Defending Raven (Mountain Mercenaries #7)(62)

Dave’s arms slowly wrapped around her waist, and he pulled her even closer. She could feel his hard body against hers, but again, she wasn’t afraid or disgusted. Didn’t feel even the slightest need to pull away from him. In fact, she wanted to get closer.

For the first time in ten years, Mags felt truly safe. And the spark of hope that had formed while she’d let him wash her flared even higher. She was in his arms and wasn’t terrified. Wasn’t repulsed. In fact, she felt her nipples harden, as if her body remembered the kind of pleasure only her husband could give it.

How long they stood like that, she wasn’t sure, but eventually, Dave pulled back.

“Thank you for that, Raven.” He ran a hand lovingly over her hair. “As much as I wish we could stay in here forever, I’ve got work to do.”

She nodded.

“He’s not as smart as he thinks he is, sweetheart.”

Mags nodded again. What else could she do?

Dave turned off the water and pulled back the shower curtain. He grabbed a towel and handed it to her. Then he held her hand as she carefully climbed out of the tub. Only then did Dave grab a towel for himself. He wrapped it around his waist, then pulled his underwear off from under it, being careful not to expose himself to her. “Wait here. I need to go grab some clothes to change into, and I’ll bring you something back.”

Mags nodded and shivered when he opened the door and the cool air from the room wafted into the warm, steam-filled bathroom. He was back within seconds, shutting the door behind him.

He turned his back to her and quickly got dressed, while Mags did the same. She wasn’t afraid he would turn around and take a peek at her while she was undressed. He was her husband. He’d seen every inch of her, and she wasn’t exactly hiding anything from him in the shower. Her white, cotton underthings were practically see-through while wet, but he still gave her the courtesy of keeping his back turned.

After they were dressed, Mags took another look at his neck, shaking her head at how lucky he’d been, so grateful the asshole who’d hurt him had been incompetent. Dave had brought in a first-aid kit they’d bought for Daniela that she hadn’t taken back to her clinic yet. She disinfected the cut, then put four butterfly bandages over the wound, pulling the skin together to aid in its healing.

Standing on tiptoe, Mags gently kissed the last bandage before pulling back to stare up at him.

Then, right before her eyes, Dave, her tender and gentle husband, slowly disappeared—and Rex, the badass leader of the Mountain Mercenaries, took his place.

“I need to talk to Meat,” he said. “Come on.”

Mags followed him out into the room and didn’t mind in the least when his focus shifted as he stalked over to where Meat was sitting and asked, “What did you find?”

Mags sat on the bed, pulled her knees up to her chest, and watched as the man she loved did what he apparently did best . . . track down their missing son.





Chapter Thirteen

It was getting late, the sun having long since set. Meat had been working all afternoon and evening on tracking down the house where del Rio had stashed the children, and they were getting close to finding it when the phone rang. Dave blinked in irritation. He was getting more and more anxious to find David before del Rio had time to hide him somewhere they might not find him for years.

Meat clicked the answer button and put it on speaker. “Meat.”

“This is Black. I need Raven down in the barrio. Pronto.”

“Why?” Dave barked, not wanting Raven anywhere but right where she was, safe beside him in the motel.

“Because she speaks Spanish, and we need a translator,” Black said tersely. “Unless Zara is there and can come instead.”

“She’s still out with Daniela and the others. What’s up?” Meat asked.

“When we left earlier, we went and got the passports, then decided to head down to the barrio, just to see if our presence could make someone nervous enough to talk, when we saw that asshole, Ruben. We grabbed him, and he started spouting off. I wasn’t sure what he was saying . . . but he said David’s name. We’re in the hut the women were living in, and I need someone to translate when I interrogate him.”

Raven had stood up and was already putting on her shoes.

“Let me talk to her first,” Dave told Black. He was well aware of the man’s interrogation skills. And while he’d never killed anyone while questioning them as a Mountain Mercenary—at least, Dave didn’t think he had—he wasn’t exactly Mr. Nice Guy either. He didn’t want Raven to have to deal with that kind of violence. He also wasn’t thrilled about putting Raven anywhere near Ruben again, even though he needed her Spanish-speaking skills.

“You know I wouldn’t ask, but he said your son’s name,” Black said urgently. “He was smirking, as if he knows something we don’t.”

“Hang on,” Dave said, and quickly explained a little about Black’s techniques to his wife.

“I’m going,” Raven said, standing up. She looked anxious but determined. “And seriously, I don’t mind watching Ruben get the shit beaten out of him. He’s had it coming for a long time now.”

“If it gets too much, just say the word, and I’ll bring you back here.”

She nodded.