Page 78 of Mountain Rescue
The warmth from her fingers lingered on the places she touched. She flattened her palm over his heart, and he put his hand over hers. “No, they don’t bother me because there’s nothing I can do about them, so what good does it do me to get all depressed about them? I wear a long-sleeve shirt in public because they bother everyone else.”
“They don’t bother me. I look at you, and I think, my God, he’s beautiful.”
“Rachel.” He didn’t have the words to tell her what was in his heart. Wasn’t sure that even if he did, she’d want to hear them. All he could do was show her. He lifted her in his arms, carried her to the bed, and tried to show her what she meant to him.
Jack and Noah showed up early the next morning, and the four of them sat around the kitchen table with cups of coffee. After Rachel had fallen asleep, Dallas had spent most of the night thinking and planning how to keep Rachel out of the operation.
“Hargrove’s man isn’t talking, but Deke got an ID on him,” Jack said. “His name’s Calvin Ebers, and his first stint in prison was when he was nineteen for drug trafficking. He’s done time for assault with a deadly weapon and carjacking among other things. Not a man you can turn your back on. We have to assume Hargrove’s other men won’t hesitate to put a bullet through any one of us given the chance.”
Dallas wasn’t surprised that Hargrove would surround himself with thugs. “Deke a part of this operation or not?”
“Not, but he’s going to look the other way. He’s not real happy about that, but he knows we have a better chance of catching Hargrove than the police do. He’s distributed the photos TG sent us to all the cops, so they’re all on the lookout for Hargrove and his men.”
“I thought about this last night.” Dallas glanced at Rachel. He guessed she wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “Hargrove knows about the cabin, so that’s where we need to stage the operation. We’ll use me as bait.”
“What?” Rachel grabbed his hand. “No. No way.”
“Hear me out.” He put his other hand over hers. “I’m sure the cabin’s being watched, and I’ll make a show of moving back in. When Hargrove can’t find you, he’ll come for me, thinking he can make me tell him where you are.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“Jack and Noah will have my six,” Dallas said. She shook her head again. “Hey, it’s okay. We’re damn good at what we do. Hargrove won’t even know they’re there.”
“Will you promise me one thing?”
“If I can.”
“Promise me if it becomes a choice of you or him, you won’t let it be you.”
“It won’t be him,” Jack said. “We’ll make sure of it.”
Noah slapped his hand on the table. “Trust me, Rachel, Hargrove’s messing with the wrong people.”
“See?” Dallas said. “All’s going to be good.”
Rachel wanted to believe them, but Robert wouldn’t hesitate to play dirty. A part of her wanted to insist Dallas take her with him, but that would just make her stupid. She didn’t have the kind of skills these guys had. She would not only be in the way, but she would be a distraction.
“I have...” Jack glanced at her. “Ah, all the stuff we need in my car. Noah and I will head out now.” He turned to Dallas. “We’ll have to hide the car and walk in without being seen, so give us a thirty-minute head start.”
“Copy that,” Dallas said.
Bystuff, she assumed he meant weapons. She hated the thought of them having to arm themselves up with God knew what, but if stuff included grenades and missiles, or whatever they needed to stay safe, she was all for it.
“Please be careful,” she told the men when they stood to leave.
“Always.” Jack stopped in front of her. “We got this, okay?”
“What he said,” Noah said.
Dallas walked out with them, and she went to the window. They congregated by the trunk of Jack’s car, and Jack handed a box to Dallas. She didn’t doubt there were guns in that box, and she hoped to hell there was also a bulletproof vest.
They talked for a few minutes, then Jack and Noah got in the car and left. Dallas took the box to the SUV and put it on the back seat. He shut the door, then lifted his gaze to the window and stared at her.
After a moment, he strode back, never taking his eyes off her. His expression was one she’d never seen before. Focused and intent were the words that came to mind.He has his warrior face on.She backed away from the window.
Because of her, this man was going into battle. Because of her, he was risking his life. She couldn’t let him put himself in danger. How could she live with herself if something happened to him? And it wasn’t just him. Jack and Noah were involved now. What if they were hurt or worse? How could she face Nichole and Peyton?
“Call them back,” she said when Dallas walked in. “I can’t let you all risk yourselves like this.”
