by Maddie Wade
Callie assessed Sophia, unsure how she’d missed all the signs that now seemed so clear. The calculated desire to succeed she’d seen as a drive to do well. The control she’d thought was a woman trying to work in a male-driven business was just a need for power. All the traits she’d seen as good things were signs that this woman would sell out her own mother to get what she wanted.
“Just out of interest, how much are they paying you?” Callie watched as Sophia swung around to face her. The woman looked more unhinged as the day wore into the night.
Sophia offered her a sneer that was ugly and cold. “More than you ever could, so don’t bother trying.”
“I had no intention of it. I wouldn’t waste my money or my breath trying to negotiate with you.” Callie should perhaps be watching what she said, curbing her tongue and the anger inside her, but anger and fear were a dangerous combination in this situation where she needed to keep a cool head.
Sophia stalked toward her, and lifting her arm, swung, backhanding Callie and sending her head flying.
“Enough,” bellowed a voice to her left.
Callie moved her head gingerly in the direction of the voice as she tasted blood in her mouth. A tall man, with long blond hair, piercing blue eyes, a full beard, and a body most models would die for approached them.
Sophia stepped back and aimed her weapon at him. “Who are you?”
Callie heard the slight tremble in her voice, as if Sophia perhaps knew she was out of her depth. The man moved so fast Calle hardly had time to digest it as he disarmed Sophia and shoved her away.
“Do not point a fucking gun at me unless you plan to use it.”
Callie watched as he glared with hate-filled eyes at Sophia as he holstered the weapon in his jeans before his gaze moved to her.
She held her head high as he appraised her, not in a sexual way, but as if he was looking for injury of any kind. Callie thought she saw a gentleness, a regret there before he hid it and turned away, dismissing her.
“You’re late,” Sophia accused as she came to her feet, dislike in her features as she watched him prowl the room.
He had the look of a tiger waiting to pounce, small steps and an economy of power. She’d noticed Reid and Liam did it, in fact, all of Reid’s friends did. She didn’t dwell on it because she was using the distraction to work on the rope at her wrists to little gain. The only thing she’d managed to do was rub the skin from them.
“I don’t answer to you.”
Callie lifted her eyes to the man as he growled the words.
“Maybe not, but it’s time for you to take her. I’ve done my part and I want my money.”
“I don’t have your money. You see him for that.”
As the exchange continued, Callie kept working the ropes, even as she felt blood run down her hands.
“Fine.” Sophia turned to walk away, but the man grasped her upper arm, stopping her. Sophia yanked away from his touch. “Take your fucking hands off me.”
“I need you to stay with her while I bring the car around.”
“I. Did. My. Part.”
The man seemed unimpressed and unaffected by her anger. “You will wait while I bring the car around or I’ll make sure you don’t live long enough to spend a single penny of your blood money.”
Sophia snorted. “Do not judge me. You’re no different. You plan to kill them anyway.”
Callie saw Sophia had scored a direct hit as the man flinched infinitesimally before he hid it. “We are nothing alike. Now wait here and keep your fucking hands off her or I’ll make sure you feel every second of pain that she does.”
Callie was opened mouthed as the man walked away. Were his actions his way of protecting her? She felt he had but not in an overt way, but she hadn’t been afraid when she looked at him, but then she hadn’t been afraid with Sophia either, so that was no great indicator.
The entire time he’d been there, Callie had stayed silent, not engaging him directly despite having no gag. She hadn’t felt the need to, more aware of what he didn’t say than what he did. She knew listening was more important in this instance.
This was the man who’d been sent to kill her. She didn’t know why someone wanted her dead, but her gut was screaming at her that is wasn’t someone she knew. She was even more convinced this had something to do with Reid in some way, Sophia was just their means to an end. Everything else though, including the stalker, were Sophia’s doing, and so she waited to see if she could figure anything else out.
Perhaps she could appeal to this man, beg him if she had to not to kill her. She didn’t want to die, not when she’d only just found true happiness. The lights in the building went out suddenly, and darkness surrounded them, but unlike Sophia who yelled, Callie smiled.
Reid was here.
Gunner paced the back of the derelict warehouse that had once housed a removal company. He’d never been so torn and seeing the woman hadn’t helped at all. No, it had made his choice, if that was what he could call it, ten times worse.
She was innocent, from what he knew kind, and more than that, his friend—even if he now hated him—loved her. He pulled at his hair as he threaded his fingers through it, frustration, anger, resentment, and absolute heartbreak bombarding him and leaving him drained as he tried to reconcile the knowledge that to keep his sister safe, he had to kill the woman and Reid.
That was probably just the tip of the iceberg, but what else could he do? Milla had loved him, and he’d caused her enough pain, enough damage through his behaviour. He couldn’t let them hurt her. Yet, it would kill him to hurt Callie or Reid or any of his brothers. He would be dead inside either way, his heart a hollowed out organ, his soul forever damned.
As he thought of Milla, her face came to his mind, and he wondered what her life would’ve been like if he hadn’t caused the accident that had ruined it. Would she have fallen in love, had a family, made him an uncle? The point mattered little now because it was done and he’d made his choice when he’d walked out onto the ice. He’d made another when he’d betrayed his team, and now he faced a final choice, his hardest one yet.
The depth of pain he’d caused through bad decisions weighed on him like an anvil, pressing down until he could barely stand from the weight of it. In some ways, they would all be better off if he was dead. Milla would be of no use to anyone, but maybe he could persuade Jack to save her. If he died, they couldn’t use him to hurt his team anymore.
They’d know of the threat by now and be ready. Maybe Gunner could do one selfless act and kill the man who threatened his friends, his brothers who he would’ve died for before this started. Keep them safe and die for them now and perhaps redeem himself somehow in the process.
He could leave Callie and Reid to live the life they deserved in peace if he was dead. Nausea bubbled in Gunner’s belly at the thought of his grandmother and the pain his death would cause, but she would survive. She’d survived the loss of her children, and she’d survive this.
Having made a choice, he paused. He’d deal with the agent before he found a way to contact Jack and beg one last favour. Then he could end this on his own terms and finally do some good.
On that thought, he spun to go back inside and deal with Sophia and saw a face he’d never have expected, and he wondered if he’d conjured him up in his pain. “You.”
“Hello, Gunner.”
He saw the fist coming and didn’t duck, whether from shock or some other reason he didn’t understand but as the pain exploded in his head and blackness descended, he felt free for the first time in months.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Reid watched through the scope as Gunner approached the building, his head moving from side to side as he looked for a threat. He wouldn’t see any of them; they were ghosts for a reason. Anger burned through him at the thought of Callie inside that crumbling building and he prayed the worst she faced was the cold.
He felt his best friend next to him as they crouched low, tucked into the wall. It
was as if they hadn’t had a second apart. Moving as a unit as fluidly as they ever had, but this time Reid felt the heavy weight of Clay’s condemnation. Reid knew Clay was right to condemn him. He should never have taken Callie out in public; he knew a threat loomed and yet he’d been careless, wanting to please her instead of using his head.
“What the fuck?” Liam growled through the comms. Reid guessed he’d also spotted Gunner.
“This changes things. Pyro, I want you and Chef to focus on Viking. Subdue him but do not shoot to kill. Just make him hurt a little.” Jack wasn’t cruel, but his words relayed the betrayal he still felt from their former friend.
“Copy that,” Liam and Alex both said, in response to the codenames they all used in an operational setting. He’d been dubbed ‘Captain’ thanks to his first name. He’d wished more than once his mom hadn’t named him Kirk.
Reid waited silently, fighting the urge to run across the dark empty road and free Callie, but he couldn’t. His training was barely hanging on though, and he knew Clay wasn’t faring much better. His sister meant the world to him, and Reid would be the same if it were one of his sisters.
“We have a visual on Runway.”
Reid’s insides relaxed a fraction knowing Jack now had eyes on Callie. “Copy.”
The plan had been for them to surround the building and silently overwhelm Sophia, catching her unawares before she could react. It was actually a straightforward rescue, but Reid’s emotions were involved. Callie was in danger, and all he could focus on were the possible landmines in their plan. Now, with Gunner showing up, the stakes had changed.
“Viking is exiting the building via the back door. Pyro, Chef, you’re up. When you have him secure, we move on Runway.”
Reid waited, his muscles tense, coiled, ready to spring into action to ensure his sunshine’s safety. He wanted to tell Clay how he felt. That he couldn’t breathe without her. She was his air, his warm light but he couldn’t because the order came, and he was moving.
He ran with his head down, his black combat clothes and face paint allowing him to disappear into the darkness. Silent feet were beside him as his brothers moved, some he couldn’t see, but he knew they were there.
“King, get that door open.”
Blake blew the lock on the door and they ducked as Clay threw a flashbang through the glass. It all happened in seconds, but as Reid moved through the smoke toward the back clearing the space as he went, his only focus to get to Callie.
He saw a door to an office on the left and moved that way as Clay tucked in behind him. He reached the door and saw the blinds were closed; his heart knew she was there. Looking at Clay, he nodded, and his friend lifted his chin in agreement. Reid shouldered the door open, and Clay entered, going high as he went low.
He saw her then tied to the chair, her gaze strong on his before it moved behind him, and her eyes widened at seeing Clay. Only a cut to her lip marred her perfection. He couldn’t take the time he wanted on Callie though because Sophia stood behind her, a knife at his woman’s throat. He remained steady as he held his weapon on her, calm overtaking the red in his vision.
“Put the knife down, Sophia.”
“Never.”
“You won’t walk out of here alive if you hurt her.” He meant every word. If Callie were hurt, Reid would burn down the world to avenge her.
“You won’t let me live either way.” Sophia looked twitchy, edgy, and unhinged rather than the cool, calm, and collected woman he’d known.
“You can walk out of here and still have a life when you get out of prison.” He kept his eyes on Sophia, not trusting himself to look at Callie. Despite his words, he preferred she stayed in prison forever, the threat against Callie not one he could bear.
“I’d rather die than spend my life with those people.”
Reid knew her intent the second she started speaking and his eyes never left her hand on the knife.
His bullet hit sure and true, and Sophia dropped to the ground, the knife falling from her limp hand. He moved quickly to the woman he loved and Clay moved to secure Sophia who was alive but injured.
He was on his knees, his hands on her face, moving over her body, making sure she was safe before he spoke. “Jesus, sunshine, you took twenty years off my life.”
“I knew you’d come.” His throat clogged at her tremulous smile and the way her sweet voice sounded to his ears. She looked at Clay then. “When did you get here?”
Reid was crowded out by Clay who took over checking her for any injury. “Thought I’d come surprise you. Didn’t plan on a rescue first though.”
Reid stood to the side, his eyes on Callie and Clay, two people he cared about, each had a piece of his heart and he’d let them both down. He moved away, focusing his attention on Sophia. The shot had hit her in her arm, but the shock and pain had caused her to pass out. He wondered what made someone with so much potential become this person.
As soon as Clay untied Callie, she pushed up and hugged her brother before releasing him and turning to Reid. He wanted to resist and fight the pull he felt for her knowing he’d failed her so badly, but he couldn’t when she threw herself at him.
He caught her as her legs and arms went around him like a monkey, her head buried in his neck, and held on. He cradled her close, one hand on her back, the other on her head. He would stay like this forever if he could with her safe in his arms. She pulled her head from his neck and gazed up at him. The feeling there almost felled him, the tears in her eyes and a love so intense he knew he’d never forget it.
“Thank you for saving me.”
The five words were innocuous, but he couldn’t accept her thanks when he was to blame. He locked his jaw and set her away ignoring the confusion clouding her features that bit into his heart.
“We need to go. Clay, will you secure Callie? I’ll make sure the others have Gunner locked down.”
Clay took his sister into his embrace and pulled her away. “You don’t need to ask me to protect what’s mine, Reid.”
His flinty gaze was locked on Reid when he spoke, and the message was clear. He blamed him for what had happened, as he should. Reid nodded, a wealth of meaning in that action as he watched Clay move towards Blake and Jack.
Callie looked back, confusion and hurt in her features and he turned away, unable to bear knowing he’d caused her more pain than he already had.
Once the scene was clear, they made their way back to Eidolon with Liam, Alex, Jack, Mitch, and Reid escorting Gunner. Reid knew what he had to do. He wasn’t cut out for love or relationships. He was like his old man, failing the women that needed him—he’d abandoned his mother and sisters, and now Callie could’ve been killed because of him.
He’d walk away from the love of his life, the sunshine in his dark world, knowing he wouldn’t love again but knowing she’d eventually find happiness with someone else.
Liam and Alex pulled Gunner from the vehicle when they pulled up to Eidolon a black fabric bag covering his head, his wrists secured with ties, and Reid wondered why he wasn’t struggling to get free. Gunner hadn’t said a word since he’d come around and been hauled upright by the men he’d betrayed.
Reid caught Callie moving into the showers she’d used before but studiously kept his eyes facing front so he didn’t have to engage with her and hurt her more. He could feel her hurt gaze on his back as he walked away and hated himself for not protecting her better.
Once they cleared the hallway and moved towards the interrogation room, he let Jack and Alex put Gunner in a cell, leaving him cuffed and blind. Jack then locked the door to the empty room that had no place to sit and no light.
“How long will you leave him?” Reid asked Jack, hating that he still had even the slightest bit of compassion for the man.
“A few hours, then we can start the questioning. I need to make sure Milla is safe and settled at a new location before we begin. I want all my cards stacked, so he has no choice but to do what we want.”
“Did Fortis secure Milla?”
“Yes, they took her to the safe house. The medical staff were there waiting. She seems to have handled the move OK.”
Reid nodded and brushed back his hair which had fallen over his face.
“This wasn’t your fault.”
Reid looked up sharply at Jack’s words, shock almost taking him back a step before he locked still. “It’s absolutely my fault.”
Jack shook his head. “I don’t know what it is that haunts you, Reid, but you’re a good man and she’d be lucky to have you.”
Not used to such praise from Jack, Reid was at a loss what to say.
“When this is done, take some time off, go see your family.”
Reid wanted that, no, he needed it. His head snapped up as Clay exited the weapons room, changed into his civilian clothes.
Jack followed his gaze. “Good man, he loves his sister.”
Reid nodded. “He’s the best man I know, always has been.”
Jack swung his gaze back to Reid, assessing him before he shook his head and walked away. “Let me know about the time off.”
“Will do.”
Reid watched as Jack reached Clay and stopped to thank him, saying a few words Reid couldn’t hear. Clay looked up and straight at Reid before he nodded. Jack moved away and then it was just him and Clay.
He moved down the hall and Reid did the same until they stopped a few feet apart. This had never been them; they’d been best friends, brothers, since they were young boys. To have this tension between them now and it stung knowing he was the one who’d caused the rift.
Reid broke the silence. “How is she?”
“She seems okay, but she needs rest.”
“My keys are in my locker. The code is Mom’s birthday.”
Clay observed him for a moment. “Will you be there?”
Reid shook his head. “No, I have things to do here. You can stay as long as you need.”