Defending Harlow (Mountain Mercenaries #4)(96)

“Did you talk to Loretta today?” Lowell asked.

Harlow nodded. She’d been talking to the older woman almost every day since the fire. “Yeah. She and Edward went to the courthouse this past weekend and got married. She sold the building—well, what’s left of it—to a developer who wants to restore it to its original historical charm. The people who owned the other buildings have come forward and claimed that Woolf basically threatened them and forced them to sell, so those purchases might be made null and void as well, leaving the buildings to be purchased by developers who will all work together to make the area beautiful and prosperous again. Loretta still feels guilty about selling, but I think she’s finally moving on.”

“Good.”

Just then, Gray whistled loud and long.

Everyone stopped talking and turned to see what the noise was all about.

He held up his cell and gestured to the large table off to the side of the room.

Harlow knew what that meant—the Mountain Mercenaries had business to discuss.

She got off Lowell’s lap and helped him stand. She couldn’t keep her eyes off his ass as he made his way to the table, following his buddies.

“I have to admit, he’s got a nice ass,” Chloe commented.

Harlow giggled. She wasn’t concerned in the least that the other woman would horn in on her man. She had her own. And a ring on her finger showing how much Ro loved her.

“Well, girls,” Allye said, linking her elbows with Morgan and Harlow. “I have a feeling the night’s almost over. I know Gray was already itching to get out of here to celebrate our engagement. If that”—she nodded at the table—“is any indication, I’m guessing they’ll be heading out on a mission soon.”

“Shit,” Harlow said under her breath. She wasn’t ready for this yet. She had been spoiled and hadn’t yet had to watch Lowell head off to what would surely be something dangerous. She didn’t think he’d be going on this mission either, not with his knee still healing, but it was simply a matter of time. She couldn’t see Lowell retiring from the Mountain Mercenaries. He was good at what he did, and besides that, he needed to do it. Needed to help women and children escape their tormentors and captors.

No. She’d never tell him how much she hated him leaving. She’d just make sure he knew how much she loved having him home.

“Come on,” Morgan said. “I need to finish my cake and drink. Then I need to take my fiancé home and give him a damn good reason to come back to me in one piece.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Chloe said.

“Me too, even though I’m only drinking water,” Allye agreed.

Shrugging, Harlow picked up her margarita off the nearby table. “Me three. Although I don’t think Lowell will be going anywhere.”

“Who’s that?” Allye asked, gesturing to a woman standing in the doorway, looking around at the pool tables and patrons.

“No clue,” Chloe said.

Harlow glanced over. The woman was tall and had beautiful, long, red hair. She had freckles on her nose and cheeks, and if Harlow had to guess, she would say her eyes were probably green. She wore scuffed and dirty jeans, a pair of black combat boots on her feet, and a long-sleeve black T-shirt.

She wasn’t someone Harlow would want to get into a tiff with. She looked like she could wipe the floor with anyone, man or woman.

All four women watched as the newcomer noticed their men sitting at the table in the corner—and immediately headed in that direction.

“She looks like she can definitely take care of herself,” Harlow muttered.

“You think?” Morgan asked. “Sometimes the women who look the most competent from the outside are the ones who are the most broken inside.”

Everyone was silent as they watched the unknown woman stop about five feet away from the table where the Mountain Mercenaries were talking.



“Got a text from Rex,” Gray said.

“When do we leave?” Ball asked.

Gray shook his head. “Not quite yet. He said something about more research being needed before we head out. Oh . . . and it looks like we might have a civilian tagging along on this one.”

“What? No. Fuck no!” Ball exclaimed.

“What’s crawled up your ass and died?” Arrow asked. “We’ve been on missions with civilians.”

“It’s bad enough that we’ll be a man down because of Black’s knee. But to have to babysit some soldier wannabe sucks. You all know it. We’ve done it before.”

“You haven’t even heard what the case is yet,” Meat said. “Why don’t you just chill?”

Ball sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He knew he was being an asshole, but . . . seeing all his friends paired up, knowing they were happy and content, was killing him.

Once upon a time, he’d thought he’d found a woman to spend the rest of his life with as well. But it had all been a lie. She’d cared more about her job and covering up her mistakes than owning up to them. And ultimately, her mistakes had gotten him discharged from the Coast Guard, a job he loved. She hadn’t cared, had only been worried about her own ass.

He’d learned a lot about what love was and wasn’t from her.

“Fine. I’ll bite,” he grumbled. “What’s the case?”