Into the Mist (Falcon Mercenary Group #1)(63)

“I had nothing to do with why Esteban was there,” Jonah said icily. “Tits told me where you were going to be and when. We went there to extract you and to remove Eli as a threat to you. I wasn’t about to have a goddamn showdown with Esteban and risk the lives of my team for Eli Chance.”

She rubbed her eyes wearily. “Then how did he know? God, how could he have known?” She let out a shaky breath. “They think I betrayed them. They think I sold them out to Esteban. They trusted me.”

“Why should you care?” Jonah asked with a raised brow.

“You didn’t see them,” she said softly. “The brothers, Ian and Braden? They’re not stable like Eli and Gabe. They’re like D. They can’t control their shifts. Eli and Gabe, their stability is unexplained.” She wouldn’t betray Eli’s secret. Not even now.

She glanced back into Jonah’s eyes and saw the resolve simmering there. No way she’d ever budge him. And she knew what she had to do.

“I quit,” she said.

“What?” Mad Dog’s outburst rang out over the room.

“Care to repeat that?” Jonah said.

“I quit Falcon. You’re right. I compromised the team, and I’ve obviously lost all objectivity. I’m out effective immediately.”

“Ty, no,” Damiano said as he walked up behind her and put his hands over her shoulders.

She turned and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. “I love you, D,” she whispered. “But this is something I have to do.”

She pulled back and started to walk away but Jonah caught her arm in his strong grip. Then he reached out with his other hand to cup her chin. He forced her to meet his gaze.

“Why?”

She looked away.

“Look at me. For once be straight with me, goddamn it. You tell me why you’re quitting, and you tell me what the f**k you’re planning even now. Because if you think I’m just going to let you walk out like that, you’ve lost what little of your mind you have left. We’re family, Ty. And you don’t quit family.”

“I’m going after Eli and the others. I have to try and save them.”

Curses blistered her ears from three sides.

“I can understand why you’d go against me for D,” Jonah said. “I do not understand why you’d quit Falcon and leave this family for Eli and his team.”

Tears shimmered like glass, and she bit the inside of her cheek, drawing blood, to staunch her reaction to Jonah’s words.

“Jesus H. Christ. You’re in love with him,” Mad Dog said, an edge of horror to his voice.

She whipped around to glare at Mad Dog. “This has nothing to do with love and everything to do with keeping my word. With not betraying men who tried to help me. Love has no place in this conversation. This is about doing what’s right. I won’t let that bastard experiment on them. I won’t let him torture them before he decides he no longer has a use for them and kills them.”

Jonah turned her to face him, gently this time, his thumb brushing against the moisture at the rim of her eye.

“Look at me, Ty,” he said softly. “Eli has been different from the beginning. Everyone here knows it. It’s why we’ve worried about you so damn much. We could see how much he affected you. I didn’t want him anywhere near you. Now you look at me. Straight in the eye. And you tell me that love has nothing to do with you being willing to turn your back on your family and walk out of Falcon.”

A tear trickled down, butting into Jonah’s hand.

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I only know I can’t live with myself if he dies. He hates me now anyway. He thinks I betrayed him. I saw the look in his eyes. I can live with that as long as I can save him now.”

Damiano moved to stand beside Tyana. He slid a hand over her shoulder and squeezed. “If you love him, Ty, then that’s enough for me. I’ll help you. You don’t have to do this alone.”

“You can’t,” she protested.

“Shut up,” Jonah bit out. “You don’t get to make the rules. I’m still the leader of Falcon and of this family. You’re not going in to save Eli alone. We go as a team or no one goes. Understand? Are you going to listen this time or do I have to sedate your ass again and tie you to the bed?”

She threw her arms around Jonah, who stumbled back in surprise.

“Good grief,” he muttered. “Can’t you fall in love without getting so goddamn mushy?”

But his arms came around her tight and hugged her close to his much larger body. She could feel the racing of his heart, the jerky intake of his breath. He’d been afraid for her.

“I love you,” she whispered so only he could hear. “And I’m sorry.”

He squeezed her then released her, stepping away as he regained his composure.

She bumped into Mad Dog who put a hand at her back.

“Don’t ever pull a dumbass stunt like saying you quit,” he said gruffly.

She turned and looked into his eyes. There was love there. Yeah, she knew without a doubt both he and Jonah had been pissed enough to wring her neck, but they loved her. They were right. They were family.

She reached out and took his hand and pulled it up to her chest.

“Don’t even say it,” Mad Dog said with a shake of his head. “We’ve got a rescue to plan, and we don’t need a freaking eye watering contest.”