by Rebecca Deel
He blinked, hardly daring to breathe. She wasn’t cutting him loose. “You want me to fight back?”
“I want you to reclaim your life, my love. O’Reilly has taken seven years of your life. He stole your identity and your family. He has to be stopped. You can’t be the only person who suffered at the mobster’s hands. With the help of Fortress, we can stop him from hurting anyone else.”
“Baby, there’s a good chance someone will die. O’Reilly’s men won’t surrender without a fight.”
“I think Fortress can handle O’Reilly and his men. They’ve survived the worst mankind has to offer on the battlefield. O’Reilly and his men are amateurs compared to the terrorists the operatives have defeated. We have to trust Fortress. We don’t have a choice. I love you, Marcus. I want a life with you, one free from fear. I don’t want to wonder every time I answer the door if Ethan or Nick or another policeman is there to tell me you’ve been murdered. If Brent’s plan doesn’t work, I’ll go with you into the private witness protection and try to talk Gram into coming with us. I’ve waited years for you, Marcus. I’m not giving you up.”
“You’ll lose everything. You friends, your job, the town you love. As much as I want to, I can’t ask that of you.”
“We belong together. If you choose relocation, I’m going with you.”
He captured her lips in a hard, heated kiss. “I love you, Paige.”
“I love you, too. Time to talk to Brent.”
The Fortress CEO took one look at their faces and smiled. “You’re going for it. Good. Let’s go to the conference room.” He picked up his phone and punched in a number. “Z, conference room. I need Durango, Eli, and Jon if they’ve arrived, and the members of the Shadow unit still on US soil. The Zoo Crew as well if we can get them.”
He stood. “Follow me.” Maddox led them down another corridor and opened a door on the right. In the center of the large conference table sat a vast array of breakfast wraps, cut fruit, soft drinks, and bottles of water. On a side table sat a large coffee urn with mugs waiting to be filled. “Fill your plates and eat.” He slid a look at Marcus. “Figured you and Paige needed a meal after your early morning wakeup call. By this time, Durango will be hungry as well.”
“We could have eaten later.”
“I don’t want you wandering around town. We can’t be sure O’Reilly doesn’t have more people here.”
In a city the size of Nashville, the possibility one of O’Reilly’s men would see Marcus was slim at best. However, Fortress was one of the top security firms in the world for a reason. Only a fool ignored the advice of an expert.
He nudged Paige toward the plates. “Choose what you want. When the rest arrive, they’ll devour everything in sight.”
Soon, the conference room was filled with operatives busy devouring their meals.
Paige leaned close to Marcus. “I’d like to talk to Gram. Do you think this is a good time?”
Marcus nodded. “Z, can Paige borrow a sat phone to call Jo?”
The tech guru reached into a side pocket of his chair and handed her a black phone along with a charger. “This one is yours to keep. It’s secure. You can talk to Jo without compromising her safety or yours. Sam’s phone number is already programmed in. So is Brent’s, mine, and the number for Marcus.”
She planted a light kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Zane.”
His cheeks flushed. “Glad to help.”
Paige smiled at Marcus and hurried to the hallway.
Minutes later, Brent stood. Immediately, the room fell silent. He told them about the original operation in which he’d run afoul of O’Reilly and his son, and the part Marcus had played in saving his life. “O’Reilly sent a hit man, Vincent Bianchi, after Marcus in Otter Creek. The price on his head has been doubled. Nowhere is safe for him or his girlfriend now. I have operatives on Marcus’s family in case O’Reilly makes a play for them. Now it’s time to end the threat to Marcus and Paige permanently.”
Zane flashed a satellite view of an estate on the television screens around the room. “This is O’Reilly’s estate in upstate New York. He has sixteen men who serve as security guards. They are heavily armed and have three pairs of German shepherds also patrolling the grounds, one pair per shift.”
“Hope you brought your dart gun, Rio,” Nate said.
“In my mike bag. Do you know how much the dogs weigh, Z?”
“About 80 pounds each. I’ve already been in contact with Dr. Sorensen about the proper dosage and sent the information to your email.”
“How are we doing this, boss?” Eli asked.
“In order for this plan to work, we need to touch every member of O’Reilly’s family, especially those grandchildren he dotes on. We need surveillance on every person. To do this right will take at least 48 hours. I don’t care what plans you had for the rest of this week. Cancel them. Nothing takes priority over this operation.”
Maddox moved a white board into place at the head of the table and picked up a marker.
Four hours later, he asked, “Anything to add?”
Marcus wrapped his hand around Paige’s, hoped she understood what he was about to do. “I’m going with you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
“Last chance to back out, Marcus,” Maddox murmured without looking at the man crouched by his side. “No one will think less of you for changing your mind.”
“I need to see this through. Paige was right. It’s time to finish this.”
“Doesn’t mean you have to be involved. You were caught in the backwash of a mission gone bad seven years ago. Now you have a choice. You can choose to walk away.”
“Mick O’Reilly made this my problem when he shot me. I’m in this until the end.”
A nod, then, “Follow orders without hesitation. Stay with me or Eli. Do what you have to, Marcus. Don’t second-guess yourself or you will get hurt, possibly die. I don’t want to be the one to inform Paige of your demise.”
“Yes, sir.” His stomach knotted at the prospect of having to pull the trigger to save his own life or the lives of his teammates. He’d do it, just the same. Marcus had the best incentive in the world to survive the coming encounter unscathed. He planned to marry the love of his life as soon as Jo returned from the cruise. He and Paige had called Jo, and the three of them agreed it would be best for Marcus to marry Paige in Nashville before returning to Otter Creek. If he still had a job, the congregation would want to have a reception for them.
Maddox activated his mike. “Two minutes.”
The leaders of each team acknowledged his order.
Marcus scanned the area, watching for a change in the rhythm of the guards or for one of the dogs to alert. So far, the night watch pattern remained unchanged. He adjusted his mask, preparing to move on Maddox’s order.
At the two-minute mark, Maddox said, “Josh, go.”
Somewhere on the other side of the compound, Durango moved to intercept the pair of guards and their four-footed companions. A minute later, Josh’s voice came over the comm system. “Dogs and handlers are down.”
“Nico, go.”
Marcus shifted his gaze to the left side of the estate where five dark-clad figures separated from the inky depths of the tree line and surged across the open expanse of terrain until they reached the darkened wall at the side of the house.
“Nico, guards will be coming around the corner in fifteen seconds.”
“Copy.”
Fascinated with the tableau playing out in front of him, Marcus almost missed the signal from Maddox to be ready.
“Guards are down,” Nico murmured.
“Copy. Zane, any change inside the house?”
“Negative. O’Reilly is still in place. Doesn’t look like anyone knows the estate is under attack. So much for state of the art security.”
“It’s not one of ours. Continue monitoring.”
Marcus followed Maddox across the darkened expanse of grass. Back pressed against the wall, he waited for Eli to
breach the house as Nico and Josh were doing at their entrance points.
Over the comm system, Zane said, “Nico, Brent, go. Josh, hold. Roaming guard coming your way.”
Eli looked at his boss, nodded. Receiving the signal to go, he stood to the side of the door and eased it open. A moment later, he slipped inside, followed by Curt Jackson, then Maddox and Marcus.
The interior of the house was dimly lit. Soft footsteps sounded nearby.
“Boss, company on your six.”
Immediately, Brent shifted to stand in front of Marcus, weapon drawn, as the rest of the team hugged the shadows. Eli nudged Marcus even further against the wall.
The door behind Marcus opened and a girl, maybe four years old, stepped into the hallway. The dark-haired waif looked at him, eyes wide.
Marcus pulled his half mask down under his chin and crouched in front of her. He smiled. “Why are you awake this time of night?” he whispered.
“I had a bad dream. I think there’s a bad man in my closet.”
He glanced at Maddox, got a chin lift in response. “Want me to check the closet? If there is a bad man, I’ll chase him out.”
The girl nodded.
Marcus wrapped his hand around hers and walked into her room, pulling the door almost shut. At least he could keep the little one from raising an alarm while the rest of the team dealt with O’Reilly’s guards.
He glanced around the doll and ruffle paradise until he saw the closet door. “Climb into bed and I’ll look in your closet.” When she pulled the covers to her lap, Marcus turned on the closet light switch. Girl clothes and shoes, a lot of them, but no bad men. “All clear,” he murmured, and turned off the light. “No bad man. You need to stay in your room. Your grandfather will be awake soon and you don’t want him upset about you wandering around the house by yourself. Will you promise me to stay here until it’s daylight?”
The girl yawned and snuggled into her pillow. “Okay. Thanks for checking the closet.”
“Sleep well, little one.” Aware of the mission clock ticking, he tugged his mask back place and slipped into the hall.
“Nice job.” Maddox inclined his head down the corridor.
Marcus followed in his wake, alert for anyone coming up behind them.
“Z, O’Reilly?”
“End of the corridor, last room on the right. One of his men is in the room to the left. Looks like both are asleep.”
Maddox signaled Curt to take care of the guard. Eli, Maddox, and Marcus crept their way along the hall, clearing room after room or incapacitating the occupants when they found them.
Finally, they approached the mobster’s door as Curt reappeared in the hall. He gave a hand signal to Maddox. After a nod, he whispered into the comm system, “Going in now.”
Marcus held his weapon at his side, ready to aid the others if they needed assistance.
They breached the room in silence. The men spread out with Maddox on one side of the bed, Curt on the other. Eli and Marcus stood at opposite sides of the foot board.
In sleep, Sean O’Reilly looked like a harmless grandfather. From appearance alone, Marcus couldn’t believe this man was the cause of so much pain in his life for the past seven years.
Maddox clamped a hand over O’Reilly’s mouth as Curt pressed the barrel of his weapon against the man’s ear.
The mobster’s eyes flew open. He thrashed until Curt clamped a hand across his throat and squeezed in warning.
“I’m going to lift my hand,” Maddox said softly. “If you yell or attract attention, my friend will pull that trigger. My men are all over this estate. One word from me, and your family dies. I’d hate to kill your beautiful dark-headed granddaughter sleeping down the hall.”
Marcus’s muscles tightened at the harsh words. The Fortress CEO had a daughter of his own. He wouldn’t hurt an innocent child. If Marcus didn’t know him, however, he would have believed Maddox. Ruthlessness and menace filled his voice.
O’Reilly narrowed his eyes.
“I’m here to talk, but I’ll be happy to rid the world of your presence and that of your motley crew. Do we understand each other?”
A reluctant nod.
“Excellent.” He slowly lifted his hand from the mob boss.
“You’re a dead man,” O’Reilly spat out.
Maddox flicked a glance at Curt. The operative tightened his grip around the man’s throat. After several seconds, the hold eased, allowing O’Reilly to drag in much needed air.
“I want two things from you, O’Reilly. If you want your family to survive, you will call off the hunt and bounty on Matt Watson. You will also leave his family alone. If an unfortunate accident befalls any of them, you and your family will pay in blood.”
“Watson killed my boy.”
“He shot your hit man to save his own life and that of another man. Unlike Mick, Matt didn’t plan to kill anyone.”
O’Reilly’s fists clenched on top of the blanket. “And if I don’t cooperate?”
“You’ll die, then we’ll sweep through the house and kill the guards, the dogs, and your family members who are here tonight. Once we’ve finished here, we’ll go to the houses on Wilshire, Westcott, Magnolia, and Beaumont, and kill your daughters, their husbands, and children. The cops will look at the Zambini family as their prime suspects because there won’t be any trace of our presence.”
When O’Reilly remained silent, Maddox pulled out his phone, turned it so the screen faced the man stubbornly refusing to concede he’d been defeated by strangers.
“Pictures taken of your family in the past week, O’Reilly. We know Angelina is sleeping down the hall and attends daycare at Miss Mabel’s Academy. Joseph is enrolled there, too. The rest of your grandchildren are attending St. Michael’s, a pricey private school. Your daughters are members of the country club and plan to attend a luncheon today given by the gardening society. Your sons-in-law are lieutenants in your organization and are neck-deep in criminal activity. We have proof of their work waiting to be delivered to the feds.” As Maddox talked, he scrolled through the pictures his operatives had taken of the O’Reilly clan. “I have people everywhere. I’ll know if you break your word. Don’t think you can hide them from me. Your communications are being monitored as well as your movements. You and your family won’t escape me.”
“Say I agree to your terms. How do I know you’ll keep your word and leave my family alone?”
“You don’t. Take it or leave it. Do you live to see another sunrise or die where you lay?”
Silence for a moment, then, “All right. I’ll call off the hunt for Watson and withdraw the bounty.”
“Wise decision.” Maddox grabbed the man’s cell phone and thrust it into his hand. “Take care of it.”
After a vicious curse, O’Reilly snatched the phone and placed a call. Within one minute, the task was complete.
Dazed, Marcus drew the first relaxed breath he’d taken in seven long years. Maybe now he could see his family and introduce his wife to them.
“Get out of my house,” O’Reilly snapped as soon as he ended the call.
Maddox signaled the others and as one they backed away from the bed.
Marcus kept careful watch on the old man. Maddox had warned him this was the most dangerous point in their operation. Because he was watching closely, he saw the decision to act in O’Reilly’s eyes before the other man moved a muscle.
The mob boss shoved his hand under his pillow and whipped out a gun. Before he could shoot, four suppressed weapons fired. The old man fell back on the bed, unmoving.
“It’s finished,” Maddox murmured. “Let’s go home.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Paige stared at the sky again. Where were they? She had watched planes land over the past hour, none of them the Fortress plane carrying Marcus and the operatives returning from the O’Reilly estate. Who knew the John C. Tune airport was this busy?
“Relax, Paige,” Zane said. “They’ll be here soon.”
&nbs
p; Zane’s wife, Claire, smiled at her. “Where will you and Marcus go for your honeymoon?”
Her heart gave a little kick at the thought of marrying the man of her dreams. “He promised me sun and sand.”
“The beach. Excellent choice. The weather is perfect right now. Do we need to go shopping for your wedding?”
“I have to. I don’t even have a wedding dress.”
“You’re in luck. Nashville has several shops selling wedding attire. We’ll have you and Marcus ready to tie the knot in no time.”
She hoped so. The plane carrying Gram and her traveling companions was due to stop here within the hour. Gram was staying in Nashville while the others were flying to Knoxville. Durango would drive two SUVs to Otter Creek after the wedding, and leave the third for Marcus and Paige.
“There it is.” Zane pointed at the plane taxiing on the tarmac. “Wait until I’m sure it’s safe for you to get out.” The Lear jet slowed to a stop. When the door opened, Zane said, “Go.”
Paige flung open the door. As men carrying bags of equipment streamed down the stairs, she leaped from the vehicle and ran.
Though all the men were dressed in black, Paige recognized Marcus immediately and raced toward him. He dropped his bag and Paige threw herself into his arms.
“Marcus.”
His arms clamped around her and he captured her mouth with his, the kiss long and heated. When he broke the kiss, he laid his forehead against hers. “It’s over, baby. You’re safe.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. “O’Reilly’s dead.”
Paige’s heart skipped a beat. “You’re okay? The operatives?”
“We’re fine.”
Maddox clapped Marcus on the shoulder. “Grab your gear. We’ll wait for Jo in the private lounge.”
Marcus slung the equipment bag over his shoulder and wrapped his hand around Paige’s. They crossed the tarmac to the single-story structure where the Fortress CEO led them to a heavy metal door that he unlocked. He checked the room, then motioned for them to go inside.