Page 28 of Braxton

“She’s small, so there’s only room for two more,” Hunter informed them. “Fair warning, swimming will be involved since she’s not amphibious. Who’s coming?”

Brax knew Gray had to go. Beside him, the big man stood up straighter, waiting for the order.

“You ready, frog?” Brax asked Gray.

He gave a sharp nod. “I’ve been waiting for this day,” he said in a low, deadly voice.

“Let’s go.”

“Be careful!” Inda called out.

They followed Hunter over to the helipad and climbed inside the waiting bird. Quinn had gone radio silent and he’d been a bit of a mess since. Her being out of sight bothered him enough. Not having her voice in his ear put him even more on edge. He had no idea what was happening and it made him feel out of control. And that was something he hated above all else.

Control kept him sane and he strived to maintain it at all costs. It made him feel like he had a say in an operation or, in general, his life. Although he knew how to adapt, he preferred when things were predictable and ran smoothly.

And this op was turning into a sea of unpredictability fast.

Hunter got the helo in the air and Brax looked down as they flew over the black ocean below. For all he knew, Quinn had already put a bullet in Mesa’s brain, stolen a boat, and was on her way back to Miami. Hell, he wouldn’t put it past her. She was the queen of adapting. It was one of the things that had made her such a formidable agent.

Had her being so incredibly adept at her job been her downfall? Had someone felt threatened by her? Enough that they’d set her up?

She said she was innocent. She’d told him five years ago and he hadn’t believed her. Then when he’d reached out, she was already gone. Blaming himself for their marriage falling apart wasn’t going to help him find her now. But, maybe, it was time he told her.

The constantwhump-whump-whumpof the rotors filled his ears and he glanced over at Gray who was lost in his own thoughts. The man had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Brax hoped he hadn’t made a mistake by bringing Demon with him. Sometimes when things became too personal, operators could get into their heads and begin making decisions with their hearts rather than their brains.

Oh, hell, who was he kidding? He had bigger stakes in this mission. Gray was after revenge while Brax was out to save his ex and possibly rekindle their love affair. He couldn’t deny it any longer. Whether he liked it or not, Quinn was the love of his life.

And, goddammit, he wasn’t done with her yet.

Okay, now that he admitted it to himself, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Acknowledging his feelings was a big step. He just needed to tell her. Because no matter how hard he’d tried to get over his ex-wife, he hadn’t been able to do it.

There were too many reminders. Things he missed on a visceral level. Like the way she challenged him, never backing down. Or how it felt like his entire world shifted when they kissed. Her intelligence, her strength, her smart-ass comments. The way she made him give up control with zero regret when she was sucking his cock. Her smell, her touch, her taste…they all haunted him.

Once he had her back on the mainland, they had a lot to discuss. This time around, he wasn’t letting her run away from him.

“You boys ready to get wet?” Hunter asked. “This is about as close as I want to go.”

The helo hovered around eight-hundred or so yards offshore. The darkness provided a good cover, but it would be reckless to try to fly closer. No doubt, the island was well-guarded and the last thing they wanted to do was alert anyone to their presence.

Brax glanced over at Gray who gave him a thumbs-up sign.

Time to go swimming.It should only take them ten to twelve minutes to reach the island, depending on the waves and current. He knew Gray was an exceptionally strong swimmer from his SEAL days, but Brax was pretty damn good, too. He may not have had as much aquatic training, but he could hold his own in the water.

“We may need a pickup. I’ll be in touch.”

Hunter sent him a salute as he and Gray opened their doors. A gust of wind buffeted the helo, making it bounce slightly above the dark water below. Without hesitation, they both leaped and plummeted down, hitting the waves with a splash.

???

The moment theEspíritu de Colombiadocked, Quinn couldn’t get off it fast enough. She’d managed to dodge Mesa’s amorous advances by claiming a touch of sea sickness, but it was getting harder. His estate was just as ridiculously luxuriousas his superyacht. More so than she could’ve imagined, actually. They took a golf cart to get to the main house, passing lush foliage and what looked like some kind of enclosure along the way.

“What’s that?” she asked, straining to see past the netting in the darkness.

“My collection,” he replied mysteriously.

She didn’t like the sound of that. What the hell did he collect?

Once they reached the house, or more accurately, mansion, she climbed down and followed him inside, her purse safely tucked beneath her arm. The place was enormous with high, vaulted ceilings, a wide, gilded staircase that curved up and an array of artwork from statues to paintings, all no doubt priceless.

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