“All right. Do you have everything you need? If Hutch is as good as he says, we should be able to take off soon.”
He breathed an obvious sigh of relief. “I’m good to go, but we need to check with maintenance about the fuel. How many passengers did you count on?”
“You and me,” she admitted. That had been the most foolish idea of all. “There’s a pilot and copilot and one flight attendant.”
“Well, now you have to accommodate two more. It should be an easy adjustment. I’ll talk to the pilot.”
“It’s okay. Ezra can do it. And it’s three more.” She wasn’t going to fire the man. He’d come all the way out here. And honestly, it might be good to have her own team. Case’s men would do his bidding and only his bidding.
Case’s lips turned down. “You don’t need him. You have me.”
That was where they would have to agree to disagree. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea of having her own guard. If she needed to go somewhere Case didn’t approve of, she wouldn’t have to sneak out alone. “You have your team. I have mine. Let’s get going.”
She slipped off his jacket and handed it to him before heading back inside the small, elegantly appointed terminal.
Case was hard on her heels. “Mia, you do understand that I’m in charge of this operation.”
Yes, she knew he thought he was. “You can be in charge of your team and I’ll deal with mine. Ezra, the McKay-Taggart team will be joining us. Could you inform the pilot for me? And ask the flight attendant to make sure there’s a disgusting amount of candy only a five-year-old would eat on board.”
“You rock, Mia.” Hutch gave her a wink.
Ezra nodded. “Absolutely, boss. Anything you would like? Wine or a special dinner? We could go over what all you’ll expect from me once we get to Colombia. I happen to know that jet has a private dining room.”
“This isn’t a date, asshole. This is a mission and one that doesn’t need dead weight.” Case looked over at Hutch. “Who the fuck is he?”
Hutch took the Red Vine out of his mouth. “Facial recognition tells me he’s Ezra Fain. Super-douchey name for a former Marine. Did they give you hell? I would have. He also works for Ferland. Double douche. Were you the one who almost lost an eye?”
Now she was confused. “Why would he have lost an eye?”
“Because Ian Taggart can be a dick. Literally. I’ll go and handle the pilot.” Ezra stepped away.
She turned on Case. “You’re looking into my bodyguard?”
“You don’t need a bodyguard. You have me.”
“No, you’re here for different reasons. Ezra is only here to watch my back. You have your guys; I have my guy.”
Case loomed over her. “Your guy is a mercenary douchebag.”
“He’s a former Marine who was a member of MARSOC.” She’d gotten a dossier on his qualifications. She wasn’t a complete moron. He’d been a part of a team formerly known as Force Recon. That made him a badass.
“Yes, but his boss is shady. Cut him loose. Pay him if you need to, but he shouldn’t get on that plane.” Case stepped in as though he could force her to do his will with the mere presence of that hot bod of his.
She was made of sterner stuff than that. Mostly. “He’s staying, Case. I need someone who’s here to watch my back and my back alone.”
“I’ll do that,” he insisted.
“You need to concentrate on your mission. Or have you forgotten?” It was the one thing neither one of them could forget. Theo was at stake. Theo and Erin and their son. That family was at stake. She and Case had fucked up anything they might have had, but that didn’t mean Erin and Theo couldn’t be made whole again.
Case’s eyes went stubborn. “I can do both. Originally it was going to be you and me.”
“Now I see that was a mistake.” It had been pure grade A optimism. She had that in spades. Her brothers called her na?ve. She liked to think of it as choosing a better reality. Sometimes that reality didn’t show up for her party. “We can start over, but I’m taking Mr. Fain with me. I’m not going to be a slave to your schedule. I’m well aware that you likely won’t let me get a cup of coffee without a bodyguard. I want some freedom.”
He frowned as though he hadn’t thought of that scenario. “All right. When it comes down to meeting Tony…”
“I’ll let you be the one who follows me.” He was the one with the most to lose. She wasn’t trying to cut him out. She simply wanted something of her own.
“You are not locking yourself in a private dining room with that asshole.”
Was he actually jealous? She sighed. “Case, I’m not interested in him personally. He’s not my type. He’s far too personable, gentlemanly, and reasonable to be my type.”