Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
He felt Rubin’s shock. Leila had to as well. Her fingers tightened in his again, and he pressed her palm against his heart.
“A daughter?”
“Name’s Grace,” Diego continued. “Leila is Luther’s niece. Technically great-niece. I prefer ‘great’ because that makes Luther great, Rubin. He always wanted that title.”
Leila laughed softly. “I can’t wait to tell Luther your theory. I wasn’t certain how he was going to take finding out he had two great-nieces, and we were bringing a war to his doorstep.” The laughter faded, and there was guilt in her mind. “He didn’t hesitate. Not for one second. He didn’t even question the relationship. Bridget looks like his sister, apparently. He took one look at her and immediately took us in.”
“Luther’s a good man,” Rubin said. “Let me take care of Diego, Leila, and then I’d like to hear about your daughter and this war you brought to Luther.”
“She didn’t bring it,” Diego corrected. “That was the choice of Commander Chariot. He sent his soldiers after her. They were seriously fucked-up, Rubin. Willing to rape her when she was shot all to hell. Chariot is having the same problems Whitney has. Too many enhancements shoved into the men, and they can’t handle the aggression.”
His voice was a low whip of sound. He couldn’t help the sudden animosity welling up. He could be every bit as aggressive as or more so than the soldiers who had come after Leila. The difference was he had Rubin and the code of honor they lived by. It didn’t matter how many predatory animals vied for supremacy in him. A part of him always clung to his humanity.
“Is Chariot aware you put his soldiers in the ground?” Rubin used his casual tone, the one that always alerted Diego to trouble. Rubin knew him, knew he would send a hard message to the commander and mean every word.
Rubin knelt beside Diego, his palms moving over him, starting at the top of his head. Diego took the opportunity to catalogue everything his brother did. He needed to learn as much as possible from him while he could. He had no intentions of having a career as a psychic surgeon, but he was going to be a family man. As such, he wanted to be able to supply his family with whatever they needed—including medical care.
“The sisters were taken by the government before Luther was ever aware of their existence,” Diego said.
Leila nodded. “They took Bridget and gave her to Whitney. I would hear things, mostly through Marcy Chariot, the commander’s wife. She knew I needed to know Bridget was alive, and she kept track of her as best she could.”
“When Chariot sent his soldiers after Leila, he must have made a deal with Whitney to return Bridget to him, because those taking Leila were bringing her up the mountain to a helicopter that would take her back to the compound in Maryland.”
Diego once again caught up Leila’s hand to link their fingers. He needed the closeness with her but, more importantly, found he needed the intimacy between them. He felt protective of her and wanted her to feel his presence at all times, particularly when they were discussing difficult subjects like the kidnapping of her sister. She needed to feel that he was always on her side, that he would always have her back. She’d never had that, and he wanted to be the one to give her that confidence.
“Bridget was taken down the mountain to trucks waiting to transport her to Whitney.” Diego continued the explanation. “When the second wave of soldiers came to take Leila, it was Whitney’s soldiers attacking, not Chariot’s.”
Rubin frowned. “Chariot and Whitney conspired to take Leila and her sister?”
Diego nodded. “I wanted to make it very clear to Chariot that he would be dealing with me. That Leila isn’t going back, and we’re coming for Grace.”
Leila shook her head. “It will be an all-out war, Diego. You know I don’t want to be responsible for that. I can go back, bide my time, and when I’m ready, take Grace with me and run.”
“Not happening, Leila,” Diego said. “If Chariot is so brainless that he’d continue to pit his soldiers against GhostWalkers, that’s on him, not you. In any case, that doesn’t get us Bridget back. We have to find out what’s happening with her. Hopefully, Luther managed to get her back, but if he didn’t, we’ll have to track her to wherever Whitney has her.”
“There is another way, Diego,” Rubin said. Finished with the exam, he stretched out on the floor on top of his sleeping bag. “One that might avoid bloodshed.”
“Leila is staying with me, and we’re taking the baby back,” Diego said firmly.
“There’s no other outcome,” Rubin agreed. “The baby is family. She belongs with us. With the GhostWalkers, just as Leila does.”