Malin turned and smiled down at him. “Not wanting to leave even though I know I have no choice.”
Dutch sat up. “You do have a choice. We can stay right here and let the K19 team on the West Coast sort this out with Ghafor.”
She shook her head. “I can’t. I started this mission, and I have to see it through.”
12
“Doc said to come straight to the house in Montecito after we land,” Onyx told Dutch when he and Malin boarded the plane.
“Who’s flying with you?”
“Corazón.”
“Where is she?”
Onyx motioned toward the back of the plane, and Dutch saw her talking to Malin.
“How’d things go the rest of the time on the island?”
“It got worse before it got better, and then it got great.”
“Glad to hear it, bro.”
Dutch rolled his eyes and walked back to join the two women.
“I’ll talk more with you later,” he heard Sofia say to Malin as she walked past him and waved.
“You two seem to get along well.”
“She’s very nice.”
“So are you.”
Malin smiled. “Thank you, Dutch. You’re pretty nice too.”
He took her hand in his after they’d chosen seats and fastened their seatbelts.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“Okay. Better than I would be if you weren’t with me.”
Dutch put his hand on his heart. “That’s about the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
When Malin put her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder, Dutch felt ten feet tall. Malin was the most independent woman he’d ever known, even more so than Alegria. Having her put her trust in him filled him with pride.
“I’m so tired,” she murmured, grinning at him.
Dutch reclined his seat and hers, and she rested her head on his shoulder.
“Sleep, baby,” he murmured, kissing her forehead.
—:—
“Wow,” commented Malin when they drove up to the gates of Doc and Merrigan’s Montecito compound.
“I know,” said Dutch. “It’s impressive.”
“It’s so beautiful,” commented Sofia from the front seat of the SUV, glancing over at Onyx, who was driving.