Page 48 of Abduction

She laughed at his suggestion.

“Uh, I’m not a normal person. Be glad I left my security waiting. More Marines make you twitchy,” she admitted.

Yeah, well, like this twitchy Marine, hers would be showing up to the party at some point. She knew Ivan, and he couldn’t stay away.

Ever.

Then, because they were staring at the man beside her, she did the introductions.

“Hunters, this is Duke Maverick, my brother and Axelle’s husband. Duke, these are The Hunters. Let’s just say they are my special, special friends.”

She rattled off their names as she pointed at each one, saving the biggest Native for last.

Then, she gave him a heads-up.

“The tall Native staring at you isn’t as big an asshole as he looks, but he has his moments. Zayn is like syphilis. Fun to get, not so much fun after the fact with the lingering symptoms.”

“HEY!” he protested, trying not to be amused, but he was. She busted ass like a Marine, and that was one of his favorite things.

That comradery.

From where he stood, Jagger laughed at that comment because, well, it was kinda true.

“Welcome,” Jagger said, giving Elizabeth a kiss on the cheek. “Did you come to visit to bring us more shit to balance on our very busy plates?” he asked but wasn’t finished. “And where are your babysitters? It’s rare for you to come here and leave Ethan or Chris behind.”

Oh, she knew he didn’t mean her security. He meant her husbands.

Well, Ethan was close.

As for the rest…

She didn’t want to be even more of a spectacle. When the four of them were out and about, the media was all over them. Already, getting in and out was a bitch. She wished their only job was Gamble, but…

When in NOLA…

You never knew what was coming your way.

Right now, Ethan was waiting for her to tell them what else she came bearing.

She had a surprise.

It was a reunion—of sorts.

“Well, here’s the issue, Hunters,” she said, picking up a donut and biting into it. “The shit is about to hit the fan. Not only are the Russians coming, but you have a bigger problem on your hands.”

Oh, they couldn’t wait to hear about that.

“What?” Maura asked.

“I’ve heard from a very reliable source that Artemis has gone off the reservation, and she’s burned the CIA. She’s singlehandedly getting ready to fuck us all over without dinner, in the back seat of the car, and without lube. So, I suggest you buckle up.”

Oh, great.

That made no one happy.

They got fucked over plenty in NOLA, and not in the fun kind of way.

That explained how a Russian mob man, the son of a general they had killed, along with his dearly departed wife, found out where they were.

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