I missed her, and I was scared. I finally got why my brothers act so crazy when it comes to their women. Mancini's little island is well guarded true, but nothing beats being there myself to protect her. I smiled at the memory of our last moments together. After lunch we'd each returned to our cottages under the pretense of resting up before heading out tonight. I only had one moment of discomfort when Dev waved us off as he hung back with the kids. It's weird but I felt a little off about him being the only one without a girl. Lo had caught my look since we were trailing the women who all had their heads together up ahead about something. Hopefully it had to do with weddings this time. "He's going to be fine Quinn, I know it. If he doesn't find someone on his own, I'm pretty sure that gaggle would take care of it. Damn, one day around Lyon and I'm beginning to sound like him." "Yeah, you might wanna watch that. I don't think Gaby would appreciate you

Now I'm on a plane heading away from her for the only reason that could've gotten me out of her bed. To make sure her future was safe. To put an end to whatever this is and make sure that no one else ever gets near her again. We still had a lot to talk about, a lot we needed to learn about each other. I feel like I already know her, like she's lived inside me my whole life, but I can't wait to know more. I listened to the others joking around to lighten the mood and closed my eyes, just thinking about her and the amazing day and a half I just had. My life was changed I know, for the rest of my life she was going to be there. The thought that she was mine, that I was now responsible for her wellbeing was uppermost in my mind. I was all the way in from the beginning when it came to destroying this asshole Khalil and whoever else he had working with him. But that shit has taken on new meaning. I'm pretty sure from Thorpe's cryptic words, that the asshole

We were already here; there was no time to learn anything new. It's not like we've never gone in with less information than we had now. But this shit had too many tentacles, and too many unknowns for us to slip up. If Kelly hadn't overheard those men we wouldn't have known to look here and we might've been too late. I don't think any of us would've thought his life was in danger, since it was only females being targeted. We've only had this info for less than twenty-four hours and there was no time to dig deeper than we already had. My gut told me we were missing something but there was no way we were leaving this kid out in the cold. "We're going in. We'll figure shit out after we get the kid outta there." I answered Mancini just as we turned the corner and the house came into view up ahead. The place was almost completely dark with nothing but the stars and the sliver of moon for light. The house was set apart from its neighbors by

There was still one glaring question hanging in the air. How come she didn't show up on the radar. "And you are?" I reached out my hand for hers and she finally focused on me up close and personal. My gut went into a spin and I nose dived right into the abyss. She was fucking gorgeous. The tears in her eyes made them shine like some otherworldly creature. There was a look in them that made my heart melt in my chest. Sadness, fear, confusion. I drew her towards me before I could help myself. "Ariel!" She said her name like a whisper on the wind and I heard chiming bells and waterfalls. "Ariel!" I didn't realize I'd said it out loud until I heard it come back to me on a whisper. Behind me the others were putting her name into one of our little toys to look her up. I only heard Mancini say one thing, "nothing", which was all the answer I needed. She wasn't in anyone's database. I looked back at the others again as my mind tried to process. I don't think

"Hello boys, It looks like I left you in a bit of a quandary didn't I? I guess you can look at it as our last Op together." He grinned that infectious grin that only a few ever had the pleasure of seeing. It was a jolt to the system seeing him like this, almost as if he were here with us. "I have a lot to tell you, but not a lot of time so why don't we start at the beginning. If you're seeing this I guess you know about the general and the fuck up by now." "I bet you didn't know I knew you called him that huh. Fucking hemorrhoid should've never seen the inside of the white house, asshole." The anger was plain to read. "Don't be too hard on my old friends, they had no idea what they were getting into when they agreed to help me all those years ago and now they're paying for it." He took a deep breath and looked away before facing the camera again. "Alright let's get down to it shall we. This is about Khalil. I took something from him, or at least somet