Page 83 of Butcher

Lock shook his head. “The problem isn’t that we don’t trust the Berserkers to take care of the women and kids. It’s the distance. If something goes wrong, we’re all out of pocket. We won’t be able to get back to help.” He looked over at Hush and arched a brow. “You want that?”

“No,” he said, then slammed his fist on the table. “But I don’t like sendin’ them in alone.”

“They’re not alone,” Riptide replied with a laugh. “You want me to get you a printout on Scythe and Warrant? They’re as highly trained and as deadly as Butcher himself.”

When the low growl filled the room, all eyes turned to me.

“Nearlyas deadly as Butcher himself.”

That seemed to appease Hush and the others because they started nodding in agreement.

“It’s settled,” Lock announced. “The Berserkers left yesterday to wrap up what they need to back home. Scythe and Warrant will be back tomorrow and you’ll head out.” He met my gaze again. “Make sure you’re ready.”

“Anyone else see the irony in the fact that tomorrow is the Fourth of July?” Ricochet asked with a smirk.

“Bringing ‘Merica to that motherfucker,” Hell grunted.

That made us all laugh. And they were damn right. Randal was going to see fireworks alright. And they’d be pointed straight at his ass.

“I’ll be ready,” I told Lock. Hell, I was ready to go now.

“Dismissed,” Lock told everyone.

He didn’t need to say anything. I stayed behind, knowing that he needed to talk to me. It was there in his gaze.

He waited until everyone was gone and it was just us again. “Butcher-”

“I know.”

He shook his head. “Let me fucking say it.” When I didn’t try to interrupt him again he sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “I’d go with you if I could.”

I barked out a laugh and sobered when he glared at me. “You think I don’t know that, Lock?” I shrugged. “I’m surprised you didn’t say you were going.”

“Everyone would fight me on it,” he replied, looking miserable.

“Damn right we would. You’re needed here,” I added. “I’d be fucking honored having you come along. To have you watch my back. But this place. These guys? They need you.”

“We need you too, Butcher. This isn’t some fucking suicide mission.” He scowled at me. “You’d better bring your ass back here, fully intact.”

“Yes, Sir,” I replied with a grin because he was giving me orders the same way so many Generals had during my service years. It brought back a lot of memories.

“Don’t call me that shit,” he muttered. “I worked for a living, even when I was in the military.”

I chuckled at the long-standing joke that the brass had never worked a day in their lives. It was the rest of us who made the military run, not them. And they all required that you call them sir.

“I still might pull the leader card,” he warned me.

I shook my head. “You can do whatever the fuck you want,” I told him. “But don’t put the others in the position to ask you to stay.”

He sighed and tipped his head back, staring up at the ceiling.

“You alright?”

He chuckled, looking down again. “Never thought I’d hear the day where you were checking in on someone. Emotionally or otherwise.”

“Yeah,” I said, considering that. “Weird. Still, the question stands. You’ve seemed pretty...tense...for a while now.”

“Doesn’t begin to describe it. Don’t worry. I’m fine. I’ll be better when your asses are all back on US soil.” He shot me a grim look. “Don’t make us come after you.”

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