Page 88 of Fatal Thrill
In other words, yes. “Why can’t I go?” the words were barely more than awhisper.
His fingers lightly touched her abdomen. “I can’t risk it. You and the baby. I’ve done my best, Jaya, through this whole thing to respect your wishes and let you go along, but this time? I’m asking you to respect mine. You’re stayinghere.”
Resolution made his face fierce. Awarrior.
Mywarrior.
A strand of his jet-black hair had come loose from its entrapment at the back of his skull. She reached up and touched it. “I’ll keep our baby safe, Ipromise.”
He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. “I’ll hold you to it, WindCatcher.”
Within minutes, he and the others were gone, disappearing into the woods like smoke. Half the team, led by Jon, headed for Jeremiah Wolfe’s underground bunker, the other, led by Trace, to Watt’s cabin. Percy and Nyx went with them. Charlotte babysat the communication center that all of their comms were linked to, and Parker checked the doors and windows, making sure everything was locked tight once they left. Satisfied, she headed to the kitchen to make morecoffee.
Jaya paced, the bag with the cross hanging from her wrist by its strap. The coffee smelled good but her stomach was a pit of sludge. She touched the wooden logs of the walls, stared at the map. How long would it take each team to reach their destination? Would both Finn and Jon make itback?
Parker returned to the main room with three fresh mugs of steaming coffee in hand. “I know Savanna wants all of us to put our hair up on Saturday, but I’d rather wear minedown.”
Charlotte looked up from the portable receiver and accepted one of the mugs. “What do the dresses look like? Bareshoulder?”
Parker pulled out her phone and showed Charlotte photos. “Strapless and classic. I think soft curls maybe for the bridesmaids and Savanna can have a fancy up-do if she wants. What do you think,Jaya?”
Seriously? She wanted to talk about her sister’swedding?
Jaya’s gaze swung to Parker’s, impatience clawing at her. “Idon’t—”
And then she saw it—the clever spy at work. Parker was doing her damnedest to take Jaya’s mind off the situation and Charlotte was her partner incrime.
They’d done so much for her, treating her like a friend. Her impatience evaporated as quickly as it had risen. “Let mesee.”
The dress Parker was going to wear was, indeed, a classic silhouette, but with a beaded belt at the waist and demure crystals on the bodice. The back revealed a low cut with crystal buttons. “A braid would be lovely,” Jaya said, “and we could insert a few crystal studded bobby pins to bring the eye up from the buttons and complimentthem.”
Charlotte and Parker exchanged a look. Charlotte hugged her coffee mug with her good hand. “She’s spot on. That would beperfect.”
“For Savanna’s, I can braid several sections and weave them into an up-do with a few crystals to match aswell.”
Something caught Charlotte’s eye and she looked over at the security cam. “Ruby’shere.”
On screen, a curvy gal with dark hair and a penchant for leather hustled toward the cabin from the woods on the north side. Parker went to the door, Jaya following. There, Parker unbolted it and let Rubyin.
Ruby’s lips were dark red, her eyes making contact with Jaya’s before swinging back to Parker. “You’ve got company arriving anyminute.”
“Company?” Jayaasked.
Ruby raised her hand and that’s when Jaya saw the compact handgun she held. “Hey, I’m Ruby. Nice to meet you.” She went back to Parker. “Six men, all with hunting rifles, coming down the road onfoot.”
“Shit,” Parker swore under her breath, closing the door and throwing the deadbolt oncemore.
Charlotte appeared from the back. “Who the bloody hell arethey?”
“Survivalists,” Parker answered. “Has to be. There are several dozen in this area from what Jonsaid.”
Ruby went to the window and peered out from behind the lacy curtain. “They look like they mean business. I suggest we disappear into thewoods.”
“We can’t just leave,” Jaya said as Parker pushed her down the hall toward the meeting room. “Jon and the others might needus.”
Back at the table, Charlotte shut down the receiver and handed each of them an earbud and comm unit. “We’ll have to keep in touch thisway.”
Parker tucked a bud into her ear. Jaya did thesame.
