Page 35 of Own

“I’m already the reason we’re in this,” I reminded them. They were in this because of me. Because they were helping me. So this was awe. “Let me be a weapon now, too.”

Bones pursed his lips, but he didn’t say no.

And he didn’t argue.

Chapter

Thirteen

GRACE

The rain had returned, the soft patter of it added to the soundtrack of the old farmhouse. The air inside was still thick, the walls practically sweating with all the unsaid things after I suggested that they use me as bait. None of them liked the plan, but not a single one shot it down.

Not even Bones.

I wasn’t sure what made them more unhappy. That I suggested it or that they didn’t have a counter argument for it. Instead of pressing on from there, though, the whole tide of conversation shifted until the decision to call it a night had broken us up.

Laying on top of the covers, I stared up at the ceiling. It was too warm to crawl under them. I wanted to crack the window, but the guys would probably deem it a security hazard so I’d left it alone. As tired as I was, my mind would not settle down. Every creak in the hallway made my heart jump.

It seemed even stranger to be in the room by myself. For the past few nights, Bones had always been within reach and closer still for the last two. Heat swept through me at the memory of the way he’d stroked me to distraction. While I had no regrets, I did have questions. Questions I wasn’t even sure I should ask.His silence left me wondering if he just didn’t want to discuss it or if it was just simply that he had nothing to say at all.

We had enough issues right now? Didn’t we?

Rolling onto my side, I stared at the window. The darkness outside, the flicker of exterior lights visible through the sheer curtain, the spatter of rain against the glass should all lull me into sleep. Or at least, I thought they should.

But the silence pressed in like a second skin, weighing so heavily it should crush me all the way through the floor. Yet, no matter how many times I told myself to sleep, I couldn’t even bring myself to close my eyes.

A soft knock brushed against the door. So soft, it took me a moment to recognize it as a knock and not another creak of the floor in the hallway. Had I heard it? Then it came again. Not urgent. Not hesitant.

Just… intentional.

I sat up and then slid off the bed. Opening the door, I stared up at Voodoo. He leaned against the frame, his dark eyes unreadable.

“Can’t sleep,” he said simply.

“Me neither.” I pulled the door wider and backed up a step to let him come in.

He followed, slow and quiet and then closed the door behind him. I half-expected him to scoop me up, but he didn’t. All he did was stand there, watching me.

“This plan—” He seemed to consider his words. “The next stages of this are going to be messy.”

“Is this your way of saying ‘you might not come back’?” Because the “plan” was still in the building stages.

“Firecracker…” The sigh as he exhaled my nickname seemed equal parts exasperation and affection. Thankfully, when I held out my hand, he glided his palm over mine. “I try not to say things I don’t mean.”

When I tugged, he followed me easily back to the bed. Without waiting for me to invite him, he dropped his hands to my hips and just picked me up to put me on the bed. These men were so damn tall. I was used to being short, but they made me feel so fragile.

“Whatever happens,whateverplan we go with…” And no, I didn't miss the stress on the “whatever plan”, but I let it go. “Believe me when I sayyouwill make it out.”

“I know,” I said, not letting go of him. Thankfully, he slid onto the bed with me. When he stretched out, I curled up to him and hooked one leg over his as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Bones told me you all had contingencies for when things went wrong.”

“Did he?” The soft question made me smile. “Good.”

“I just—I don’t want to be the reason something happens to any of you. Or that the plan to make sure whoever is closest to me gets out with me while everyone else covers means that you’ll be down a man who might make all the difference.” I’d been turning that one over in my head since Bones’ reveal.

He was right to remind me that every moment I argued then might cost them something, I could argue against it now.

“Knowing you weren’t in the middle of that,” Voodoo murmured before he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Knowing Bones already had you out, he just had to keep going—that did help us. We focused on what was in front of us and not on who or what might get past us.”

---