Page 74 of Gator

Everyone was sitting on the living room floor when we walked in. The older Latina woman had her arms wrapped around the young girl, and she was sobbing into her shoulder. The young man, who had been whimpering and rolled up in a ball, was sitting there hugging his legs and drinking a juice pouch. Knox was walking around, handing out blankets and drinks to everyone.

“Wow, you guys came prepared, didn’t you?”

Gator shrugged. “We take blankets, snacks, and juice in the vehicles anytime we roll. You never can tell when you might need them.”

Hawk walked up to us and smiled at me. “Glad to see you’re okay. Mika would’ve been mighty upset with me if we didn’t bring you home.” He pulled Gator into a bro hug and said something in his ear.

“Me, too, brother,” Gator said, stepping back. “What’s Chance’s ETA?”

“They should be here any minute. Knox called them as soon as we went in.”

“Really, what did he say?” Gator asked.

“Knox,” Hawk called over. “What did Kelly say when you called him?”

Knox grinned. “Muttered something about not killing anyone this time.”

Gator laughed. “See, mission accomplished.”

It took a couple of hours to get everything sorted out. Chance had blown in and immediately taken charge, but the Three Bears Tactical team didn’t seem to mind. Their part in it was done.

The EMTs on scene had to check all of us out, and the agents had to question us.

In the end, both the men who’d been drugged had to be transported by ambulance, but everyone else was physically okay. The two women hadn’t wanted to be separated, so Chance had one of his agents put them in a car and transport them to the hospital. He said they would put them up in a safe house after they were released.

The young man who’d been so distraught had family close by, and his family had been called and would be meeting them when he was released.

That only left me and Noah. We’d both insisted we didn’t need medical care, and they’d grumbled about it, but they couldn’t force us to go. Something Gator was happy to remind them of.

“What about you? Do you have anyone you can call?” I asked Noah.

“No, Agent Kelly asked me the same thing, but like I told him, I was in town for the night when they grabbed me, so I don’t live here, and my family—” He shrugged. “Well, I haven’t talked to them in years. He said they could find me a place to stay for a few nights, though.”

I looked at Gator, and I didn’t even have to tell him what I was thinking. He just smiled at me and nodded.

“Or you could come with us,” I said.

“Come stay with you two?” he asked doubtfully.

“Sure, if you want to, we have plenty of room,” Gator said. “And the building we live in has empty apartments we use for safe houses, so if you don’t want to stay with us, you could stay in one of them.”

“If you’re sure that would be okay, but maybe the apartment. I haven’t been alone since the day they grabbed me, and I think I would like a little time to process.”

“Absolutely. Let me make a phone call so we can have it all ready for you.” Gator pulled out his phone and stepped away to call the office.

“Wow,” Noah said. “No wonder you were so sure they were coming for you. Your man had like an army at his disposal.”

I looked over at Gator, talking on his phone surrounded by Hawk, Wolfe, Crowe, Axel, Maddox, and Knox. “Not quite an army, but close enough, but even without Three Bears behind him, he would’ve come for me.”

“You’re lucky.”

“Don’t I know it? I’m glad you’re coming with us. The building where we live is basically the safest place in town. See all those guys over there. They all live there, so you’ll have protection twenty-four-seven.”

“All of them?” he asked.

“Well, all of them but Crowe. He’s the one who was checking everyone earlier. He used to be a medic or something.”

“Well, after everything I’ve been through, it’ll be nice to feel safe for a change.”