Dominance Never Dies (Masters and Mercenaries #11)(40)

“Intel about what?” Fain was ruthless.

“None of your business,” Case replied.

“How about mine?” Michael asked. “I’ve already taken a bullet for this operation but I’m not allowed to know what intel we’re going after? I thought we abandoned the whole following-orders-blindly thing when we left the Agency.”

Michael had been his partner for a very long time. Outside of his brothers, Michael was one of the only humans on earth who could actively make Case feel guilty. They had left behind the lies when they’d quit the Agency, and Case had been the one to convince Michael to come with him. Case sat silent.

“I’m calling Tag,” Hutch said stubbornly.

“Don’t.” He was rapidly losing control.

Hutch’s face was red, his eyes narrowed as he looked down at Case. “No, you don’t get to order me to stand down when it comes to this. I realize that I’m considered the geek of the group and no one thinks I’m good for anything but looking shit up on the Internet. But I know how this should work. I did my time in the Army and there is a chain of command for a reason. I didn’t trust my instincts that night. Erin didn’t either. I will not do that ever again. Not even for you, Case. Fuck, really not for you because I refuse to lose another friend.”

It was so easy to forget how volatile Hutch could be, how deep those seemingly still waters could run. He hadn’t talked much about it, but Hutch had been there the night Theo died. He’d watched as Theo took his last breath and he’d seen the aftermath of Nick losing Des and Erin losing Theo.

Hutch had been the one who followed Theo’s orders, including not calling into home base when everything had gone to hell. The minute Ten had been taken, Theo should have called in and let Ian take over. Theo had been sure he could save Ten and the op.

Theo had been wrong.

Hutch was his man. Case ran this group and he wasn’t being the leader he needed to be. Case stood up and put his hands on Hutch’s shoulders. He had to make a decision whether the secret was more important than his mission and his men.

He owed Ian, but he owed his group, too. Ian had brought in Alex and Li to back him up. Hutch and Michael were Case’s closest advisors.

“You are not going to lose me.” He looked over at Fain. Sometimes life threw him curve balls and sometimes those freaking curve balls ended up being necessary.

He couldn’t risk going in alone. Not if someone was after Mia. Michael was out of commission. He needed Fain.

“If you turn out to be untrustworthy, I need you to understand that I will skin you alive and turn you into a rug for my office and I will let my dogs piss on you. I don’t have dogs right now, but I’m going to get some if you betray me. Am I understood?”

“I get you.” Fain was so earnest Case was worried he might break into song. “And I want in. I take my job seriously. I know I work for someone your brother doesn’t like, but they weren’t freaking hiring at McKay-Taggart. Do you know how long it’s been since I had a team I could count on? I’m not going to let you down. Now tell me we’re going after The Collective. I lost a friend in Africa during a skirmish that I believe was caused not by the locals but by The Collective over diamond mining.”

“A mercenary?”

“No. He was my brother and he was on a black ops team. So tell me I get to have some part in taking those f*ckers down.”

“We’re not going after The Collective. Not directly,” he admitted. “We’re going after my brother.”

Hutch’s mouth dropped open. “What? Theo’s dead…f*ck. She saved him. McDonald saved him and she took him and that’s why we never found his body.”

“Are you kidding me?” Michael asked. “He’s been with her all this time. What has she done to him? Does Ian know?”

“Of course. He’s known for a while and you have to understand why he’s kept it quiet.” He wasn’t going to throw his brother under the bus. Ian had made the right call. Case was making the only one he could. The intel was too important. Ian had said the information was on a need-to-know basis. Case needed them to know. “I’ll give you all the information you need, but you have to promise me now that the fact that Theo’s alive doesn’t get back to the rest of the team.”

“Erin would be devastated if she lost him twice,” Michael said.

“Or she would fly in after him and she could die and they would both be gone.” Hutch sank back into his seat. “I saw her that night. If she could have, she would have taken his place. She would have gone with him. Brody carried her out or she would have stayed with Theo. She wouldn’t leave him.”

A lot had changed in the months since Theo’s death. He didn’t think Erin would rush out. Case kept the secret from her for a different reason. “She’s a mom now. I don’t think she would be reckless with her life because of TJ, but I can’t let her feel the pain I feel every single day. I know he’s out there and I can’t help him. If I can spare Erin that pain, I’m going to and I’m asking you to as well.”

“I’m with you,” Michael promised.

Hutch nodded. “I can keep a secret.”

He was tougher than he seemed. “Good. Fain?”

“I don’t know her so I think we’re good,” Fain explained.