the couch, slinking toward me. As I looked down, I realized I’d just lost her. I’d just lost the…
Woman I loved.
“Rattler, what the hell am I supposed to do?”
He woofed, nuzzling against my leg.
“I know. You can call me an idiot.” I moved toward the couch, grabbing the file before sitting down. There had to be answers, something crucial that I was missing. When I found it, I would crucify the asshole who dared to try to implicate Big Meadow, including my damn best friend. I yanked open the file and began to pore over it, page by page.
Then by God, I would find a way to get her back.
I yanked the bottle of wine, pouring the rest into my glass and guzzling almost the entire amount. As if drinking was going to give me any peace. Fuck!
After a few minutes, I flipped the pages in the file, reading every single line.
What the information suggested was clear. It would appear that RH Holdings was seeking investors, utilizing the names of several ranches, including Big Meadow as a draw. It was quite possible the other ranchers had no idea that their names were being used, especially since they were out of state. However, given what Hawk had discovered regarding the other auction, my gut confirmed that this was a personal endeavor to bring Big Meadow down. Why? Damn it. Why?
I kept going back to Tanner’s comments. I could only hope that Hawk had been able to figure out if his brother had been involved in some suspicious activity.
Tossing the file, I leaned my head against the back of the couch, frustrated as hell. When Rattler placed his head on my leg, immediately closing his eyes, I sat still, rubbing his head. “You know what, little man? You look like a very special pup who belonged to a friend of mine.”
Rattler’s snort was just about the only thing that could give me a smile at this point.
Except for her lilting voice.
The touch of her soft hands.
The scent of her exotic perfume.
The taste of her lips and sweet pussy.
The feel of being inside of her.
I closed my eyes, trying to catch my breath. What the hell was wrong with me?
“Go around to the right,” Hawk instructed.
I glared at Hawk, my hackles raised. I didn’t like this shit at all. It felt like we were walking into a trap.
“Make certain none of the bastards are coming,” he continued.
“You certain you want to do this?” I asked half under my breath. Of course I wanted to save Snake. To think he’d been wallowing as a prisoner of war in this freaking hell hole made me sick. It also brought out every ounce of rage. Rage at the system, at the assholes in charge who had refused to give us any goddamn help, and even at Hawk. Everything had been based on info from a damn insurgent informant. Nothing had been checked. Now we had one chance of getting him and all the other freaking prisoners out of here.
Yeah, like that was going to happen.
“You fucking second guessing me, Mustang?” Hawk barked.
“Maybe I am. If we get this wrong, Snake’s death will be on your freaking head!”
“Shut the fuck up,” Reaper hissed.
Hawk exhaled. “We’re not going to get this wrong. I know what I’m doing.”
Yeah, he knew all right. He’d always been the one to know everything and how to handle every single exercise or decision on contract work. I bristled but was required to follow his orders. Fine.
Vader and Scorpion moved off, leaving Reaper with me by Hawk’s side. I could barely breathe from the rapid beating of my heart. I was sick, my head reeling with all the ways the mission could go wrong. Damn it. I couldn’t think this way. We would get Snake back. He was going home in a couple of weeks. Hell, maybe he’d even take Apollo with him.
Hearing a noise, Hawk threw out his hand, stopping our progression. The three of us hunkered down, scanning the perimeter. While we’d calculated the timing of the sentry soldiers who walked the prison compound every night, there was always a possibility that our mission had been compromised.
Through the night vision goggles, I was unable to detect any sign of movement. A sick feeling remained in the pit of my stomach. It felt like we were being watched.
After waiting another thirty seconds, Hawk motioned for Reaper and me to flank the building as he headed toward the door leading inside a long building,