Free Kill List (Special Ops #8) by Capri Montgomery Page A

report. Damage was something, as she said, that was fixed with haste no matter what that fix entailed. Had she walked back sooner both women would be dead and he knew that.
    “I know this,” his mother sighed as if reminding herself to think logically with her head and not with the aching heart of a mother who lost her only daughter in a horrid way.
    “It wasn’t her fault.” He made sure he said that clearly.
    “I know this too. I don’t want either of them to be dead, but I wish we could bring Amber back. I wish it had never happened.” She shook her head. “You must protect her, Chogan. You must keep Olivia safe.”
    He nodded. He didn’t need his mother to tell him that because he had already come to that decision the second he saw her cowering in fear on his couch. “I called in some favors and a couple of my team men are going to come to help me, and I got a safe house to put her in while we work this. I’m going to have to disappear for a while and take her with me. I can’t go to her place to get clothes so I need to leave what’s in my duffle here and borrow some from Amber’s room. I know they’ll be too big, but they’ll be better than nothing.”
    His mother nodded. “I’ll help you pick something that might fit her. She’s so tiny. Amber was a giant in comparison so I know the pants won’t work, but there are some nice sun dresses in the back of the closet area that a tank top under might work for her. Her breasts aren’t as big as Amber’s is…Amber’s was,” she corrected with such sorrow in her voice that Chogan could feel her pain stabbing him like a thousand daggers.
    “Thanks,” he said. “I don’t want to leave her for too long so I’ll need to work swiftly here.”
    She nodded. “I’ll take care of this. You stay here and talk with your father. I’m sure he has questions and I know he’ll fill me in after you’re gone.”
    Chogan nodded and watched as his mother took his duffle bag. “Mom,” he waited for her to turn around. “Put my clothes in my old room with some of the other stuff that you kept here. If anybody comes looking through your house we don’t want them to find my stuff in Amber’s drawers.”
    She nodded again before leaving him alone with his father.
    “How is she?”
    Chogan smiled just thinking of how his father’s concern for Olivia felt right, felt perfect, felt like family. “Hurting, scared, angry. She blames herself for not being able to save her.”
    “From what I have from the limited information the cops shared with me, and from what you have just said, saving her wouldn’t have been possible. Had she made a move she would be dead now and both of their bodies could be anywhere and we would have never had final proof that either of them were murdered.”
    Chogan nodded. He understood that the cops, the media, all of them could have spun it as just two women running off and not telling their family. He could just imagine what could have filled the two seconds of airtime they would have given his sister and Olivia.
    “I can’t tell you where we’re going, or when we’ll be back, but I can tell you I’m going to find the bastard and I’m going to handle this.”
    His father nodded. “I figured you would, even if you hadn’t found Olivia I knew you were going after the man. Be careful.” He placed his hand on his shoulder. “Come back to us alive, and bring her back with you the same way. I know you feel for her. I’m your father and I see it every time you look at her. Bring her home. Make her yours; don’t wait because you never know what tomorrow will bring.”
    Chogan nodded. He wouldn’t tell his father that he had already made her his. No way was he going to admit to that right now. He hadn’t realized his father had noticed how he felt, but he should have. His father, while nobody probably noticed, had a keen eye. There didn’t seem to be much he didn’t notice, sense, or know without words. He could hide his feelings