Page 83 of Whatever It Takes

Easton’s head tilts. “Perfect.”

“Noelle and Caspian are in place,” Calder says from the front passenger seat. “They confirmed Titus left the mansion fifteen minutes ago. We’re just waiting on one of the teams at the docks to confirm his arrival.”

Easton gives me a soft smile. “Remember when I asked you for a list of things you’d like from your family home?”

I nod while my heart thumps erratically. Earlier at the hotel, he asked me if I could have anything from my family home, what would I want?

“I need a finalized account of what’s most important to least,” he says, sending steady comfort in the bond. “Noelle and Caspian are a husband-and-wife team that we use for product retrieval. They’ll have limited carrying capacity, so keep that in mind. If you have a general idea of which room and floor the things you’d like are in, that’s also extremely helpful.”

“The jewelry box on my dresser in my old bedroom,” I blurt out. “It’s pink and silver. The top opens and it plays a song. Then in the top right drawer, there should be a baby book of mine. There are a few other photo albums in there too, but the newborn one has a bunch of pictures of my mom tucked into the band on the back cover.”

“Anything else?” Easton asks, brushing his fingers over my cheek.

My lips roll together as I file through all the important things I would grab in a fire. “Chubby, he’s a polar bear. I’ve had him as far back as I can remember, but my dad wouldn’t let me bring him to New York.” Though my face burns, I go on. “He has a bow tie. I tucked him in my bed the last time I saw him.” My momused to come in every night and tuck him under my arm before giving us both a forehead kiss.

If I can’t have her back, I want him.

“You got all of that?” Easton murmurs, kissing my temple.

“Yeah…” Calder says, going on to repeat my requests into his earpiece.

“If you’d like to miss the carnage, you can close your eyes when you hear the wordwife,” Easton says. “That’s the signal for Leo and Shaw to take their shots. It’s also the swarm code, meaning all on-foot backup will proceed to our location.”

My body trembles as I lean in the passenger door to give Calder a quick kiss.

“Please stay safe,” I whisper against his lips.

Whatever team is watching his back better be just as good as the one watching the rest of us. I need all of us to walk out of this in one piece.

“I will.” He nips at my lower lip. “You too. Listen to Easton and Keir.”

God, he’s so sweet.

This is the man who brought me coffee and muffins daily when he realized how much I disliked the office coffee. I enjoyed those moments so much that I never tried the replacement brand he stocked the breakroom with. I was worried he’d stop coming by my desk, and it wasn’t worth the risk.

The warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest when I think of him might be the beginning of love, but saying it right now wouldn’t be fair to either of us. I’ll tell him once we’re safe in Vermont. Maybe even when we’re snuggled in the nest together.

I nuzzle my cheek to his, saying, “I will.” Easton waits impatiently, and I turn to him, holding out my hands. “I’m ready.”

“Remember what I showed you,” he says, wrapping the tie around my wrists. “This is all for show. Keep tension on the fabric, and it’ll stay. Bring your hands together and it’ll loosen enough that you can shake it right off. You’re not trapped.”

I nod, licking my dry and cracked lips. “Thank you.”

I’m in Keir’s massive jacket, and Easton pushes the sleeves up a bit. In addition to covering the fact they strapped me into a bulletproof vest, it should also sell the lie that they kidnapped me, and I had no access to my own belongings.

Ugh.

My stomach rolls.

I have faith in Easton and the guys, but I’m not sure I’m built for this life.

I worry too much.

Why didn’t I start training the minute the FBI let me out? If I had, I’d probably feel a lot more confident right now.

It’s so cold I can see my breath as I exhale. It’s a mystery to me who picked this meeting spot, but it could not look shadier. There are two huge warehouses on either side of the alley or whatever this is.

Easton told me Leo and Shaw are on opposing roofs. They’re providing cover, and, from what I gathered after Shaw’s rant about kill count, they’ll be sniping from above. The car we left Calder in is behind us, and he has a team of three watching him and making sure my brother doesn’t try to trap us in.

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