Read Cut and Run 7 - Touch and Geaux for Free Online

Digger, who gave Ty’s back a pat and stepped away.
    Ty was smiling, though he was trying not to, as each of the other men greeted him in turn. Kelly Abbott was there, and Zane was surprised to see Owen Johns present. The last time he’d heard anything about Owen was after Ty had come out to his recon team and Owen had stormed off.
    “Zane,” Nick greeted. He held his hand out to Zane. “Sorry about that,” he added, smiling widely.
    “You’re an incredible asshole,” Zane said. “What the hell is this?”
    Ty glanced at him and shook his head, starting to grin wider. “I can only assume this is a birthday party.”
    “For a psychopath?”
    Ty gave him a sad smile and nodded.
    “Elias Sanchez,” Nick answered, and with the name, the five Marines grew more somber.
    Zane inclined his head. Sanchez had lost his life not in battle, but to a serial killer in New York City. The same killer who’d almost taken Ty from them as well, the same one Zane had killed.
    “Tomorrow would have been his fortieth birthday,” Kelly offered.
    “No it wouldn’t,” Ty said.
    “But tomorrow’s his birthday.”
    “Kelly, man, he was the same age as me and Nick,” Ty said with an exasperated wave of his hand. Nick covered his mouth.
    Kelly frowned and glanced around. “How old are you?”
    “Thirty-seven.”
    Digger pursed his lips. “Anyway. Tomorrow’s Sanchez’s birthday. Ty’s always refused to come party in NOLA, so we knew we’d have to bait-and-switch you down here.”
    “Wow,” Zane grunted. He had a feeling the Recon boys had no idea why Ty refused to come to New Orleans. They didn’t know luring him here could have put him in danger, and knowing Ty, he wouldn’t tell them now. Zane decided to keep his mouth shut.
    Digger leaned toward Ty, raising his eyebrows. “And we can’t celebrate anywhere else because why?”
    Ty rolled his eyes and looked at his feet, shuffling. “Because Digger isn’t allowed to leave the state for another year.”
    “Because why?”
    “Because we sent a CIA kill team to his bayou and he almost blew them up.”
    They all snickered, little boys in the schoolyard talking about a frog they’d stuck in the teacher’s drawer.
    Zane looked around, his mouth hanging open. “You’re all insane.”
    “Welcome to Recon, baby!” Digger said with a slap to Zane’s back that almost knocked him over. The man gave a boisterous laugh and headed off toward a group of women who stood drinking near the entrance to Lafitte’s. Owen drifted away with him, having said nothing to Zane and barely greeting Ty with a nod.
    Zane looked around, still stunned by the turn of events. They weren’t here for a rescue. They were here for a party.
    “Life with Ty, huh?” Kelly said to him. He was smiling, his hands in his pockets, just as relaxed and laid back as he had sounded the first time Zane had met him. He was an unremarkable-looking man, with hair a shade between brown and blond and eyes that may or may not have been gray. Or blue. Or green. But Zane remembered Ty talking about how capable the team’s medic had been.
    Zane nodded, trying to return the smile. “You never know, I guess.”
    Ty and Nick were in the middle of the street bickering again. Or rather, Ty had his finger in Nick’s face and Nick was laughing at him.
    “Last time I fall for it, O’Flaherty, I swear to God! Next time you call and need help, you’re on your own.”
    “Yeah, tell that to my boat!”
    “ You shot the holes in it!”
    “Strategically! It still floats!”
    “I coughed up glitter for a week after Panama, you prick!”
    Nick put up both hands to fend off Ty’s ranting, but he was laughing too hard to respond again.
    “Every fucking time!” Ty shouted before he smacked Nick on the side of the head and stormed off.
    Nick doubled over laughing.
    “So . . . how many times has he fallen for that gag?” Zane asked.
    Nick gasped and held up his hand, displaying all five fingers. “This makes