Page 8 of The Defiant Curse

Place.

Now, he was stalling in order to buy her some time. Just an hour ago, he and The Hunters had a post-victory breakfast with Elizabeth and helped her catch the flight.

Off the record.

Never let it be said that having favor with the President of the United States wasn’t one hell of a perk. She was now, OFF THE RADAR, quite literally.

“I know. That’s why she’s heading there. You’re there, and I need a favor.”

Michael didn’t need him to ask.

He was volunteering.

This woman was his mother. Maybe not of her body, but of her heart. She’d told them all constantly that she didn’t need to birth them to claim them.

So now, he was claiming the duty needed to keep her safe.

“I’ll guard her here,” he offered. “If this piece of shit who killed Jet is handled, and she’s needing a break, count on us. Graham and I will settle her in. You don’t have to worry about her while she’s here.”

Thank.

Freaking.

God.

The last thing Gene needed was to deliver her into another situation. Their family was on the brink, and one more inconvenience and it was going over the edge.

Gene warned him.

“She’s not in a good place, Michael. We don’t know if she’s coming back to the FBI when she regroups. She has been under an exorbitant amount of pressure. At this point, it’s a rescue mission because she’s broken.”

Oh, he knew that she was carrying a burden.

Elizabeth was the strongest person he knew, and if she was on the verge of breaking, that told him all he needed to know.

Bad things were coming.

So, he needed to step in and do his part to protect his family any way he could.

“Like I said, I’ve got her. When is she landing?” he asked.

“Because I’ll personally make sure our mother is safe here. You don’t have to worry about that. You know I’ll do anything in my power to protect her.”

Honestly, Gene didn’t doubt that for a single second.

He knew the relationship between Michael and Elizabeth was incredibly strong.

Hell.

All of the other Archangels joked about how Saint Michael was her favorite.

After losing Jet, it was clear that she needed to be by one of her Marines and his new husband.

She’d chosen this location more than just because it was their last safe place that hadn’t been outed.

Gene told him what he knew.

“Later tonight, your time, the private jet is touching down. Jim is bouncing her around to a few stops to refuel and make sure they’re off the record before her final place. If anyone does figure out the plane is off the record, it’s going to come back as a cargo trip.”