Page 56 of Austen

“No.I’m not staying out here on a sinking Jet Ski!”Phoenix-Belle-Ashley said.

“Me either,” Austen said.“Why would you suggest that?”

He said nothing.A beat went by, then Austen turned to him.“Because we’re women?”

He cocked his head.“Listen?—”

“You listen,” Austen said.“We’ll all go back as far as we can on our ski, then transfer to yours.Steinbeck, you do some sketchy SEAL stuff while Belle and I stay with the Jet Ski and Declan gets the tender.”

“Sketchy SEAL stuff?”Steinbeck said.

“Whatever it is you do.”

“And I’ll make sure that no one kills Declan—or Steinbeck—while they’re getting the tender,” Phoenix-Belle-Ashley said.

Steinbeck turned, looked at her.“And we’re going to trust you?”

“Good point.Get off and we can part ways.”

Steinbeck pressed his hand to his forehead.“Fine.Sorry.”

She sighed, looked at Declan.“For the record, I wasn’t trying to kill you?—”

Declan held up a hand.“Fine.Whatever.We need her, Stein.”

“Okay, we go back together,” Steinbeck said.He looked over at Declan.“I’ll think of something between here and there.”

“I can’t wait.”But the guyhadgotten him off the boat.It just irked Declan that somehowhe’dturned into the bad guy, at least in Steinbeck’s eyes.

And maybe Austen’s.

And, of course, Miss Clandestine’s on the back of Steinbeck’s ski.

So, yes, everyone’s.

Declan glanced at Austen.“We’re going to be okay.”

“Oh, I’m having the time of my life.”But she gave him a thin smile.

He didn’t know what to think as he took off, Steinbeck following behind.

They kept their lights off, using the light from the yacht to guide them.Austen held on as they slammed over waves, down into troughs.The water sprayed around him, chilling his bare skin.

How could Teresa have betrayed him?But the explanation from Austen and Phoenix made sense.He’d add that to his list of epic mistakes, along with trying to divert the obsidite from the Bratva, because that had been a super-great idea.And as long as he was cataloging mistakes, maybe he should go even further back and list the mistake where he’d believed the government when they’d said they’d watch his back.

So in the end, this wasn’t on Steinbeck but on him, and he planned to get them out of this.No matter what it took.

Declan stopped a hundred yards from the yacht, which was still moving in the water, although barely.

Steinbeck pulled up beside him.

“So, what’s the plan?”Water sloshed over Declan’s ankles, and the ski struggled to stay afloat.

“Austen, you climb on behind Phoenix.Declan, I’m coming over,” Stein said.“I’ll drive you close and let you off, and then I’ll do some sketchy stuff.”He glanced at Austen and added a brief smile.“I’ll create a distraction, and you work on getting that tender out.”

“What kind of distraction?”Declan asked.

“Just pay attention.”Stein looked at Austen.“And you stay alive.If they start shooting, put the Jet Ski between you and the shooter—but even better, get out of range completely.”

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