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She allowed him to help her up, only cursing once when her shoulder twisted funny. “It’s a lot better than before.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a horrible liar. Like, worse than Kash, and he’s terrible.”
“Hey, I heard that.”
Mac snapped her head around, grinning at the rest of Foster’s team all huddled together on some kind of love seat. One they’d obviously dragged in from somewhere else in the hospital.
Foster made a show of rolling his eyes. “Not anything we haven’t told you a hundred times before, buddy. Why do you think you lose so often at poker?”
Kash leaned back against the cushions. “Because you mess with my cards.”
Foster laughed. “See? Horrible.”
Mac palmed his jaw, loving how he nuzzled into her touch. “Are you okay?”
“Physically or mentally? Physically, I’ll have a few new scars for you to trace. Mentally…” He shrugged. “More ghosts. Fewer demons.”
“I knew you could do it.”
“Thanks to you. If you hadn’t talked me off that ledge?—”
“My chopper might still be in one piece.”
Mac sighed as her father’s voice boomed through the room before he stopped at the end of the bed. Arms crossed. His usual scowl firmly in place. “Do you have any idea how many bullet holes there are?”
“Of course I do. I flew the damn thing.” Foster eased back, allowing Atticus to shuffle over and give her a hug. “And at least I didn’t crash it.”
“No, you just pushed the poor thing to its limits then left it rotting in the middle of a parking lot.”
“I was a bit busy not dying.”
Atticus rolled his eyes. “Pilots. They’re so dramatic.”
Mac arched a brow. “You do realize you just insulted me, too, right?”
“Like your boyfriend said. Nothing you haven’t heard a hundred times before.”
“Boyfriend?”
Her dad simply snorted as he turned to face Foster. “So, I believe I told Mac that you were only authorized to help out if you agreed to sign up.”
Foster scoffed. “Are you seriously trying to blackmail me right now?”
“I don’t have to try, son. I’ll drop the appropriate papers off at your house later today. I assume Mac’s going back there after you four bust her out. Make sure you’ve got beer, coffee and plenty of pizza. Oh, and I’m putting you in the rotation once Charlie fixes that mess you made. So, make peace with it.”
Atticus headed for the door, stopping short. “I’ve got an order in for another bird. It should be here within the month. Send me a few names of pilots you’d trust with your team’s life, and I’ll give them a chance. Give you and Mac a shot at a real life.”
Foster chuckled. “The only two pilots I trust to fly my team around are in this room. But I know a few guys who more than measure up for the new recruits you’ll need to hire to man two choppers.”
“And to think I wanted you to join.” Atticus looked back at Foster over his shoulder. “Welcome to Raven’s Watch, Beckett. Your dad would be very proud.”
Foster shook his head as Atticus ambled out, humming to himself. “He’s never going to let me forget he won.”
“Did he? Because I’m feeling pretty damn victorious myself.”
Kash groaned, tossing a tissue at them. “Christ, can you both just confess your love so we can bust out of here? I need coffee.”
Foster closed his eyes, looking as if he was seeking biblical intervention. “Not an ounce of tact.”