“I like her,” Mary said, with a surprisingly large smile.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The courtyard was crowded with nearly a dozen restrained men, Neal’s team, and Scarlet’s staff. Tex, Travis, and Bastian seemed to feel that the handover required their direct supervision, and Benedict, who was not restrained, kept wringing his hands and muttering about his lawyer.
Judy gave Lewis a toothy smile, clearly enjoying his furious sulk.
“I told you I’d be back for you, you bastard.”
“I should be so flattered,” Lewis snarled back. “You’re only here because Neal went whining for his girlfriend to come and save him.”
“And he did a fine job before we even got here,” Judy answered, not in the slightest ruffled. “Because you’re an incompetent jackass who surrounds himself with other incompetent jackasses and turncoats and then wonders why you can’t inspire loyalty.”
“How did you get free of your guards?” Tex asked in an undertone as Judy talked about the legal details of taking custody of Scarlet’s prisoners.
“Gizelle,” Neal said. “Er, the gazelle. I’ve been calling her Gizelle in my head. I have no idea what her name really is.”
“What, did she skewer one of them?”
“Turned into a human and hypnotized them,” Neal said with a sideways smile.
“Neat trick!” Tex said.
“Not as neat as a ‘forget-me field’,” Travis scoffed. “Seriously, Bastian, what was that? You didn’t think that was just a little bit impossible?”
“We’ve already had this discussion,” Bastian said with mock seriousness. “You just don’t remember it.”
“We want to get these guys back on American soil as soon as possible,” Judy said, concluding her d
iscussion with Scarlet. “So we’d best get going.”
“You’re welcome back any time,” Scarlet said warmly.
“I thought the resort was for shifters only,” Judy said with a searching look. “We’re not all shifters.”
“We can make exceptions,” Scarlet said with a meaningful look in return. “Any of your team is welcome to stay here.”
“Does that team include you, Neal?” Judy’s voice was a challenge, and Mary felt Neal’s hand tighten in hers.
But Neal shook his head. “Not any more,” he said, and Mary could hear the mixture of regret and determination in his voice. “I’ve got a lot of healing left to do, and I’m ready to settle down and do what needs to be done. No more hiding.”
Mary felt a little surge of relief. She would never have asked him to give up his team, but she knew that she’d have a hard time being away from him during his missions, missing and worrying for him.
“We’ll miss you,” Judy said frankly, clasping his arm. “We have missed you. But I’m not surprised. I’ll be back for that drink and the story you owe me.”
Neal let go of Mary’s hand to embrace her. “I’ll be waiting,” he said hoarsely.
Judy turned to Mary. “Take good care of him,” she said firmly.
Mary drew herself up. “I intend to,” she said just as firmly.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Neal woke with a start, disoriented, until he realized that he wasn’t in his own bed. He was snuggled up close to Mary’s warm, curvy form.
Part of the disorientation was that he hadn’t woken from nightmares, but from sweet, restful sleep, for the first night that he could remember.
Sunlight spilled around the edges of the curtains covering the big glass doors at the foot of Mary’s bed, and she stirred as Neal sat up.