“What do you think Clayton is doing?” Jace asked her. “He’s getting men.”
Cooper shot her a wry grin. “It’s either us or the authorities. We’re trained in stealth and special reconnaissance, and we have no ties to Boyd, so nothing will get leaked to him.”
Taryn shook her head as she looked at the ceiling. “I just want to be free of all of this. I want to make my own decisions and go where I want. I want the same for my sister.”
“Then trust me,” Jace urged her. “I know it’s scary, but this isn’t far removed from what Cooper, Brice, Caleb, Clayton, or I did for the military.”
Cooper shrugged and said, “Only this isn’t sanctioned by our government.”
“If any of you get caught by the authorities, things will be bad,” Marlee told them.
Jace didn’t look away from Taryn’s face. “We aren’t going to get caught by Boyd, his men, or the authorities.”
“You’re very cocky,” Taryn said, but there was a smile on her face.
Jace shrugged as he returned her grin. “Our government spent a great deal of money to train us. They used us for their operations for years. So what if we use it to our benefit? Especially when someone we care about is in serious trouble.”
“Most people would’ve told me to go to the police or the FBI,” Taryn said.
Jace reached up and tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. “It’s a good thing you don’t talk to those people.”
Taryn chuckled and touched his face. Once more, Jace felt her pull. He didn’t care that they weren’t alone. The woman who had stolen his heart was back in his life, and he didn’t want to waste another moment not kissing her.
“We’ve got company,” Cooper said as he got to his feet and went to the side door.
Jace didn’t move. He lowered his head to Taryn’s and pressed his mouth to hers. For a heartbeat, he didn’t move. Then he began slowly moving his lips over hers, nipping and kissing. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her as his tongue moved past her lips to tangle with hers.
She sighed, the sound going straight to his cock that had already begun thickening with arousal. The world fell away as he deepened the kiss, giving in to the hunger, the temptation that was Taryn. The feel of her soft body against his was everything he remembered and more. Now that she was back in his arms, he was never letting her go again.
He had lived without her, and he had been miserable. She made life better, brighter. She was the other half of his soul. He’d known it the day he first saw her—the day he fell in love with her. People didn’t believe in love at first sight, but he did. Because he’d experienced it with Taryn.
She ended the kiss, then pulled back and smiled up at him. “We’re being watched.”
“I don’t care,” he told her. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for too long.”
Caleb said, “Don’t stop on our account.”
Taryn laughed, and Jace briefly closed his eyes. Now wasn’t the time to do everything he wanted with Taryn. It would have to wait until this nightmare with Boyd was over. Jace made his arms loosen so he could release her. Then he looked over to find Brice, Caleb, and Clayton watching him.
Clayton slapped a hand on Brice’s shoulder as he walked past to enter the living room. He took the vacant chair and stretched out his long legs. “What’s the time limit on this mission?”
“I have to be back by midnight tomorrow,” Taryn said.
Brice took off his Stetson and laid it on a table before running his hands through his dark brown hair. “That leaves us thirty-eight hours from right now.”
“And where are we going?” Caleb asked.
Jace inwardly smiled when Taryn took his hand. “Fort Worth.”
“Add in travel time, and we’ve got about thirty-six hours to formulate a plan,” Brice said.
Clayton popped his fingers. “I’ve made some calls.”
“I’m getting ready to,” Cooper said as he held up his phone and stood to walk out of the room.
Jace met Clayton’s gaze. “I’ve got a couple of calls to make, as well.”
“Then go do it,” Clayton said.
Jace hesitated as he licked his lips. “Clayton, you’ve been a brother to all of us. You’ve gotten us out of trouble, guided us, and led us more times than I can count. But you have a wife and kids. A ranch.”
“You telling me I’m old?” Clayton asked without any emotion on his face.
Jace looked at Caleb and Brice, but both shook their heads, telling him he was on his own. Jace took a deep breath and tried to find the words, but he couldn’t. “Never mind.”
“I’m not an idiot,” Clayton said. “I’m nearing fifty, and while I still train, I’ve not been out in the field for some time. I’d like nothing more than to join all of you on this mission, but my skills are being put to another use. The calls I made are favors that could mean the difference between life and death for all of you.”
Jace didn’t know what to say. Fortunately, Taryn didn’t have that problem. She smiled at Clayton with tears in her eyes. “Thank you. For everything you’re doing. All of you,” she said as she looked around.
“You’re making Brice tear up,” Caleb said.
Brice gaped at him. “What? I’m not crying.”
Caleb rolled his eyes. “I saw you wipe at the corner.”
“I had an eyelash in my eye.”
“Whatever. Let’s get to planning. Time is ticking,” Caleb said.
Chapter 17
The neighborhood allowed Brick to hide in plain sight as he watched the house. Three vehicles had arrived, with four men and one woman entering the residence. He drank the rest of his coffee before reaching for his cell phone.
“What’s the update?” Boyd asked when the call connected.
Brick didn’t take his eyes from the house. “Based on the two men we had watching her, Taryn worked diligently to attain the money.”
“But did she get it? Since she isn’t here, I assume the answer is no.”
“She had it. A small player in town named Big Pete agreed to give it to her.”
Boyd paused a moment. “How did she lose it?”
“There was … an issue. Pete wanted her to do a deal with one of his top buyers. Things didn’t go well.”
“I don’t believe that,” Boyd said. “Taryn always closes her deals.”
“From what I hear, it wasn’t entirely her fault. The man, a prominent businessman in the area, found her exceedingly attractive and offered her more money if she agreed to be his.”
Boyd chuckled. “I can guess how that went.”
“Not as you’d expect. I think Taryn actually tried to negotiate with him. However, the moment he heard your name, he wanted nothing to do with her. He wouldn’t even buy his regular. When she couldn’t complete the deal for Pete, he withdrew his offer for the money.”
“No doubt Pete learned of me, as well.”
“No doubt,” Brick agreed.
The sound of clinking ice came through the phone as if Boyd had taken a drink. “I told you Taryn would come through. She always does.”