Page 15 of Redemption

Javier smacked a branch out of his way. “Sniper CliffsNotes.”

“He checks it afterward, making sure he’s done it right,” Colin added, busting Ryder’s balls.

“—read me?” Parker Black’s voice mixed with static.

“Almost,” Colin muttered.

“Delta team here. Do you copy?” Ryder called in.

Nothing but silence.

“Do you read me? Delta team, got your ears on?”

Finally. Decent sound quality.“We got you, Titan. This is Delta.”

“Nice to hear you, Delta.”

Ryder smiled, relieved that they weren’t spending the night here. He wanted back to home base. He wanted to check in with Victoria. Ryder read off their coordinates, and Parker returned with a rendezvous location and update on Colin.

Two minutes later, the three of them were on their feet and heading half a click southeast for a helo pickup.

“Your girl write you your note?” Javier asked as they pushed through the brush.

“He doesn’t have a girl,” Colin said, breathing heavily and sounding as though he’d sustained more injuries than they realized.

“You don’t know, jackass.”

“You have a girl?” Colin asked.

“Nope.” Branches hit his face as they surged forward.

“You got on good with Victoria No Name.” Javier’s voice lifted at the end with the suggestion that Ryder thought about and hated that his mind went there.

“We just pulled her out of hell!” His molars ground as he rounded on his teammate. Now his pulse pounded like Colin’s, but Ryder’s was confusion mixed with lust. The jungle humidity was getting to him—Javier’s suggestion too. Hecouldn’tthink about a woman who’d been trafficked. He shouldn’t think of anyone Delta rescued. It was wrong. Wasn’t it?

Javier threw his hands up. “Didn’t mean any disrespect.”

“She’s dealing with a lot,” Ryder said.

“I know, man. I only meant you two got on well.”

“That could be taken a lot of different ways.” Ryder inched forward, needing to defend Victoria’s honor, Javier made it sound like Ryder had been doing her in the back room.

Javier gave him a chin lift. “Chill, brother.”

“I’m chill.”

“Then don’t take that shit for anything more than the chick did some badass things over there, and she’s got my respect. Special girl, is all.”

Special girl. The words were a sucker punch that pushed Ryder away as he mumbled an agreement. He inched back through the underbrush and thicket.

“We good, brother?” Javier trailed him. “Nothing but mad respect for her.”

“Same.”

“I wonder where she came from?” Colin’s voice cut with pain he wasn’t complaining about.

“Better question. Where the hell is she going?”

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