Defending Raven (Mountain Mercenaries #7)(18)

“I’m not a four-year-old kid, Dave,” Raven said. “I’m a grown woman who’s learned a whole lot about the world in the last decade. I can take care of myself.”

At those words, Dave’s head dropped, and he brought a hand up to rub the back of his neck. He hated everything about this. All of it. He’d imagined their reunion so many times, and not once had Raven not been happy to see him. In every scenario he’d imagined, she’d smiled at him and leapt into his arms. He was struggling and completely out of his element, and he didn’t like it one bit.

“I can’t leave,” Dave whispered.

Without another word, Raven slid the metal door shut, and the sound of it closing made bile rise in Dave’s throat. He forced it back and straightened his shoulders. She might not be happy with him, but it didn’t matter. He was staying.

He’d known that if he ever found his wife, they’d have an uphill battle to get back to the couple they’d been before. That she’d have demons. But Dave realized now that he’d naively thought his love would magically make her get over them. That she’d be just as happy to see him as he was her.

The fact that she seemed annoyed he was there hurt like crazy.

But it didn’t make him want to leave. All it did was make his determination to get to the bottom of what was going on even stronger. He loved Raven, and she still loved him. He could sense it. See it in her eyes. But she was holding back.

Maybe she was ashamed. Maybe she truly had fallen out of love with him, despite what he thought he saw in her eyes. But it didn’t matter. He’d do whatever it took to make her fall in love with him again. He needed her. Was nothing without her.

Dave settled back on the ground in front of the door of the shack and watched as Ball and Gray disappeared into the shadows of the barrio. It would be a long night, but Dave knew it was nothing compared to what his wife had endured. He’d sleep on the hard ground every night for the rest of his life if it meant keeping Raven safe.



“Are they really staying out there all night?” Teresa asked incredulously after Mags had closed the door and gone back to her pallet.

“Apparently,” she muttered.

“You’re mad,” Carmen noted. “Why?”

“Because all he’s going to do is bring attention to us. Ruben and his friends are going to think we’ve got something valuable in here,” Mags said in a huff.

Carmen continued to stare at her until Mags got a little defensive. “What?”

“This man is your husband, yes?” Carmen asked.

Knowing the other women were all listening intently, Mags simply nodded.

“And he hasn’t seen you in over ten years?”

Mags nodded again.

“I don’t understand what you’re so upset about,” Carmen continued. “From everything I’ve seen, he and his friends seem to be good. Is that not true?”

Not wanting Carmen or the others to think ill of Dave, Mags immediately shook her head. “No, he is. It’s just . . . sleeping outside our hut is like waving a neon sign that says, ‘Come rob us!’”

“I know I’m the youngest,” Gabriella said, “and I don’t have as much experience as you all do. But I was born and raised in the barrio, and never have I seen a man do as your husband is doing. Most are more concerned about finding alcohol or trying to find a way to make money. And I saw the way he was looking at you today.”

Mags didn’t want to ask, but she couldn’t stop herself. “And how was that?”

“As if you were a walking, talking miracle. Zara said he’s been looking for you for ten years. That he has never stopped. He even sent his friends to different countries to do what they could to help women and children. I don’t understand why you are not happy to have him here.”

Mags couldn’t explain it. How would Gabriella understand the shame she felt down to the marrow of her bones?

All these years later, Mags still couldn’t help but think she should’ve done something different when she was first taken. She’d fought hard those first few days. Been an absolute maniac—when she wasn’t drugged and knocked out. Anytime anyone came near her, she’d lashed out, done whatever she could to try to get away. But maybe she should’ve been more docile. If she had, perhaps her kidnappers would’ve let her go. Maybe she wouldn’t have been taken out of the country. Maybe it would’ve changed the trajectory her life had taken.

By the time she’d realized her fate, it was too late. She was in Peru and hidden away in del Rio’s compound. It had taken several months to “train” her for her new role, and Mags couldn’t shake the disgrace she felt over finally giving in, not fighting anymore.

How could she admit to the love of her life that she’d been beaten down until she’d let other men do whatever they wanted to her—and she hadn’t fought them? That she’d pretended to enjoy their hands on her body, the same body he’d spent many a night revering with his hands and mouth?

The bottom line was that she couldn’t.

And she knew he’d never be able to forgive what had happened over five years ago. He wouldn’t understand. No way.

“It’s complicated,” she finally told Gabriella.

“Well, I’m glad he’s out there,” Maria said firmly. “I can sleep tonight and not have to worry about Ruben, Marcus, Fortuno, or any of the others breaking in here, thinking they can have what del Rio so easily sold for so long.”