Page 106 of Austen

“To be clear, I’m not negotiating.I’m telling.”

“Right.”A sigh.“Your country still needs you.We’ll be in touch.”

Declan had groaned and hung up.But he’d purposed to stop trying to control everything, hadn’t he?

Now, as he sat in the Mariposa sun, he washed down the rest of the johnnycake with coffee and turned back to Doyle.“Austen’s in Key West.I got her boat towed from Jamaica.It’s still seaworthy, but it ran aground and needs some repairs.And it was looted before the authorities found it, so it’s a little torn up.I tried to get her to stay in my suite at the Galleon Resort while she repairs it, but she’s stubborn.”

“You don’t say.”

He’d tried to talk her into letting him buy her a new boat, but,“You can buy me a dress, but I have to draw the line somewhere.”

So he’d try to respect that.

But it had taken nearly everything out of him to leave her in Key West and return to Mariposa to oversee the dismantling of the Russian mining operation.

In the end, the crew had left, leaving a scar on the land, the Bratva players in the wind.

“And Steinbeck?I tried to call him.”

Steinbeck.“He left with your cousin Colt, and I haven’t heard from him.”Although he’d offered Stein his job back, again.

Steinbeck had declined, and by the set of his mouth and the storm in his eyes, Declan had guessed it had something to do with Phoenix.And the photo that Texas had produced and shown them both in Miami.

Phoenix, taken into custody by the Cuban police.Except she’d vanished from lockup, so either she was in the wind?—

Or—

That had to be what had Steinbeck in a knot.

He had probably gone digging for answers, despite his words about letting her go.

Yeah, right.Declan hadn’t been able to get Austen out of his head either.

He missed her like a man missed the sun and the stars and, well, breathing.

“Steinbeck’s always had his own mind,” Doyle said.He glanced at Declan.“And he doesn’t give up easily.”He took a sip.“That stubborn-twin thing.”

“It seems to be a family trait,” Declan said.

Doyle grinned.And then the doors of the courthouse opened, and Jamal came running from the building, down the steps, and across the seashell-strewn path.

“Mr.D!I’m going to ’merica!”

Doyle had stood up, and Declan too, and couldn’t help but smile at Jamal’s toothless grin.Doyle threw his cup into a trash bin, then held open his arms to catch the boy.

As he hugged him, Declan spotted Tia, the codirector of Hope House, walking with Elise Jameson.Hunter came behind, his hand on Kemar’s shoulder.

Kemar looked undone.Even from here, Declan could make out reddened eyes, tears on his cheeks.

Oh no...

Tia came up to Doyle and gave him a kiss, then crouched in front of Jamal and hugged him too.Elise stood behind Jamal, her hands on his shoulders as Declan walked up.

“Everything go okay?”

Elise wore tearstains also, and she nodded.Glanced at Kemar.“He had a hard time.”

And again, the clench inside.“Did the judge dismiss the charges?”The poor kid had panicked and tried to run away with Jamal when he thought he’d be separated from his younger brother.Joined a gang and caused destruction at the orphanage.

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