Regan’s mouth set into a firm line. Someone had already made up her mind. His niece was extremely loyal.

Hawk snorted, not speaking, but amusement showed in his steel blue eyes. If not the target, Hawk enjoyed Gabe’s maneuvering.

Bull studied him, then Gabe.

Hawk, who’d suffered more as a kid than most humans ever endured, had emerged with a caring heart even if he kept it armored and hidden. He and Gabe had been close when growing up. But when they’d been on the same team in a mercenary outfit, something had happened. Gabe didn’t know why Hawk had quit the team and pulled away, and Hawk sure wasn’t talking about it, the taciturn bastard.

Bull eyed Gabe. It might be that Gabe’s unhappiness with Hawk’s silence was why he’d set Bull up to talk to Frankie.

Audrey had obviously come to the same conclusion. She winked at Bull, before leaning into Gabe who automatically put his arm around her.

Too fucking sweet. So were JJ and Caz.

Bull turned away, trying to ignore the empty feeling in his chest. Why the hell was he regretting not having a relationship too? He’d tried it, hadn’t he?

Married twice, burned twice.

Done with that shit.

Chapter Eight

You make mistakes. Mistakes don’t make you. ~ Maxwell Maltz

The deep-throated sound of a big vehicle woke Frankie from sleep—which hadn’t started until dawn. Anxiety could keep a person awake even better than caffeine.

She couldn’t forget the snapping sound of weapons and Iron Boy’s death.

Of course, she knew the little drone hadn’t been a person, but he’d seemed alive. He whirred and flew and responded to her orders. At least until those stronzi had killed him.

What would have happened if they’d caught her?

She shivered. This isn’t my thing—I’m no warrior. Maybe she practiced aikido, but she’d chosen the martial art because it didn’t revel in violence.

I’m not Ms. Nature Girl, either. She was a pro at figuring out subway times, at picking up adorable sculptures on Bleecker Street, at laughing at the “you broke my eyeglasses” street scams, and at finding hidden green areas to refresh her spirit.

A wilderness jungle ninja? So not her.

I made a little progress, though. She’d narrowed down the location of the children’s barracks. Next step would be to figure out how to get in there. How to get little Aric out.

Fear slid through her chest because she had no clue how she’d go about that. And they had guns.

Oh, please, Kit. Manage to sneak out. Please.

Outside, the truck engine stopped. A car door slammed.

Right. Outside. Her. Cabin.

She sat up in a rush, and her head spun. Bad Frankie, too much wine.