Page 100 of The Team

She smiled and, taking Jay’s hand, led him over to her sunbed. He sat with her and her grip on his hand tightened. “I have to thank you, and Captain Ouston,” she said. “I can never thank you enough.”

“We’re just glad you’re okay.”

She looked over to where Yin and Rhett were talking by the pool, and she shook her head in wonder. “Yunho and Lucas have been so kind and so generous. I cannot believe this is my life. Everyone here is...”

Jay laughed. “Queer?”

She giggled again but then shook her head, her eyes meeting Jay’s. “I have new papers, a new passport, as me, Jun-mei. An Australian passport. Can you believe that?”

He squeezed her hand. “You deserve it.”

“I know Tao can’t stay here,” she whispered, face falling. “He is Milvus now and will travel. And I’m happy that he’s happy. He feels he can make a difference now.”

“And you?” Jay asked. “What are your plans? You have a new life now.”

She smiled shyly, eyes darting to Yunho before landing back on Jay. “Yunho said I could stay here,” she said. “Icould be their live-in help. Help Yunho in the office, help Lucas with whatever he needs.”

Jay gasped, and he gave her hand an excited squeeze. “Really? That’s great! You already know about Milvus, all the dark government ops and stuff. You speak how many languages?Andyou’re a nurse. It’s perfect, really.”

So freaking perfect.

Jay couldn’t be happier for her.

“And Tao knows I’m safe here,” she whispered. Then she got a little teary again. “And I can be me here.”

“And she makes the best pot of tea,” Lucas said without looking up. “Coming from an Englishman, that’s quite the compliment.”

Jun-mei smiled, radiant and shy, and Jay gave her a hug. “I’m so happy for you.”

Before she could reply, there was a loud groan from the far side of the pool. Jay turned to find Chen, wearing shorts that did his pale legs no favours, a gawdy Hawaiian print shirt, and a bucket hat. He had his arms full of firewood, which he dropped near the fire pit at the end of the patio and dusted himself off. “Ah, you are here,” he said with a grin. He went over to shake Rhett’s hand, and he gave Jay a grin before he turned to Yunho. “Yunho, why is fence down there. You expect intruders all this way?”

Yunho chuckled and closed his laptop. “No. That’s to keep the crocodiles out.”

Chen’s smile died instantly, and after he stared at Yunho for a long beat, he looked at Rhett, eyes wide. “You know, when we first come here, I ask why not all Australians live in such beautiful place. Why have this pool when beautiful ocean is right there. Because of huge crocodiles and teeny tiny jellyfish that can kill a hundredmen.” He threw his hands up. “This is why not all Australians live here. Crocodile fence. Now I ask why doesanyonelive here?”

Everyone laughed.

Well, everyone except Chen. He came over and threw himself onto the sunbed next to Jay and Jun-mei.

“Love the shirt,” Jay said.

And just like that, sulky Chen was gone and grinning Chen was back. “Me too.”

Jay looked out then, seeing Rhett and Yin still talking by the pool. He liked that Rhett had found a friend in Yin. He didn’t have many friends. Sure, he had the whole team, and Sid in particular. He had scores of men who would follow him into battle out of pure respect. He had people who admired him, looked up to him, maybe even feared him a little.

But he didn’t have friends to hang out with.

He and Yin were a lot alike in a lot of ways, and to see them talking and laughing like friends… Well, it made Jay so freaking happy.

And Yin. Standing in the sunlight, shirtless, Jay could see the extent of his scars more clearly. His back was mottled where it had been shredded and was now jagged lines of healed scar tissue. Uneven, discoloured, welted. Even the back of his thigh and calf was scarred.

Jay could only imagine how much pain he’d gone through, what it took to survive that.

He had to remind himself not to stare. “Any word on Wong and his sister?” he asked.

Yunho looked at him then. “Both detained and assets seized.”

Jay was hardly surprised. That guy’s many millions ofdollars was probably part of the reason why the government offered to help. A helluva payday. “And General Yuan?” Jay knew it could have gone one of two ways. He was either rotting in a jail cell or they gave him a commendation.

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