Page 110 of Betrayed

“And Jack?” Meg asked, fear in her eyes despite the attempt at bravery.

Jack answered over the comms, so I relayed the message. “He’s okay.”

“Sending Davenport out now,” Doug’s voice sounded in my ear.

When I told Blake, she hurried off my lap. Unwilling to lose contact, I stood and held her hand.

Not knowing what had happened between them in the farmhouse, I didn’t know how she’d react when she saw him.

Meg moved to stand on Blake’s other side, where she’d be out of the way but able to offer support if needed. I nodded my appreciation before turning my attention back to my earpiece. I listened for them to announce they were at the door.

“They’re coming out,” I warned Blake.

Doug opened the door for Jack, who led a haggard-looking Davenport out the door. Jack watched for Blake’s reaction, ready to remove Davenport if necessary.

Steve stuttered out an apology. Instead of accepting, she asked, “How could you?”

He blubbered out a lame excuse, stepping close as he did.

Jack’s grip tightened, and Doug put his hand on Davenport’s shoulder.

I stepped between them, nudging Blake behind me.

“Back off,” I growled.

Steve found some courage and challenged me. “I’m her father. Get out of my way.”

After everything he’d put her through, I didn’t give two shits if he was her father or not, I’d still take him down.

Jack and Doug pulled him back, creating distance between us.

Steve leaned to the side so he could see Blake behind me and pleaded for forgiveness.

I turned my back on him and asked, “Do you want to talk to him?”

Blake shook her head softly back and forth. “No.”

“Get him out of here,” I ordered over my shoulder.

Maxwell took over escorting Steve so Jack could go to Meg, who was waiting patiently, but not calmly.

She and Doug took Steve around the corner, out of Blake’s sight.

“Dad?” The panic in Jack’s voice caused me to turn.

John had bloodstains on his left arm.

“Did you get shot?” Meg asked, her voice a little too high to be considered calm or controlled.

“I’m okay, it’s just a scratch,” John answered. Jack and Meg rushed to his side to verify for themselves.

“Let me see,” Meg demanded as she pushed up his sleeve.

Meg still didn’t believe any of us when we said we had ‘just a scratch’ after Jack needed sixteen stitches for a scratch back when they first started dating. Or was it before they started dating?Whatever, it doesn’t matter.

You could’ve heard a pin drop as his other two sons, and the rest of the team, waited for verification.

“What is it with you Sheppard men?” Meg asked. “That’s not a scratch.”

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