Page 71 of Waging War
“Three or four,” Dad says. “Minimum.”
It hits me then. Ben may not be willing to help, but I think I know just who might be.
“Okay, forget Ben for the time being. I’ll go to the next best place and see who I can recruit.”
Dad shakes his head. “You’re asking a lot of me. This is beyond dangerous and exactly why I told Jackie I didn’t want to get involved. Hasn’t this family been through enough?”
The question guts me, but there’s just too much at stake.
“He’s taken enough from us, Daddy.” I wrap my hand over his shoulder and give him a little shake. “Give me some credit and a little space to work. We can andwilldo this.”
Turning to Coop, I extend my hand to seal our deal. After a moment of consideration, he places his palm in mine and squeezes.
I extend the same gesture to Dad, but he’s not as agreeable. “It’s going to take more than a half-cocked plan to get me fully on board with this. Find us some manpower and come back with a solid plan. Then we’ll talk.”
Anxiety curls deep in my stomach. Ben can’t seem to figure out where the line between duty and honor lies, but I hold on to that small chance that when it really comes down to it, he might still help me.
And if he gets in my way, I happen to know the perfect way to distract him.
After all… all’s fair in lust and war.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Hazel
The knife strapped to the inside of my boot slides against my calf as I tiptoe through a stretch of knee-high grass. Its twin rests in the other boot just in case I have a run-in with one of Diablo’s guys.
“This is a terrible idea,” I whisper.
But here I am, listening to the music and loud voices carrying from The Pound to where I hide behind a telephone pole, scouting the area.
My heart gallops in my chest as I scurry across the road. Once I reach the side of the building, I creep around to the back entrance, scanning the rear parking lot one last time for any stragglers.
I push an even breath through my nose and yank the door open. A dark hall extends all the way in front of me until eventually opening up to the main bar.
I sneak inside, gently closing the door behind me, and step gingerly toward the middle of the hallway. Sounds of the kitchen and bar staff cutting up eases a bit of tension from my shoulders. I haven’t seen Jack, Jules, or anyone from The Pound since I was taken to Jackie’s mansion, and the thought of seeing them all again has knots doubling in my stomach.
Creeping down the hallway, I poke my head into the locker room area. “Hello?” I call quietly, checking for any sign of life.
I take a single step inside, breathing in the scent of cleaner and listening to the slow drip from a faucet somewhere in the back. A pair of hands clamp down around my shoulders, and I yelp, brandishing a blade before I even realize that I reached for it.
“Whoa!” Cassidy throws her hands up and jumps two steps back. With wide eyes, her mouth pops open, and I’m not sure if it’s from the fact that I’ve got a knife extended mere inches from her nose or that she’s basically seeing a wraith.
My arm falls limply by my side. “Cassidy,” I breathe in a rush.
Like a beam of sunlight, she glows with her pregnancy. I meet her shining green eyes before following the length of her angelic blonde hair. It curls around her fuller breasts, and as if by instinct, she places a hand over the swell of her abdomen, drawing my attention to the bump.
“Oof!” I stumble when she rushes me. The sudden rigidness of my body does nothing to stop her from folding me into her arms. She crushes me against her as a sob chokes her.
“Hazel, oh my God. Where have you been? Oh, it doesn’t matter. I’m just so happy to see you!”
I raise a hand and pat her twice on the back. “Your, uh… belly.” I motion between us, where her bump presses into me.
“Oh, gosh. Sorry about that. I’m a whale nowadays.” She bats the air as she pulls away. “I can’t believe you’re here. We’ve been so worried about you since that night. The guys searched with Sasha for you almost daily until she finally called them off and started working with Cooper.”
She pauses, nibbling her lip and turning her gaze toward the floor.
I remember Cooper telling Ben when he dropped me off at Moe’s that they’d been patrolling, but I hadn’t realized that included looking for me too.
