by Fiona Archer
“I didn’t. I loved her.” Dillon’s hand dropped another inch. “I was good. Kept my grades up at school. Got into varsity for tennis. ”
None of that had mattered to Aurora. She’d loved her son. His achievements were a bonus.
But Dillon, blinded by insecurity, placed importance on actions that had no real value.
Like making enough money to prove your worth.
Seth blinked. Christ, what a time for a personal epiphany. Instead, he concentrated on taking down the bastard in front of him.
“But making varsity for tennis wasn’t enough was it, Dillon, because she kept us. Adam, Zach, Heath, and me. She gave us her last name. Moved us into her house.” Seth watched Dillon’s hand drop another inch as his mouth slackened. “If you’d been enough for her, she would have left us back in Sydney.”
“No,” Dillon’s desperate cry was coupled with his finger sliding off the Glock’s trigger.
A zip type noise sounded. Dillon’s body jerked before a red dot bloomed on his forehead. Another two bullets hit his chest. He fell backward.
Seth rushed to Harper. “Sweetness.” His voice cracked, and he didn’t give a damn. “Tell me where you’re hurting.” He shoved his gun in the back of his pants and dragged a handkerchief from his pocket. She didn’t need parts of Dillon’s brain and blood on her face. After wiping quickly, he ran his hands over her face, her hair, feeling her body shivering as Zach removed the strap from across her chest.
She gave Zach a shaky smile. “T-thank you.”
“Babe,” the biker gently cupped her face before stepping back to give Seth more room.
“Harper, speak to me.” Any second now, Seth expected her to succumb to shock.
“I-I’m okay,” She sniffled as her limbs trembled. Her mouth and jaw had started to bruise. He’d died inside watching Dillon take his revenge out on Harper. Now seeing her injuries, he wanted his chance to beat the crap out of Dillon.
Seth glanced over to see Adam crouched down beside the body of their brother. Confusion, dismay, anger, and grief all warred for prominence within Seth. The blood covered body was family, someone who’d been a huge part of his life and who’d turned twisted and horrible.
Adam glanced up, his gaze haunted, pained. Seth guessed one of the bullets that felled Dillon had to have come from Adam.
Heath pulled a key from Dillon’s pants pocket and unlocked her cuffs. “Get her out of here, Seth.”
“Heath,” Harper began and then looked to Adam. “I don’t know how to t-thank you.” Tears ran down her face. “I-I—” She broke off.
Heath dropped a kiss on her forehead, his hand resting on her head a moment longer. “Later, honey. We’ll do this later.” He shared a look with Seth.
“Okay, sweetheart,” Careful of any possible injuries, Seth lifted her in his arms. “Let’s get you out of here.”
“I’m good now you’re with me.” She gave a hiccupping sob as she burrowed against his chest.
He turned and headed toward the blown door that led out into the street. Mindless of the crowd of first responders watching, he kissed her hair and her forehead before he gently kissed her on the mouth. “You had me worried. I thought I wasn’t going to get a chance to tell you.”
She blinked tear-clumped lashes and stared up at him. “Tell me what?”
He let his gaze drink in the beauty of her face, the sound of her voice. All the things he would have given his life for if it meant ensuring her safety. “I love you, Harper.”
She blinked furiously as her eyes teared up again, before lifting her chin high in the air. “Too bloody right you do, handsome.”
Seth threw back his head and laughed. God, she was priceless.
The assembled cops and paramedics cheered. Adam walked up beside Seth and clapped him on the shoulder. “She’ll fit right in, bro.”
Harper’s grin deepened as she glanced at his brother.
Seth dropped another kiss on her mouth, careful to keep pressure away from her bruising. “But before we get too carried away, let’s get you to an emergency room.”
She gripped his shoulders. “No, I don’t need a trip to the hospital. I just need a warm bath and a glass of wine.”
“No chance, luv.” Heath waved to a paramedic who opened the back door of the ambulance. “You’ve got a date with the ER.”
Harper’s mouth firmed in a mutinous line. Too bad. Seth shook his head. “Cop’s orders.”
“You can travel up front if you wish.” The female paramedic offered as she readied the gurney.
“He wishes,” Harper replied, her gaze daring him to say no.
“Sure.” Seth walked up to the ambulance and gently lowered Harper to the gurney. He needed to check in with his brothers before they left, but he couldn’t ask the paramedics to wait.
“How long before you leave?” He asked the male paramedic as the guy opened one of their kits.
“We’ll do a full assessment, likely start an IV.” The first responder glanced over Seth’s shoulder to the men gathered together and back to Seth. “Don’t worry, I’ll give a shout when we’re ready.” Harper gave him a tiny wave then gave her attention to the first responders.
“Thanks, mate.” Seth nodded.
He walked to Heath, catching his brother by the arm. “You okay? Do I need to plead your case so you don’t get your arse handed to you by your Captain?” Heath had risked his career allowing them to stage the rescue.
“No, Randall and McNally have already assured Cap we’d run out of time, and Dillon was about to play another round of roulette.” Heath’s gaze fell to the cracked pavement at his feet. “I can’t reconcile the man in that warehouse to the one we’ve considered family for the last thirteen years.”
“But he wasn’t.” Adam’s moved up beside him. “He never thought of himself as our brother. Fair enough. Doesn’t take away from the fact Aurora gave us a home, a name and loved us.”
Seth heard Adam’s words, but he also saw his brother worked hard to swallow the pain. He reached out and squeezed Adam’s shoulder.
No matter what Dillon had done today, he’d been their brother. They’d loved him. And Adam, and likely Heath, had been forced to shoot him.
“I’m guessing you have another brother who’s more than earned his place today.” Zach glanced over his shoulder at Lincoln, who was answering questions from a plainclothes officer.
“You planned for him to take the shot, didn’t you?” Seth asked Adam.
“From the moment we stormed that warehouse, one of two things was going to happen.” Adam said. “Either Dillon would kill Harper, or we’d take him out. Our best bet was either me or Lincoln taking the kill shot.” He raised one shoulder then let it drop. “Lincoln’s a sniper in the SAS. I didn’t have to ask him. He knew his mission the moment he scouted the warehouse, and he completed it without first debating if doing so would get him in your good books.”
“So you like him?” Praise from Adam? Now that was a rare commodity.
“Jesus, we shared twenty minutes. It’s not like we’re dating.”
Seth huffed a tired laugh as Zach rolled his eyes. Adam’s dry humor managed to lighten the sadness and regret that weighed over them all.
“Adam,” a male voice called out. They all looked past a group of police to see Agent Tollison striding toward them.
“Leave this to me,” Adam cut the man off a few feet from Seth and steered him to the side.
Seth glanced back at the ambulance then to Heath. “I need to have a word with Lincoln. Can you call Nitro, let him know what’s happened?”
“Consider it done.” Heath pulled out his phone.
Lincoln was finishing up with the officer when Seth drew near. His younger brother nodded toward the ambulance. “How’s Harper?”
“Okay, considering. She’s agreed to endure a visit to the ER.” Seth’s smile dissolved as he searched for the right words. “Lincoln, you’ll never know how grateful I am for what you did today.” He cleared his
throat as the last few words came out in a thicker, rougher voice.
His younger brother held out his hand. “Maybe we can have a beer sometime soon.”
And just like that, it came so easy. Seth grabbed Lincoln in a hug. His eyes burned as his brother returned the gesture. Seventeen years. Seth breathed deep as he let go of a mountain of heartache. The past needed to be exactly that, behind them both. He and Lincoln had gone too long without having each other in their lives.
With a slap on the back, Seth let go. “We’re heading to the hospital. Why don’t you follow with the guys?”
“I can do that.” Lincoln walked with him over to the rest of his brothers.
Seth gave each of them a hug, exchanged more manly slaps on the back and received promises to catch up at the hospital or by phone, depending on the red tape Heath would be swamped in. Seth ran to the ambulance and climbed in the front passenger seat. The male paramedic nodded as he closed his door.
“Have you seen their new store in Green Lake? They have cute rainbow post it notes at sixty-percent off.”
Seth turned his head slightly. That was Harper’s voice.
“No way? The ones in the dispenser or the pad?”
“Just the pad” Definitely Harper. “But who needs a dispenser when you can have rainbow colors?”
“True. I’m not even a fan of dispensers. I like to pick and choose different colors depending on the color of the paper it goes on.”
“Exactly. Hey, I should get your email addy. I have heaps of website links for stationery and office supplies. You’re going to practically climax from the sheer joy.”
He glanced at the male driver, who gave him a meaningful look.
Seth settled deeper into his seat as his muscles started to relax. A grin played at the edges of his mouth.
His coffee girl was going to be all right.
EPILOGUE
Harper stood in the middle of her living room, her eyes closed and a holding a hand mirror. “Come on, don’t make me wait any longer.”
“Patience, woman. Keep those eyes closed.” Seth’s deep voice flowed like warm honey over her shoulder. A strand of something cool landed on her chest and then higher on the back of her neck. “Now you can open them.”
She lifted the mirror to her throat and gasped. Attached to a gold chain was a tiny gold coffee cup sitting on a saucer. Inside the cup was a sliver of amber. She lifted a finger and ran it along with smooth links of the chain and over the cup. “Seth, it’s gorgeous.”
“Just the thing for my coffee girl.” Seth gently pulled the mirror from her hand, dropped it on the sofa next to them and turned her in his arms, the softness of her ruby silk dress rustling against his charcoal grey jacket and navy shirt.
His gaze roved over her face. “I know it’s been a crazy two weeks since…what happened.” He glanced to the side, likely searching for the right words.
Harper cupped his cheek in her hand, loving the roughness of the fine growth of stubble against her fingers. “You can say it, Seth. Since Dillon was shot.” Hours of counselling had helped some. At least she wasn’t having nightmares anymore. That first week after Dillon’s death…She closed her eyes for a second, remembering the faces of his victims, the feel of the muzzle being shoved against her head. Even Seth holding her tight in bed hadn’t kept those demons at bay.
But she was getting there slowly. Each day she felt a little more in control.
He blew out a breath. “Yeah, since he got shot, his funeral, and then the sale of Shazad.” Brooke-Porter had acquired Seth’s business at the original asking price. “We haven’t really had a chance to deal with everything that led up to Dillon taking you.”
Harper lowered her hand and rested it on his chest. “Your accusation and not believing me,” she stated in a flat voice. God, she didn’t want to do this. They had a room full of people about to turn up downstairs in the café, waiting to celebrate the sale of Shazad. Seth hadn’t wanted to party, but she’d insisted they do so. It was time they all celebrated, were happy and shared that joy with friends. “Handsome, I’m not sure we’ll achieve much rehashing all that. And I don’t want to go where I’ll feel frustrated when we have guests about to arrive.”
But Seth wasn’t dissuaded. “Harper, it’s because I want you to have no regrets that I think you deserve to vent and have a proper apology.”
“Handsome—”
“No.” Seth laid a finger over her mouth, his commanding gaze holding hers captive. “I owe you an apology.” He removed his fingers and wrapped his arm back around her, drawing her closer against his length. “There’s no excusing my not giving you more of a chance to explain or prove your innocence. In fact, I should have worked with you to find out what had happened. It took Zach reminding me of the kind of person you are to open my eyes.”
At the hospital and at a rare time Seth wasn’t by her side, but forced to complete an interview with the cops, Heath had shared with her Zach’s defense on her behalf. For that, the gruff biker received a huge basket of cupcakes and other treats. In fairness, since all the brothers had risked their lives to save her, she made sure each of them received a basket, too, but Zach’s was bigger under the pretext she’d catered for Milly as well.
“Obviously Zach’s the genius in the family,” she joked, but her grin faded a tad when Seth’s worried expression stayed in place. “Babe, I’m not going to lie. You hurt me. Deeply. But when someone’s holding a gun to your head, you learn to prioritize what’s important to you.” She lifted her chin higher, pressed herself closer to Seth. “And holding on to that anger fell off that list.”
“Christ, I don’t deserve you.” Seth lowered his head and kissed her with a fierceness that stole her breath. He swept her mouth with his tongue, tasting her, nipping her lower lip, holding her tight enough she couldn’t move. Slowly, he lessened the pressure on her lips, until he finally lifted his head. “So I’m forgiven, huh?”
Ah, but it didn’t hurt to keep him on his toes. “Sure.” She pushed against his chest. He loosened his arms, allowing her to take a step back. “But don’t be shocked one day if I snap and you find your Motörhead poster defaced by a pink Sharpie marker.”
His eyes widened, and she couldn’t hold back her giggle. “Why you wench...” He lunged for her just as a knock sounded on her front door. She raced away, waking Mal who lay stretched along to the top of the sofa and headed to the door.
After checking the peephole, she opened the door and smiled. “Adam, come in.”
Whoa, didn’t he look striking in black slacks and a dark brown shirt that matched the color of his hair. Seriously, these brothers were like a Down Under gang of hotness or something.
Adam nodded, stepped into the foyer and waited for her to lead him into the living room.
Seth gave his brother a chin lift. “The crowd getting restless?”
“No,” Adam shoved his hands into his pockets and stared back at them.
Harper glanced at Seth. “Um, if you guys need some privacy,” she trailed off.
“Stay, please.” Adam reached out to scratch Mal’s head, whose purring soon filled the silence. After one last pat, he moved to stand in the middle of the room, before Seth. “My employer and I have officially parted ways.”
Harper reached out and squeezed his arm, noting the rock-solid muscles under her touch. “Oh, gosh I’m sorry, Adam.”
“I’m not.” Seth ignored her glare. “We never knew where the hell he was or what danger he faced. I prefer to have him close by.”
That was something she’d noticed since Dillon’s death. The brothers met up more often for a beer, or simply called each other more regularly. While Dillon’s betrayal and death was tragic, at least some good had come from the carnage.
“Yeah, well,” Adam shrugged. “The private contractor I worked for has decided I’m too big a risk to keep on their teams.”
“So what are you planning on doing?” She glanced at Seth. “Having one of you deciding on a new care
er is bad enough. Tomorrow we fly out for a week in the Caribbean, but I’m guessing by the time we get back, Seth will be frustrated and driving me crazy.”
“That’s why I’m here.” Adam regarded Seth. “Since the sale of Shazad, I’ve got cash in the bank. Might as well set myself up in my own business.”
Seth lifted a brow. “As what?”
“Private investigations, protection, specialized security for high-end clients,” Adam shared. “They’re willing to pay for a particular level of service. I can deliver that.”
Interest flared in Seth’s eyes. “And you’re asking me to join you?”
“I’m building a specialized team around me. I need a computer guy. Someone who can do the technical stuff while I take care of fieldwork. But whoever I choose, he must be able to handle himself if I need to bring him on a job. You can.”
Harper’s heart lurched. On a job? Hadn’t they just recovered from enough drama?
A slow smile spread across Seth’s face. “I’m intrigued.”
“Thought you might be.” Adam’s satisfied gaze matched the tone of his voice.
Harper moved to stand beside Seth. “Um, what kind of jobs are we talking about?” She looked back and forth between both men.
Seth slid his hand around hers and squeezed. “Nothing too dangerous, sweetness.”
She studied her man before switching attention to his brother. Adam’s face was carefully blank. Hmm. But for the first time in a days, Seth was interested in something other than taking care of her and clearing out his office at Shazad.
A man like Seth, a determined, resourceful man, needed a challenge. Maybe what Adam was offering was exactly the right fit?
She nudged Seth’s arm with her shoulder. “Then I guess you guys should discuss this further.” His answering smile was all the confirmation she needed that her guy was already giving serious consideration to Adam’s offer. “But first, we have a party to get to.”
Adam’s groan was anything but good-natured. “I’m not wearing a fucking party hat. That crazy blonde friend of yours tried to give me one earlier, wouldn’t take no for an answer until I told her Heath loved karaoke. Now she’s pestering the hell out of him to set up Milly’s SingStar.”