“Two.” Hawk grabbed some paper towels from the server station and put pressure on the slash down his forearm. “You?”

“One.” The stink of blood and bowels hung in the air, and deVries sniffed, then shook his head at the bodies behind Hawk. “I’m glad we’re not liable for damage or cleanup. You left a mess.”

Hawk snorted. “At least I didn’t get blood on the instrument panel.” As if he’d ever let that happen.

“Pilots and their priorities. Then again, Sanchez may give us a bonus for the gore.” Huffing a laugh, deVries pulled out his phone. “I’ll let Sanchez know we’re done here.”

When deVries finished the call, Hawk led the way out onto the asphalt to escape the stench. “Any trouble from Sanchez?”

“We’re good. The weasel is ID’d, and that was what Sanchez wanted us for. His regular bodyguards can handle everything else.”

Hawk nodded.

“I’m past ready to get home to Lindsey. You know, I used to think men who moped for their wives were pussies.”

Hawk grunted. Kit wasn’t even his wife, and he fucking missed her.

“You too?” With a smirk, deVries pointed. “Yeah, I recognize that look. You got a woman back home.”

“Not for me.”

“Why’s that?”

“When did you get so nosy?” When his friend didn’t answer, Hawk caved in. “She was married to an asshole in a fanatic militia group, the Patriot Zealots. When we busted her out, her husband was trying to kick her to death. She won’t be interested in men—especially an ex-merc.”

Frowning, deVries didn’t disagree. “Patriot Zealots. They in Texas too?”

“Yeah. Their so-called Prophet was arrested there.”

“Thought I recognized the name. Lindsey’s Texan. Her family told us about the scandal when they investigated the compound there. The families of the kidnapped women were pissed off and creating a ruckus.”

As they crossed the tarmac, deVries glanced at Hawk. “Seems like you’re surrendering without giving the woman a vote. You can’t win a battle if you don’t step onto the field.”

Before Hawk could answer, deVries shook his head. “Let’s get you stitched up and get headed home.”

The Hermitage was a quiet place when Kit walked out onto Bull’s deck. Behind her, at the kitchen island, Frankie was talking on the phone with her mother in New York.

Earlier, Bull, Caz, Aric, and Regan had left with a batch of groceries for an off-the-grid woman who was home after a heart attack. Although, someday, she’d have to live with her daughter down in Iowa. For now, the woman was stubbornly staying in her cabin. The guys planned to do some chores while the children helped put the groceries away.