She had to not let Axel rattle her. That’s what he was doing. He was trying to shake her up with the best thing he could, going after those she loved and cared about.
In the end, he knew it was always the easiest way to get her to fall in line. Emotional blackmail.
She found the floor’s main station, several nurses wandering around it. She needed to refocus on what was important. She couldn’t let Axel break her and lead to stupidity. Silently, she thanked Elijah. She would need to apologize to him later.
“I’m looking for information on the IMPO Special Agent Zander Wade.”
“He’s in surgery, and a young man is lined up to give him blood as well. We won’t have any information for you for probably another hour. Maybe more.” The nurse smiled kindly at her. Sawyer enjoyed the French accent. It was different from what she normally heard, hard New Yorkers or Southerners. The French was soothing. “Is he a friend?”
“More than that,” she answered, stepping back. “He’s family.” She turned away, finding it hard to ignore the argument at the end of the hall. She walked to a point where she could actually see Quinn and Elijah, frustrated and angry with each other. Somewhere else, Zander was under and Jasper was by his side to help, like Zander had helped all of them at some point.
This is what the mission had done to the team. This is what she and Vincent had done to them. This was their plan, thanks to Missy, and this was a mess they had to clean up. This wasn’t Axel’s fault. Axel got out, and he played the game, but all of this was on her and Vincent. Axel went after Charlie because he needed something to distract her, since they had pushed so hard against him so quickly.
“Ma’am, why don’t you go have a seat?” a nurse asked her softly.
“I will, thank you,” she replied, nodding. She went back into the room where they would wheel Zander after surgery. Another hospital room. She was so tired of them. She could get why Zander wanted out of the IMPO. They were always in fucking hospital rooms.
“No news?” Vincent asked softly.
“None.” She sat down next to him and they waited together. By the look on his face, she figured he was in the same place she was.
This was their fault.
Then Vincent’s phone started to ring. She knew it was going to be more bad news. She just knew it.
21
Zander
Zander woke up to the beeping of the equipment he knew he was strapped to. Daylight came through the window, and he felt perfectly normal. He moved to sit up, realizing he wasn’t perfectly normal, but there wasn’t any pain either. Sluggish. He normally woke up easier than this, used to it after years of a regimented schedule and early mornings.
He looked around the room, seeing everyone sleeping, waiting on him. Except one.
“Hey,” Sawyer whispered, jumping up from her spot and moving to his side. “How are you?”
“Good. What’s the official word?”
“They got everything. Like Vincent’s injury a few weeks ago, you’ll be up and moving as soon as you want to be, with some bruising. They said you healed a lot of it on your own, and they didn’t have to do much to pull the bullet out and finish the job.” She smiled at him and he felt like it was just another good day. Hell, even a great day.
“Jasper?” he asked.
“Still asleep. He gave you blood last night.”
“Of course he did,” Zander said, chuckling. He carefully began to pull IVs from his elbow and wrist. Thankfully, most Magi were never down long enough to need anything more invasive, like a catheter. “What’s the plan?”
“You have a lot of questions. We don’t have one right now. We don’t know how you ended up hurt, so we’re going to address that first. Also, Axel was in New York while we were in the Congo and blew up the gym. No one was hurt, thankfully, but it…”
“It rattled you. What did you do, Sawyer?” He could see the pain and guilt there. The way her shoulders seemed to be weighed down.
“Elijah had to stop us from going to the third raid tomorrow night. Another team is taking our place.”
“You were considering…” He thought about that. “You were going to keep going without me, or maybe even Jasper?”
“Yeah, but it’s okay. We’re not going to. It’ll be fine. Another team is going to go in and do it and report back to us.”
“And Axel blew the gym up?” Zander felt like he couldn’t breathe for a moment. He liked the gym. He had so much fun there. He’d even considered asking Charlie for a job when he was out of the IMPO. That’s how much he had loved it. The kids were crazy and too good, thanks to her, but he had loved it. “But Charlie and everyone…they’re okay.”
“They’re fine. One of Charlie’s protection detail didn’t make it, but there’s evidence that he was taken out by Axel so Axel wouldn’t be stopped. And that’s not everything that happened last night.”
“Could the night get any worse?” He wasn’t really sure how there could be more.
“There was a riot and several hits carried out in the prison. Missy is dead. So is Talyn. Anyone who might have had a connection to the Ghosts before all of this, gone. Luckily, we’ve been keeping the ones we’ve captured recently under lock and key in different locations.” Sawyer groaned, rubbing her face. “Alfie and the rest of them are still secure. For how long, I don’t know, but it’s a shit show, Zander.”
“Sounds like it. I mean, he was going to strike back. We knew that, right?”
“I didn’t think he would hit us like this…not this fast, anyway.” She looked away from him and sighed. “It’s fine. This is just how the game is played. So yeah, Elijah stopped me and Vincent from doing anything stupid like leaving for the raid without you. He even argued with Quinn all night over it.”
He reached out for her, taking her hand and squeezing. “We all have moments where someone else needs to knock us around to pull our heads out of our asses.” He knew from experience.
And it got the reaction he wanted. She began to laugh, soft and weak, but a laugh nonetheless. She looked at him again, snorted and began to laugh harder. “Yeah. So, how did you get shot? You can shield, you dumbass.”
“Well, I was shielded, but it was a madhouse. Quinn knocked out the power and everything went dark. I had no idea my shield was cracking from a couple of hits. Debris, mostly. He really tore that place up. Someone got a couple of lucky shots. I took the guy down, but one got in. I threw out a call for help to the first person I could think of before going down.”
“Jasper.”
“Yeah. He was at my side in an instant. We got cover and we tried to just let me work on it. We had to be careful, though, since we didn’t want to give ourselves away and get pinned down. It happens. This shit just happens. We weren’t going to make it good every time. I’ll be up by the end of the day and we’re back to it.”
“I’d prefer if we went back to New York. It would give you and Jasper a couple of days to heal more, regain your energy, and I need to check on Charlie. I have to.”
“Of course. I’m not saying we’re doing the raid. I’m not crazy.” He raised an eyebrow at her accusingly and she looked down to avoid him.
It was a strange time if he was having to put Sawyer in her place. This was going to come back and bite him later, he could feel it.
“So, back to New York tonight, then.” She nodded. “I’m glad you like the plan. Zander?”
“Yeah, babe?” he smiled leaning closer to her.
“Don’t get shot again.” She smiled back at him. “And has anyone talked to Jasper about…”
“No…” Zander sighed. If the important stuff was done, then it was time to talk about the relationship. Also important, he knew that, but it wasn’t pressing, not with everything going on. “He’s avoided me since we woke up yesterday. Not like that mattered when I needed him, but I’d like to talk to him.”
“Me too. He was…different the other day.”
“I bet he was,” Zander said lightly, looking over to
see his sleeping best friend.
“Did you…enjoy it?” she asked, sounding so insanely insecure. He coughed, wondering what she was thinking.
“Enjoy it? When can we sign up to do it again?” Zander laughed. “That was fucking great. Are you serious?”
“Until Elijah and Quinn, group sex was never my thing, but…” Sawyer shrugged. “None of this is normal.”
“It’s called polyamory, loving multiple people, a group relationship. Jasper and I talked a lot about it as teenagers.” He wasn’t an idiot. When he and Jasper spoke a long time ago on the idea of sharing her, they looked it all up. Jasper had researched and talked it all out with him. “And it’s not socially normal, but I love you. And he loves you. You love both of us. And them.” He nodded to the variety of sleeping men around the room. “When we’re not out dealing with the world, do you even think of it?”
“No. At home, even at the gym…this all feels right.” Sawyer chuckled, crossing her arms over her chest, as if she were hugging herself. “You know me. I’m not one to question good things too much. Just enjoy them while I have them.”
“Well, I love seeing you with any of them. I loved being with you and Jasper in bed, even though I’m not into him like Elijah and Quinn are a thing. I’m not questioning it, either. The only person you have to worry about is you.”
“And Jasper.”
“Yeah, I’ll talk to him,” Zander promised. “You feel uncomfortable liking it, don’t you?”
“A little.” She looked like she had a secret and he waited, desperately trying to be patient for her to just say it. “Axel called me a whore.”
That had him coughing in shock, as he tried to process that entire comment. “Axel said what? How? When?” Did it matter? He was pissed, but he didn’t want to show her how mad he was. She wouldn’t appreciate the indignation he felt on her behalf.
“He called Leonard. I picked up.”
“Well, fuck him. You aren’t a whore and you know it.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just another thing he said to rattle me. Threesomes, though? That’s stuff people see in pornos.” She shrugged again. “I’m confident about a lot of things, as we both know, but maybe this is a little out of my comfort zone right now.”
“Then we won’t have another until you’re feeling less…” He searched for the right word. “Exposed. Or we’ll never have one again. We don’t need group sex just because we’re in a group relationship.” He wanted it. He had loved it. Watching her come undone with Jasper taking her there. Jasper, who seemed so much darker and passionate. It was a side of his best friend he nearly never saw. That depth of emotion. Jasper normally didn’t lose control like that.
It had been hot.
“This is weird to talk about,” she finally muttered. “Make sure he’s okay?” She nodded to Jasper again and Zander nodded, swinging his legs off of the bed. Just sitting in bed and talking had helped some of the sluggishness.
“Any way to find any food here? And where are we?”
“Paris, and I’ll go find a nurse for you.”
“Thanks.” He grinned as she backed away from him and then left the room.
“She’s worried,” Jasper murmured. “Isn’t she?”
“Oh, you are awake. I knew you should have been up before me. She’s worried you’re freaked out. For good reason.”
“I’m in the same boat as her. I’m uncomfortable with how much I liked it.” Jasper groaned. “I’ve never felt so…”
“You don’t need to explain.” Zander held up a hand. He could well understand what Jasper was thinking after nearly two decades of friendship. “Just…make sure she knows you’re okay?”
“Yeah. And, uh…maybe one day we could do that again.” Jasper gave him a guilty smile.
Zander could only laugh. Their lives were such a shit show.
Travis made them a portal the moment the team realized Jasper and Zander were up and walking around. Zander breathed easier the moment he touched ground in New York. For the first time in his life, he was happy to see the city.
“So, what’s the plan?” he asked Vincent, who was pulling out his phone to make a call. They were standing in the middle of a portal room in the IMPO headquarters, an odd place for Vincent to make an immediate phone call.
“Elijah, Jasper, and I are going to check in with our replacement team, then touch base with the teams holding our current prisoners. We’re going to look into the prison situation as well. It’s pretty apparent Axel got people, or word, in there to make the hit and cause problems. We just want to get through it all.”
“Sawyer, Quinn, and me?”
“Going to see Charlie.” Vincent smiled at him. “Sawyer’s his family. The gym was her home for years. You and Quinn are better with the kids than the rest of us, including Elijah. I need him with me, anyway.”
“All right,” Zander nodded, realizing the entire team was now around them, listening in. “Sawyer?”
“I need to find out what arrangements have been made for him.” She sighed. “They didn’t just put him up in a hotel, right?”
“No. Actually, he’s staying at our place. Thompson drove him up there personally. It’s secure. The best place for him. So really, you three are going home for a moment. Sawyer, I’m sure there’s case stuff you can work on while you’re there. If you want.”
“Yeah, I can keep busy.”
“Thanks, Vincent.” Zander clapped him on the shoulder and got moving. He was ready to see their place again. They didn’t even get close to enough time in it after they finally moved in.
“He’s different today,” Quinn mumbled as they all got onto the elevator together.
“He didn’t like Elijah’s tongue-lashing any more than I did,” she replied, leaning on the back wall.
“Maybe you three shouldn’t have needed the tongue-lashing by thinking for two minutes,” Zander mumbled.
“Says the one who generally needs to get kicked around to learn anything,” Quinn snapped.
Zander stopped before he hit the button on the elevator door. Did Quinn really just say that? Really? He hit the shut off button and it forced the elevator to a stop, making sure no one could interrupt them.
“Excuse me?” Zander asked, turning to look back at the feral Magi. The wolves began to shift uncomfortably. “Really? I’ve been trying to make myself a better man. I’m learning to accept when I can and can’t do something. When it’s time to stop or time to push. When it’s time to fight or retreat. I’m trying my best, and here you two are, making every mistake you ever kicked me around for. And I’m the one suddenly in trouble?”
“I didn’t say anything,” Sawyer mumbled, shifting away from Quinn. Zander could feel it too. The feral anger, the meanness. Quinn wasn’t in the right place. He quickly hit the buttons he needed on the elevator, so Quinn couldn’t take them down on accident. “Quinn? Are you okay?”
“No. I’m going into the woods when we get home.” Quinn shut down after that, without a single shred of emotion on his face. There was no emotion at all except the angry feel of his magic in the air around them. Zander and Sawyer stared at him, then locked eyes, wondering what they had just experienced.
They loaded up quickly and started the long drive home, ignoring the feral rage in the back seat. Zander was glad they were going home for a moment. Really glad. It would give Quinn a chance to reconnect to land he could consider his and get away from the rest of the world. It had been too long since they let their pack of wolves recharge on safe land.
The moment he pulled in the driveway and parked by the front door, Quinn launched out of the back, shifted into a wolf and tore into the woods, his boys following him.
“I hope he’s okay,” Sawyer whispered, watching him go.
Zander nodded, unable to find an explanation - until he remembered what she had told him. “You said he and Elijah argued?”
“Yeah.” She sighed, getting out of his Range Rover. He followed and they found Charlie the moment they w
alked through the door. Everything changed in an instant, from the strange sadness and confusion over Quinn’s behavior to complete elation with the sight of the older, hefty black man. “Charlie!”
“Hey, kiddo.” Charlie dropped what he was holding on a small entryway table and held his arms open.
Zander chuckled as she practically jumped on him. The hug looked like it was bone-crushing, and it took several long moments for them to detach.
“Charlie, I was so scared. I didn’t want anything to happen to you. I knew something could since you went public for me-”
“It’s just a building, and it’s not even that bad. The IMPO and WMC are already working on a payout to have it rebuilt, even better than ever. A month, and everything will be fine and back to normal.”
“Tell me all about it?” she asked, pulling back from him.
“A fireball flew in through your bedroom window. It grew too fast. The guys on my protection detail were able to contain it while we all were trying to get out, but none of them could put it out. It hit the gas line in the kitchen after we were free of it and it took the entire top floor. Nothing else saw much damage. Some structural repairs up there, but the bottom floor is relatively untouched. It’s not bad.” Charlie was patting and rubbing her shoulder through the entire thing.
Zander watched, somewhat jealous that she had Charlie. He wanted a Charlie. He’d had James, but now James was gone and they were doing this on their own. He wanted someone looking out for him like that.
“It was Director Thompson’s idea to hide me here until the case is over. No longer. When you guys are done, I’m leaving, since I don’t want to live with all six of you.” Charlie grinned. “And he had agents check up on all the kids, just in case.”
Zander watched Sawyer visibly relax. “That’s good. That’s really good.”
“Isn’t it? Some other interesting things have been talked about as well.” Charlie looked over to him. “Thompson offered to make the gym more official. Said maybe I can get a contract helping train new agents, and that should help me financially. Keep me on my feet after this, since I’m going to be going into the red until repairs are done.”
The Redemption Saga Box Set Page 153