Page 50 of The Only Reason (The Trident Trilogy 2)

“And hurtful,” Butch adds.

“And hurtful,” Hawk repeats, emphasizing each word with light taps to my now fully covered head. Hawk picks me up and slings me over his shoulder. I try unsuccessfully to conform naturally to his body.

“You weigh a lot more than Raine,” he says.

“Umm. First of all, fuck you,” I say from within the bag. “And second, have you been walking around the building stuffing women into bags all day?”

“Mind your own business, Millie,” Butch says.

“Butch,” Hawk says as he starts walking, “Millie said she hated me. That hurts my feelings.”

“I know, big guy,” Butch says, flicking my shoulder through the bag. “But she’s just projecting her anger at Mason on to you. She didn’t mean it.”

“I kept her from getting shot a few months ago. You think at least I could get some gratitude,” Hawk says, grabbing my face through the bag and shaking it playfully.

“Stop it!” I say, laughing as I unsuccessfully try to hit Hawk.

“People in bags don’t get to talk, Millie,” Hawk says.

“Again, they’re usually dead though,” Butch says.

“True. True. A lot easier that way, to be honest,” Hawk says as he stops walking.

I can’t see anything through the bag, but I hear what I think is a code being punched into a door. We take a few steps forward, and a door slams behind us.

“Good God, please tell me Millie is not in that bag.” I hear Mason’s voice as Hawk places me on the floor and unties the drawstring to let me out. I stand up and see I’m in the operators’ ready room. Mason’s entire team is there doing last checks on their gear before we go wheels up. They’re all looking at us and laughing except Mason, who’s shaking his head in disbelief. He looks at Hawk. “Man, what part of gently don’t you understand?”

“As it turns out, pretty much all of it,” Hawk says as he lifts me out of the bag.

“I think you should probably leave before Millie beats the crap out of you,” Mason says, looking from me to Hawk.

“Nope. Not until she apologizes.” Hawk folds his arms as he looks at me, his eyes twinkling.

“You shoved me into a duffel bag and you want me to apologize?” I say, shaking my head at him.

“You said you hated me. That’s way worse.” Hawk’s scowl is starting to break as he hears the laughing around him.

“Would it make you feel better if I told you I hate all of them, too?” I sweep my hands around the room.

“Somewhat better. At least I wouldn’t feel like I’m being singled out.” Hawk finally starts laughing. He throws his head back in disgust—mad that he couldn’t keep a straight face a little longer. He steps forward and hugs me. “Hey, Mills. I’m glad you’re back. We’ve missed you.”

Pretty soon the entire team—except JJ—is around me in a big, suffocating group hug. That lasts a few seconds when I hear Mason from across the room. “All right. All right. That’s plenty.”

After I’m released from the scrum, I walk over to Mason’s locker. “What the hell?”

“Sorry about that. I asked them to bring you to me. I had no idea they were going to do that.”

“You asked them to bring me to you? What, are you like the king now?”

“Millie. Do you want to fight right now?”

“No,” I say, sighing. “I really don’t.”

“Look. Raine said Alex might be watching you guys. I don’t know if she’s just being paranoid or not, but I wanted to make sure he didn’t see you come in here.”

“He’s not watching me—in the way she means it, anyway.”

“So in what way is he watching you?” Mason’s eyes lock into mine as I shift uncomfortably. “Tell me what I need to know here, Mills.”

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