everything perfect, that there were so many obstacles confronting them, and yet he refused to let anything deter him.
“This is better than a romance novel,” P.J. said with a wistful sigh.
“You read that stuff?” Cole demanded.
Shea pulled away from Nathan but he still held her close, tucked into his side as they faced Steele’s team.
“Why the hell do you ask the question like that?” P.J. said, annoyance evident in her tone and expression.
“You just didn’t seem the type,” Cole mumbled.
She flipped him the bird, and Shea had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. P.J. was easily half Cole’s size but she also looked like she had the confidence to take on the much larger man. She might even kick his ass. The idea intrigued Shea greatly.
“I’m tempted to shove one of my romance novels up your ass,” P.J. said sharply. “But I love my books too much to desecrate them like that. I’ll settle for my boot.”
Cole held up his hands in surrender. “I won’t say another word. Romance novels are great. I love romance novels. I think everyone should read them.”
Dolphin snickered behind Cole, and Cole whirled to glare at him. P.J. smirked and sauntered back to the couch, where she flopped down.
“So what do we do now?” Shea asked anxiously. “Are we leaving? Do we know anything more than we did before?”
“For today we’re going to stay put,” Donovan said. “I’m going to ring Resnick’s bell again. Sam’s trying to reach him now. I know that bastard probably knows more than he’s letting on. There isn’t much that goes on that he doesn’t at least have the resources to find out about. He’s got his fingers in so many dark holes and crannies that half the world is probably afraid of ever pissing him off. He could probably bury any number of world leaders and military brass.”
“You think he can help us?” Shea asked.
“Do I think he can? Yeah, I do. The question isn’t can he. The question is will he. We were polite before. Now we aren’t going to be so nice. We’ve done Resnick plenty of favors. It’s time for him to pay up.”
“Can we trust him?”
Donovan looked surprised by her question, but then his lips turned up into a half smile. “As much as we can anyone who has dirt on everyone who has ever worked for Uncle Sam either officially or unofficially.”
She nodded. “If you trust him, then so will I.”
Nathan kissed the side of her head. “I know you’re worried, baby. But you don’t have to be anymore. Rio will find Grace. Resnick will give us information on who or what headed the experiments on you and your sister and then we’ll go after them.”
“You make it sound so simple,” she said wistfully. “I want it to be that easy, but God, nothing in my life has ever been easy. I’m afraid to believe it could be now. I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop and something horrible is going to happen.”
“We want you to feel safe, Shea,” Donovan said softly. “And not just because you’re someone who needs help. You’re family now. We look out for our own.”
She blinked in surprise and then turned her gaze up to Nathan in bewilderment. He merely smiled down at her and then kissed the tip of her nose.
“Everyone has accepted the inevitable except you. You’re it for me. They know it. I know it. It’s time you start believing it too. I’m not going to let anyone or anything change that. You’re mine. I’m yours. It’s as simple or as hard as we make it.”
Her knees wobbled as a ridiculous giddy sensation stole over her. The room was closing in on her and she desperately wanted to be in the sun for a few moments. Breathe in fresh air. Process everything that had been said over the last few hours. It all seemed so unreal and yet it was real. Very, very real.
“Let’s get you to the house,” Nathan said. “It’s been a long night and an even longer morning. You have to be on overload by now.”
“Let me holler at Sam, and Swanny, Joe and I will go with you,” Donovan said.
NATHAN and Shea followed slowly behind Joe and Donovan as they walked into the lakefront cabin where Donovan still lived. Swanny came in behind, and he and Joe tossed their bags down on the couch.
Donovan turned to Nathan. “You guys can take the back bedroom. Swanny can