Defending Raven (Mountain Mercenaries #7)(79)

“No. What?” David asked in a hushed tone.

“A shooting star. That’s what. The brightest one I’ve ever seen. It shot across the sky right above me. I realized then that your mom could’ve been looking up at the exact same stars as me at that very moment. That she might’ve been thinking of me, and that’s why I saw that shooting star.”

“Wow,” David breathed.

“Yup. So from then on out, I went outside and looked up at the stars as much as I could. It comforted me to know that wherever your mom was, she was looking at the same stars. It made me feel closer to her.”

“Mamá wasn’t allowed to stay with me when it got dark, but she told me once that if I got scared, to look out my window at the stars, and that means she was thinking about me. That the stars sparkling was her winking at me and looking over me,” David told his dad.

Dave took a deep breath and closed his eyes to try to control his emotions. Eventually, he opened his eyes and turned his head to look at his son. “When we get home, the three of us are going to lie in our yard, look up at the stars, and rejoice in the fact that we found each other. Okay?”

“Okay. Papá?”

“Yes, champ?”

“I’m ready to go now.”

Dave chuckled. “I know. Me too. We have to wait just a little bit longer. My friends, our friends, will be here soon to get us.”

“Will Mamá be there too?”

“No. But she’ll be at the airport, ready to meet us. Are you excited about flying in an airplane?” Dave asked, wanting to take the boy’s mind off missing his mom. He’d been exceptionally good all night. Not scared of the darkness and not complaining at all when he was bored. He was easily entertained, and so smart for his age. Raven had done an amazing job raising him so far.

“Yes!” David said, a touch too loud.

“Shhhh, keep your voice down, champ,” Dave warned him.

“Sorry, Papá. Yes, I’m very excited!”

Checking his watch, Dave saw they only had an hour or so to go until it was time for them to be picked up. Getting off the roof would require the help of his men. They’d be down and off fast, without anyone knowing they’d been there in the first place. He was anxious to get to check in with the team. He assumed everything had gone according to plan back in the barrio and that no one had been hurt, but he simply didn’t know.

Turning his attention to his son, Dave did his best to contain his adrenaline. After ten long years, it was almost time to take his wife home. He couldn’t wait.





Chapter Sixteen

The sound of the radio crackling in his ear was one of the best sounds Dave had ever heard. He was more than ready to get the hell off this roof and out of Peru. David was sound asleep on his chest. It was shortly before dawn, and there was very little noise in the neighborhood around them, and very few lights on as well.

Sitting up slowly so as not to disturb the boy, Dave pressed on the radio in his ear, activating the hands-free connection.

“Rex, if you’re out there, your queen requests the honor of your presence.”

Dave wanted to laugh. But if his men had brought Raven with them to pick him up, he was gonna be pissed.

“If my queen is here, someone’s fired,” he replied softly.

Laughter greeted him. “Of course she’s not, although she begged. You and the prince ready to go?”

“Yes.”

“Be there in five. Out.”

Dave recognized Ball’s voice and relaxed a fraction. Out of all his team, Ball was the best driver. If the shit hit the fan, he knew without a doubt that Ball would be able to get them to the airport quickly and safely.

Very slowly, Dave stood, amazed that David didn’t even stir. He was either the world’s heaviest sleeper, or he was exhausted from the excitement and stress of everything that had happened. Dave assumed it was probably a little bit of both. He couldn’t wait to learn more about his son. To get to know his quirks. Was he a morning person? Would he talk their ears off over breakfast, or would he be fuzzy headed and quiet until he really got going? What would be his favorite subject in school? Would he be athletic or more academic?

But first things first. They had to get out of Peru safely.

Clutching the deadweight of his son against his body, Dave walked silently over to the side of the house. Getting down off the roof would be easier than getting up, because the plan was for Ball to drive the minivan through the yard right up to the side of the house. Dave would hand his son down to Gray, since he was the tallest of the Mountain Mercenaries, who would be standing on the roof of the vehicle.

He heard his team counting down the minutes until they arrived, tensing when he heard Ball swear.

“What’s wrong?”

“We’ve got company,” Ball said tersely. “Apparently del Rio’s men are more stubborn than we thought. They’re still casing the neighborhood. We’re going to have to make this pickup quick.”

“Or they’ve got a lot of bloody incentive,” Ro said. “I’m guessing del Rio said if they came back to the compound without Dave or the kid, they’d not live to see another day.”

Dave gently shook the sleeping boy awake. “David? You need to wake up.”

One second David was dead to the world, and the next he was wide awake and alert. “What’s wrong, Papá?” he asked, the fright easy to hear in his voice.