Page 79 of Saved By the Marines (Soldiers Of Misfortune)

“Where are we going?” I asked.

The guys grinned at each other, but just kept packing up the bags. Jas picked up Nora and snuggled her, making our baby giggle.

“First, we’re dropping this little one off with Grandma Jean and Grandpa Ray,” he said, shifting her over into one arm as he picked up her bag.

She was eight months old and it was still hard for me to leave her but the guys had insisted we needed a trip with just the four of us. I’d relented, knowing I’d have a great time and that Nora would soak up all the attention from her grandparents.

It only took about twenty minutes before the SUV was packed and we were knocking on Jean and Ray’s door. I hugged them both, checking on Ray as I did. There hadn’t been any serious repercussions from my father’s second kidnapping attempt, though I would never forget the sight of Ray’s body flying through the air like a ragdoll. He’d been willing to lay down his life to protect me and that had bonded us in a way I’d never get over.

Pulling Nora away from Jas, I cuddled her close until Wolfe took her and handed her over. I groaned and gave everyone a sheepish grin. “This isn’t easy,” I admitted.

Jean laughed and nodded in understanding. “I still remember the first time, too. We’ll take good care of her.”

I put my hand on her shoulder because I knew that. She and Ray loved our little girl. It was easy to see. “Okay. I’m going,” I muttered when Kip hip bumped me, urging me along.

Soon enough we were driving away from our home and further into the countryside. “Where are we going?” I asked again.

“Cabin. About an hour from here,” Wolfe finally answered.

I frowned, but didn’t comment. By the time we pulled into where the isolated cabin sat, I was getting nervous. “Um, guys. This is super sweet, but I’m the one who was kidnapped and kept in places like this…twice now,” I reminded them with a shaky laugh.

“That’s why we want to replace those memories with good ones,” Kip told me, holding out a hand to help me out of the SUV.

I stepped out and looked around. It was beautiful. The cabin sat right up from a lake and it was surrounded by massive trees as far as the eyes could see.

It was easy to reflect back over the last year of my life while we brought everything into the cabin. It’d been a bit of a roller coaster. My father had gone to jail. He’d definitely lost his Senate seat and I’d pressed charges. I’d contemplated just letting it go, but he’d crossed the line and I wasn’t living life scared anymore. Of course, because he was a senator he’d gotten a reduced sentence and would have been out on parole after only a few months.

Brando had put all the pieces together. Dad used the Copper Street Crew as his personal mercenaries. He’d have them orchestrate kidnappings like he did for Shetland, then use them to attack other criminal gangs. In Shetland’s case, they kidnapped his daughter and helped him get elected. Then Shetland did a ‘war on crime’, making it look like he was cleaning up the streets. In reality the Copper Street Crew was taking out the competition and got free run of the city.

Peter Coleman had been released from prison and the charges dropped. I could only imagine he regretted the day I’d snuck back to the room he’d been having a meeting in. I’d tried to reach out to apologize for what had happened, but he wanted nothing to do with me. Understandable. I was fine with it and ready to move on as well.

Shetland testified against Dad. The boys didn’t even need to persuade him. Guilt was weighing heavily on him and he needed to clear his conscience. Dad never made it to his parole hearing. The inmates in his prison didn’t approve of his re-election campaign. I thought I would have been sadder. Turns out I barely cared at all. Not after he’d put me and my unborn child into such a dangerous situation.

The guys had gotten ultra-protective of me and Nora once she’d come along. Life was everything I’d hoped for. I had three men who loved me and the child we’d made and their huge family made it so I never felt lonely. After I found out it’d been my father behind everything it’d been easy for me to cast him out of my life, and after his death I didn’t spare him any additional thoughts.

Once things had calmed down, I’d tried to track down my mother’s parents. It had saddened me to realize I’d been two years too late to meet my grandmother. She’d died three years after her husband. I’d taken flowers to their grave and said my goodbyes.

* * *

I spentthe day down on the lakeshore with my Marines, fishing, playing, and somewhere in that time I slowly began to relax. They were right. Coming here was a good idea. I didn’t want to be scared of the woods just because of what had happened to me.

We played and frolicked in the water and went on hikes and it wasn’t until the very last night that I realized the real reason they’d brought me out here.

“Want to play a game, Brat?” Jas asked, a twinkle in his eyes.

“What kind of game?” I replied, suspicion coating my words.

“Hide and Seek,” Kip said with a grin.

“For adults,” Wolfe added.

I narrowed my eyes on them. “What do you mean?”

“You run. We chase. Once we catch you, we do whatever we want with you,” Jasper answered, slowly standing up.

They were moving like predators and it made my heart trip in my chest. “You’re crazy. You want me to run through the woods at night?” I’d already done that before.

“Trust us. You won’t get far,” Wolfe said.

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