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Joint Forces Catherine Mann 33080K 2023-08-31

The baby The man had seenant

"I have to go to the bathrooht?"

"I’ht work "I swear there’s no way I can hold it a er If my husband doesn’t come to in time for delivery of the schedule, don’t you think it’ll raise a few questions if I answer the door et clothes, not to mention the se et the point" Gun waving, he grio to the bathroom, for God’s sake"

A small victory, but she’d take it Plus, every time she pushed and won, she discoveredto search you when you coht she would have to ditch now

He kicked the door shut on JT’s prison and followed her to the half bath around the corner

Rena stepped into the bathrooainst the door, searching for ideas But there weren’t any convenient guns in the toilet tank

She considered writing Help on thein lipstick, but hehis anger

Yanking open the s to drop in his drinks Nothing but a soap refill and the nail-care products froo

Rena snatched up the metal nail file, bent it into a curve and slipped it into her bra down near the underwire Uncomfortable as hell, but not visible in the nancy brsts offered better hiding

Wouldn’t thatheadline for tonant housewife takes down abductor with her killer bra … h, Rena ditched the paperweight in the trash

Rena flushed the toilet and turned on the faucet She needed to get a grip

She twisted off the water, gripped the doorknob Fear sliced through her with every tight breath What hell JT h overseas She’d known, of course, but hadn’t really known until this moment

Guilt crawled over her She hadn’t been there for JT when he needed her Sure, she’d gone through the motions when he’d lumbered off that plane But when he’d walked out of the house a couple of days later, she should have chased his ass down Dogged hied, until he had tirips with his hellish experience

He’d braved her family, offered her safety, a haven Love He deserved the sae She’d fought for herself

Noas ti

God, his head hurt Groaning, he rolled to his side, off his numb hands Still they wouldn’t ainst the dark, his eyes slowly adjusting with the help of a thin bar of light slanting under the door Sy, he battled with now and then Wrestled down dread Forced even breaths in and out to stuff down the swell of nausea From a concussion?

He filled hine He struggled to sit, canting up closer to the scent wafting off … wool dangling overhead

A coat Hers

He was in a closet, not a cell Relief washed away nausea Me in And then… What?

JT jerked against his constraints He had to get out To his wife He couldn’t allow thoughts of whatto her

And then he heard her Her voice pierced the door, growing louder

He sluainst the wall She was alive For now With slow, controlled rounded himself in the husky, vibrant--alive--sounds of Rena’s voice

"I’ you, if you put me in another closet andto flip out He gives newto the word overprotective You won’t have the chance to convince hi him to me, or me to him He’ll cause a ruckus that will alert anyone who’s anywhere near the house Then there’s no way you’ll get that flight schedule you want"

Flight schedule?

Realization dawned through his clearing brain She was feeding hi him Damn, he loved this smart, spunky woman

"Your best bet is to put me in that closet with his level until the guy from the base comes with the finished schedule"

What the hell? She had to know that wasn’t true

Of course she did SheShe had to be scared to death and still she stayed calm Pride for her clenched inside hi the hell out of hier to open the door," she continued "Do you think he’s hurt badly? I should check hi that enuinely want us to live So why not--"

"For God’s sake, lady" A h to tell with the pain and door"Will you please just shut the hell up for a ruous with the nighted at hiab