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Donovan was proud of the long way Nathan had come He’d matured faster than he should have had to When he was still in the army, in a lot of ways he and Joe had both been cocky kids But then Nathan had been captured and listed as MIA, while Joe had taken a bullet that had shattered his leg

It had been at the end of their tour, just before they were going to hang it up and go to ith their brothers at KGI There had been tiet Nathan back Truly back

But here he was Hi coood one fros Rio and Steele were hard acts to follow, but Nathan and Joe would soon give both team leaders a run for their oddamn phones?"

Donovan whirled around to see Sean Caed to e The look on Sean’s face made Donovan’s blood run cold His brothers cale one of theot big problee? Is he out of the picture?"

"No," Donovan said carefully, dread hitting hiut "Not at all What’s the problem?"

"Eve’s the probleot to your house She forced her to drive her from the compound to the hardware store, where she ister She then tied Rusty up and left her behind the counter and took off in Rusty’s Jeep Oh, and she left Travis and Cammie at your place"

CHAPTER 36

TRAVIS read the letter Eve had left on the dresser in utter disbelief His hands shook violently and he thanked God Ca to do? Eve had left them He didn’t believe for a minute that she’d callously deserted them Nor did he believe the lies she’d written, that they were better off with Donovan and that she didn’t want hiood-bye The finality--and sadness--to the words on the note instilled aching grief in his heart He was afraid for her What if his father found her? What if he’d already found her? The thought sent a chill bone-deep through his body

Here, she was protected Donovan wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her What had happened to make her take off on her own?

He knew she was protecting him and Cammie--just as she’d always done But why leave? It didn’t make sense What had driven her to this act of desperation? What did she know that he didn’t? What hadn’t she told hilance going toward the bed Then she grimaced when she took in Travis’s expression and the note he held in his hand

"You know," she murmured

"What do you know?" Travis demanded "Do you knohere she is, Rusty?"

Rusty sighed "No, I’m sorry, I don’t But we’ll find her, Travis I swear to you we’ll find her Sean is letting Donovan know Believe ht"

"I don’t understand," Travis said, allowing his frustration to leak into his tone He was barely htened than when it had been just the three of the over their shoulders and worried that they’d be discovered at any ether And now Eve was God-only-knehere, and he and Cammie were just supposed to stay here with Donovan and have a happy life when Eve wasn’t in the picture

To hell with that If this hat bought them security, then he didn’t want it He’d rather take his chances--with Eve--with his fa for the rest of their lives

Rusty put her hand on his shoulder as if sensing the turhts "We’ll find her, Travis"

He looked bleakly at her just as Cammie stirred and called out softly

"Trav?"

Travis stared hard at Rusty, telling her without words not to tell Ca on If Travis had his way, Cammie would never know Eve would be found Excuses would be made for her absence But she would not know that their sister had left them in Donovan’s care and had fled

Travis still didn’t understand any of it He was sick to his soul and he dae with every breath in his body It sickened him that he was of his father’s blood That he shared that bond How could he have come from such a monster, and what did that make himself?

No, he’d never be like him He’d die first Never would he hurt others as his father had

Travis walked over to the bed just as Rusty’s cell phone rang When she answered, her eyes widened in surprise Then she only said, "Okay, we’ll be here and ready"

Travis picked Ca at Rusty in silent question

"Nathan and Swanny are on their way over to get us," Rusty explained quietly "You reaze shifted in Cammie’s direction and then back to Travis in silent communication

As much as it frustrated Travis not to de on and if his sister had been found, he wouldn’t traumatize Cammie that way

Rusty walked over and set dressed? Nathan and Swanny are on their way over to get us and we’re going tothat they should be considered Travis and Carandfather

Tears burned Travis’s eyes because they weren’t his family Eve was Without her he had no ties No one who loved hi

Cahtened as if a sudden thought had occurred to her