Page 31 of One Way Out

The press and the Feds take notice.

Internationally, it’s much more common, but even with international combat pay, I’ve never been a fan of lack of air conditioning, questionable drinking water, or long-ass flights to get to whatever hellhole we were being sent to.

That would be why I drug Leo with me through multiple interviews and information sessions at several of the international mercenary companies. I’d heard good things from buddies who left the service before I did, but none of those options felt like a good fit.

We both wanted a home base in the US and to know the majority of our jobs would be domestic.

Luckily, we stumbled upon Shadow Security. Even with as much of a dick as he is, East is the best boss I’ve ever had. It also helps that I don’t have to worry if I’ll have a moral objection when he hands over a kill contract. We still took them on occasion, even while living with Saylor. East would send in a backup team for a week or two under the guise of us taking a vacation or family emergency.

And the little omega was none the wiser.

Or so I thought.

Apparently, the senator has a big fucking mouth.

It blows my mind that Saylor always understood the scope of our jobs. Her age was fifty percent of the reason we kept our distance—she really did need time to date and grow into her own. The other fifty percent was not wanting to let her get tangled up in our line of work.

It’s why we’ve been working our asses off for the last three years. She’s going to come into her inheritance once she turns twenty-one, but Leo and I wanted to be able to provide a decent life for her without her ever needing to touch that. Sure, she’d have it if she wanted it, but we planned to buy a house and spend all of our time showing her how much we want to build a future together.

We want her for her.

Not herobsceneinheritance.

I don’t come from money.

I grew up lower middle class. We had the necessities but not much else. Being the oldest of three kids, I always knew I’d need to make my own way. The military gave me that freedom, but the private sector is what’ll allow me to retire by thirty-five.

My dads still haven’t retired, but they love working outdoors. They own a small farm in Tennessee, but they’ll be passing that on to my little brothers. They’ll be happier running things than I ever would. Even as a kid, I wanted no part of mucking stalls and rising at dawn to let the chickens out of their coop. I did it out of respect for my family, but that life isn’t for me.

My head shakes.

Ending up here wasn’t in the plans either.

I do my best to physically shake away the resentment, but it doesn’t help.

Saylor willingly bonded those two.

She knows Valor killed those guys he was locked in with, and she still looks at him with hearts in her eyes.

That means she could have done the same for me.

That little omega has no idea the lengths I would go to keep her safe, but it makes me feel…tainted. Like she’s far too good to end up with someone like me.

Only, she already has.

A slow smile crosses my face as I realize the senator is eventually going to meet Omen. That pretentious fuck is going to shit a golden brick when he gets a look at that beta. Hell, Valor has neck tattoos too, and his trail up his neck to the underside of his jaw.

They have that rough-around-the-edges appearance that would never mesh with American politics. Hopefully that means Senator Callahan will finally back the fuck off and leave Saylor to live her life in peace. If he was a decent father, I might feel guilty for hoping he stays the fuck away, but the man isn’t worthy of her time.

All he wants to do is to control her so she can’t impact his rankings in the polls.

* * *

While Valor is busy talking to the giant red-haired alpha, I do a little covert searching for McCabe. It’s a pain in the ass having to search through the grated ceiling, but no matter how many times I pass the halls, I can’t find him.

Nor does he seek me out.

The only idea I have hinges on getting a message to Ridge or Easton. If they can get us out of here before Amato comes to claim his assets, then we’ll have the upper hand. Between Ridge, Leo, and myself, we could take Amato and his men.

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