Page 13 of Redemption

“Okay, sweetheart.” Ryder wrapped an arm around her. “Relax at Winters’s place. Okay?”

She glanced between the two men. “Okay. We’re leaving now then?”

“I’ll drive you over,” Winters said. “Do you have anything to bring with you?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “The clothes were here, and… I don’t have anything with me.”

“We can get going then.” Winters lifted his chin to Ryder. “You taking off too? Need me to close this place down?”

“Yeah, that’d help.”

“Can do.” He stood. “I’m going to go find that bottle of water I left in the kitchen.”

As soon as Winters left, Ryder’s flood of thoughts evaporated. So many things to say to her, but none came. Instead, he carefully pulled her into a hug. “Rest, okay, love?”

“I will.”

He pushed off the couch then took her hand, unwinding it from the blankets, and ran his thumb over her knuckles as she stood. “Take care, Victoria No Name.”

Winters came in, fist up, and Ryder gave her a last glance goodbye, ignoring the knot in his throat, knocking knuckles with Winters, and headed out the door before he could focus on how each step seemed lead-lined.

###

Orders were simple. Get in. Get out. But this was too simple. There were three of them, Colin, Javier, and him. But none of this felt right.

“What is that, man?” Colin, blood flowing down his face in little rivers, panted and nodded at the paper in Ryder’s hand. “I always see that shit when things go wrong.”

Ryder pushed his head back, gritting through the pain. He folded the note and tucked it close to his chest, as close to his heart as he could put it. “Nothing.”

Sweat poured down Javier’s face. “Prayers. He’s got his prayers written down.” He chuckled, slowly shaking his head. “When shit hits the fan, no one needs to rely on his memory. Just read that shit off a paper.”

“Smart.” Colin coughed.

Ryder sucked in a breath, finally able to do so without white lightning rocketing in his rib cage. “Not prayers. Jackasses.”

“I wouldn’t knock anyone right now for praying,” Javier said. “Hail Mary…”

“Jesus Christ,” Colin muttered.

Javier grabbed a rock and tossed it. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

“—team. Do you—” The ear piece squealed.

“Shit!” Ryder lurched to the side as Colin and Javier reacted similarly, tearing their com pieces free also.

“We almost had coms,” Javier said. “That means they can pick us up on GPS.”

“Maybe.” Colin groaned.

“Brother, you know the last two seconds are going to be the only two seconds Parker was able to hear.” Javier laughed, and Ryder had to agree. There would be shit to pay for doubting Parker’s skills.

“Neither of you are bleeding. Jackasses.” He patted the computer they’d taken from a drug lord’s mansion. “But we have what we need.”

“Can you imagine living in that place?” Javier asked.

“I didn’t know places like that existed when I was a kid.” It might’ve well been a castle. The thing had a moat, an army of guards… All had gone well until the dogs. Dogs sucked. Dogs that acted as though they were rabid, fire-breathing dragons sucked more. Ryder rolled on his side and laughed. “Should’ve seen your face.”

Javier scowled and ran his hand over his forehead. “If you aren’t praying, what was that?”

---