“Gee, I’m sorry. Next time, give me a heads-up when you’re coming and I’ll make sure not to face execution that day.”
Dominik snorted.
They all took their places at the table, with Rylan and Sloan on either side of Reese. She hid a smile when she noticed their protective postures.
Connor rested his forearms on the wooden tabletop and glanced at Reese. “Brynn and Mick checked in last night. All their outpost attacks were successful.”
“What about Garrett and the north?”
“No word yet, but we weren’t expecting to hear back yet,” Pike spoke up in his gravelly voice.
There was a flicker of movement, and Reese realized Pike’s wolf pup was sitting in his lap. For fuck’s sake. The man brought his pet to a debriefing?
“I gotta imagine Garrett is having success too,” Connor said. “His people are good fighters, better than Brynn and Mick’s.”
Reese turned to Sloan. “What about the Foxworth people we lent them?”
“On their way back as we speak. They have the coordinates for Con’s camp. Should be here in a few days.”
Good. Soon all her people would be under her watch again. She turned to Dominik. “And the city? Ferris?”
“Won’t be a problem for much longer,” Dominik said with a savage smile. “There are still loyalists inside. They’re going to take out Ferris the moment I give the word . . . ?” He left that hanging in an unspoken question.
Connor and Reese exchanged a long look, and then Con’s gaze shifted to Dominik. “Give the word,” he said briskly. “The sooner the commander is eliminated, the sooner we can make a move against West City.”
“Every city,” Tamara corrected, her throaty voice capturing everyone’s attention.
Reese glanced over in surprise. “What?”
“The outlaws in South Colony are on board. Same with the ones in the east. I didn’t get a chance to hit the north yet, but I assume that once the other three colonies start rebelling, the fourth will join in too. Oh, and the outlaw army in the south? It’s a thousand strong.”
Everyone stared at Tamara.
“What? Did you think I was just working on my tan?”
Rylan snickered.
Connor sighed.
“I get shit done,” Tamara said, tossing her thick, shiny mane over one slender shoulder.
Reese didn’t miss the way Dominik’s gray eyes tracked the brunette’s every move. Hardly a surprise, though. Tamara was the most beautiful woman Reese had ever met.
In a brusque voice, Connor went over a few more details, including the living arrangements for the influx of people who had swarmed his formerly tiny camp. Everyone agreed that they’d take a couple of days to rest before making any more plans for the rebellion, and then the meeting was adjourned and Reese was being ushered to the door with Sloan’s hand on her arm and Rylan’s fingers laced through hers.
She didn’t glance back to check the expressions on the faces of Connor and the others, but Tamara’s low laughter tickled her spine. “So that’s happening now, huh?” came the woman’s highly amused observation.
Reese’s pulse sped up. Yeah. She supposed it was.
*
Before the door to the cabin had even closed behind them, Reese found herself in Sloan’s embrace again. He held her so tightly that her lungs couldn’t draw oxygen, and she gave a weak laugh as she batted at his rock-hard chest. “Sloan. You’re crushing me.”
Rylan chuckled and stepped toward them. “Cut the man some slack, gorgeous. He’s had a rough couple of days.”
She raised one eyebrow. “Rougher than being locked up in the Enforcer compound and sentenced to death?”
Just like that, the relief in Sloan’s eyes transformed into overwhelming concern. “What do you need, sweetheart? Food? Water? We’ll get you whatever you need.”
“First and foremost, a shower,” she confessed. “I feel dirty.”
Rylan’s eyes gleamed devilishly. “Dirty, huh?”
He looked ready to offer a filthy suggestion, but Reese gently touched his cheek. “And I could use ten minutes to myself. I . . .” She swallowed. “I need to collect my thoughts.”
Without argument, Rylan firmly led her to the bathroom door. “Soap and towels under the sink. Try not to use too much hot water or Con will freak.”
The kiss she planted on his cheek was soft with gratitude. “Thanks. I’ll be right out.”
Once she was alone, she let out a long, shaky breath. She could hear Sloan and Rylan moving around in the cabin, talking in low voices. Footsteps thudded against the hardwood. A door creaked open and then clicked shut.
Reese turned on the shower, then stripped out of her muddy, sweat-stained clothes and stepped under the spray. She kept it hot only for the few minutes she needed to soap up, then switched the temperature to lukewarm as she rinsed off and washed her hair.