Page 121 of Savagely Yours
Omar squeezed my shoulder. “This guy says he knows you, boss. Is that true?”
“There’s no way,” Gage said, picking up his pace. “There’s no fucking way. Dez? Are you fucking kidding me right now? Omar, where the hell did you find my kid brother?”
“Really, Gage,” I quipped, my voice unsteady. “Julien’s the ‘kid.’ I’m a grown ass man.”
Gage, laughing, wrapped me up in a tight hug.
I’d gone from assuming Larke was dead, my nights like someone trying to remove my heart with a dull knife, to reuniting with the chosen family I was lucky enough to receiveas a gift. I’d put on a brave face so neither Mae nor Larke saw how hard it had been for me to leave behind the only mother I’d ever had. Yet, it wasn’t until this very moment that I felt the pain I’d been suppressing, though it was already giving way to relief. I almost wanted to drive back to Totten just to let Mae know that her scrawny kid would be just fine, but in her own way, I knew that she did.
“Let them inside,” Gage ordered, clearing his throat, one arm around my shoulders. “Dallas, pull in the truck. Memph, you can pull the van in and park it off to the side.”
Omar escorted Sabine and Tamra into the camp. Memphis hopped into the van, and I watched his every movement until he was parked. Then I went around to the passenger side and scooped Larke out of the seat, pressing kisses against the side of her head.
“You told us to come here,” I whispered in her ear. “You trusted that we should come here. You even had that dream with me and you in South Carolina.”
“Because I knew you could get us here safely,” she said. “To me, baby, you could save the world.”
I walked her over to where Gage stood. “Larke, this is my brother, Gage. He’s the oldest. Julien’s here too. He’s the youngest. He and his wife, Ari, had a baby. I’ve never had a niece before, so I hope I make a good first impression.”
“Why do I feel like we’re in elementary school, and you’re showing your best friends your cool new toy?” she teased.
“I really wanted them to meet you, and I wasn’t sure they’d get the chance. You weren’t even conscious the first time Mae met you, but I couldn’t wait. Everybody should meet you, Larke.”
“You’re very cute like this.”
“You’re very cute all the time.”
“You’re melting my heart, Dez.” She extended a hand. “Hi, Gage, Dez’s older brother, who he’s talked about numerous times. I’m Larke.”
I set her on her feet. “Tell him your last name.”
“Dez, don’t make me scream at how cute you are right now, but you’re right. Let me start from the top. Hi, I’m Larke Harding, Dez’s wife. It’s a pleasure to meet?—”
Gage lifted her off her feet in a hug. Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed.
“Okay, okay.” I dragged her away. “That’s enough.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, love,” Gage said.
Larke gestured to Tamra and Sabine. “This is Tamra and Sabine. They’re with us. We were stationed at a camp up in Fort Totten, and we don’t have any plans to return. We came here looking for a Dr. Tayler Diaz.”
Gage smiled.
It was brief, but I knew that smile.
Larke continued, “You see, we had a doctor at Totten. Dr. Tobe Okoro. He hit a wall with his research, so he told us about Dr. Diaz. He sent notes and research samples that he thinks not only she might be interested in, but she might be able to put them to better use.”
“Is it about the infection?” Gage asked.
“Yes. While he thinks it can’t be cured, he believes that prevention is likely. But I’m a lawyer, so there’s more medical jargon I’m sure Dr. Diaz will understand.”
Gage cocked his head to the side and glanced at me. I nodded, letting him know that yes, Larke was “that” lawyer. The one I’d been assigned to protect. The one who, when the guys had asked me how the assignment was going, I’d said, “It’s…interesting,”to which they’d replied,“Interesting? With a pause? That means the lawyer’s cute, and you’re pretending you’re not into her.”
A woman wearing green scrubs approached us next.
Gage rested a hand on her shoulder, his thumb stroking her sleeve. “This is Dr. Diaz,” he introduced. “Tayler, this is Dez and Larke. Dez is?—”
“Your brother,” she finished. “I remember.”
