he looks at me. “Sweetheart, really…”

“Leave me alone.”

With quick movements he spreads green, black and gray over his face in quick slashes. Scout is doing the same in the front seat. In no time they look scary as hell.

I blow out a breath. “Anyway, Scout, about your questions, there are much larger, more profitable agave farms in thiscountry. I’m actually in the process of borrowing money. That’s why I was at the bank during the robbery the other day. I was supposed to hear about the loan.”

Evan’s gaze slides my way. “Why is your father trying to arrange your marriage?”

Never has a truck cab gone so silent so fast.

In the rearview, Justice is flicking his eyes between me and back to the road. Scout is craning his neck to look back. Of course, Evan is doing that thing he does where he’s so still you can’t even tell he’s breathing.

“Sylvester has promised my father to invest in the town. It’s all about ego for both of them.”

Just saying this outloud makes me want to gag.

“Fucking bullshit.” Scout jerks his hat back on, tugging it low. “Your father’s an asshole.”

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