Finally, in unison, as if they’d come to a silent agreement, Blake and Royce took several steps backwards, both crossing their arms in front of their chests. Royce glanced at Kara and then back at Blake. “You do know that to get these women proper protection and identities that will carry them a lifetime, we have to call the feds.” It wasn’t a question.

Kara’s heart lurched. No. No this was not happening. They were not going to call the feds. The implications to her sister were devastating, and the hard steel and determination of Royce’s expression, told her he was set on doing this. This was his way of saving his brother. He wasn’t going to back down.

Adrenaline rushed through Kara and her gaze went to the gun on Blake’s nightstand where he’d left it. Training and instinct kicked in and she dove for it, and somehow she managed to keep the sheet at her chest in the process. The cold steel was relief in her hand. It was her control among all these men, and she aimed it at Royce. “No one is calling the feds.”

She felt the room’s attention shift to her a moment before Blake growled, “Are you crazy, Kara? Put the damn gun down.”

“Not a chance.” The mattress shifted with his weight but she didn’t dare look his direction. “Don’t even think about taking the gun, Blake. I’ll drop the sheet and fight you for it. I don’t care who’s watching.” She lifted her chin at Royce, praying she’d successfully held Blake at bay. “We aren’t calling the feds, Royce. You and I both know they will take over the operation and my sister will be a fatality of a bigger investigation. I can’t let that happen.”

Royce snorted. “You’re naked and half my size and you’re telling me what’s going to happen?”

“Law enforcement 101. My bullet trumps your size. And yes. I am. I get that you’re desperate to save Blake from his death wish.”

“Hey,” Blake barked.

“You do have a death wish, Blake,” she said, and continued talking to Royce. “And I get you’ll do anything to protect him, but remember that this is my sister we’re talking about here. I feel the same about her. She isn’t trained like we are. She doesn’t have a chance inside the cartel and I will do anything to protect her. If that means tying your big ass up and feeding you three meals a day like a baby in a chair to control you, until she’s safe, that’s what I’ll do.”

“Kara,” Blake said softly this time, the mattress shifting again with his approach.

“I told you, Blake,” she warned, “I’ll fight you for the gun.”

“Royce is an overbearing ass,” he replied. “But he’s one of the good guys. He won’t leave your sister to be a statistic any more than I will.”

“I won’t,” Royce agreed. “You have my word.”

“And mine,” Luke added.

“And mine,” Kyle said, appearing in the doorway.

“We’ll talk it through, Kara,” Royce added. “We’ll come up with a way to save her. We won’t let her be sacrificed.”

Kara didn’t have to study their faces to believe them. She had this overwhelming sense of commitment from these men, commitment like she’d not even felt from her own FBI unit, a sense of family coming together. A sense she hadn’t felt in a very long time and, unbidden, her eyes started to burn. “Thank you,” she whispered, and damn—the burn was getting worse and it seemed to have spread from her eyes to her chest. “And, for the record, I’m not going to let Blake sacrifice himself either.”

Blake moved in front of her, his back to his brothers, his eyes meeting hers. He took the gun from her and set it on the bed. “Kara,” he whispered softly, wiping away a tear that had slid down her cheek. “We’re going to save her.” There was shuffling behind them and a murmur before Kara heard the door shut and knew they were alone.

She never cried, but she felt a waterfall coming and the last thing she needed was Blake thinking she was weak. He’d use any excuse to keep her out of this thing with Alvarez, and she wasn’t letting that happen.

Kara cut her gaze from his. “I need to shower and put my clothes on.” She started to scoot off the bed. “There are too many men running around here.” Darting toward the bathroom, she didn’t look back, thankful Blake actually let her escape. The minute she was inside, she shut the door and turned on the shower, impatiently waiting for it to heat. She wanted under the water where her tears would be hidden. Where, for just a few minutes, she could let go.

Stepping under the hot water, emotions erupted and she sobbed. Body-shaking, intense sobs she couldn’t control. Her sister was all she had. She couldn’t lose her. She couldn’t lose her. But she knew the chances of getting her back were small. So very small. It hurt. It hurt so much and she fought against the memories of losing her family. She didn’t think about it. She didn’t go there.

Abruptly, the shower curtain ripped backwards and Blake, now naked again, stepped inside and pulled her against him. “Kara—”

“You can’t die,” she croaked in a sob, her fists balling on his chest. “You made me care about you when I haven’t let myself care about anyone but my sister. You made me care, and damn it, you’re begging to die. And don’t say you aren’t. You are. You feel guilty about something. You want to die and feel like you did it making some assumed wrong right.”