“How does a campaign manager and glorified secretary equate to power?”
“God you’re an idiot.” Terrence laughed, “What is one of the first things we learn in training? Patience and self-control, right? I’ve mastered that. I’ve also mastered how to take you down from years of watching.”
“Why us? We’re just a little security firm in Oregon, bro.”
“Right.” Terrence laughed, “You’re hands are in everything. You’re my greatest match, my greatest enemy. If anyone was going to give me shit on my rise to the top I knew it would be you assholes.”
“It will always be us…we specialize in being assholes that take down enemies of the state, home grown terrorists.”
“That’s why when your name came up for this special project, I saw my chance. I’ve put up with that bastard Rick Kelly long enough, the guy’s a fucking pussy, you know it? He’s like my personal fucking puppet – does everything I tell him to.”
“But that wasn’t enough for you. You wanted more. What was it, a special appointment? Securing your own bid and an endorsement for Congress?” Luke paused, reading the smarmy expression Blachley was wearing, “Christ, you were going for the Oval Office.”
“Ding, ding, ding.” Blachley yelled, “We’re coming into an election year and the current administration is on its way out after eight years. The Senator was a party favorite, caught on to what I was doing, had to go.”
“You murdered him for a party bid?” Luke was out of patience and ready to end this thing. When Wylie dropped out of the plane, from where he climbed in, and crept over the moving stairs for cover, he was ready to push for whatever ending gave him Daisy.
“You can say that, it was easier than handing over hush money. The general rallied the rest of the team, if you will. When Rick Kelly ran and won the White House, they were all promised Cabinet positions.”
“Kelly in the White House. How does that benefit you?”
“You’re looking at his Vice President. I’ll be running that fucking house because Rick Kelly is a spineless bastard, he’s just a political face, I’m the brains.”
Luke laughed out loud. “Isn’t that all a little…Hollywood? Let the girl go, Blachley. This is old and my brother’s going to miss the plane for his honeymoon.”
Terrence laughed, “We wouldn’t want that. I should thank him, I know he’s here somewhere. That program of his will ensure we win the election – just brilliant – the technology is…. state of the art. I should have known he’d turn that around on me though. Landing my plane was a brilliant move…talk about Hollywood.”
“How is this going to end Blachley. You’re outnumbered, and you just confessed to all of us.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about you talking. You won’t, you’ll be dead.”
Luke stood frozen, what hadn’t they anticipated?
“I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering what cards I have left to play. I can tell you if you want to know.”
“Let her go, Blachley.” Luke yelled with a profusion of rage. If Daisy didn’t have a gun to her head, he would have taken this asshole out already. The only thing keeping him from attempting a sniper like shot was Wylie creeping up behind Blachley. It took everything in him for Luke to keep his cool for a few more minutes.
Terrence Blachley laughed, “Not fun when you’re not in charge…is it. Tell your brother to stop moving behind me, or I shoot her pretty little brains out. You forget I trained with you, I know you, I know all of your moves, I know how you think, what you eat, and probably how often you shit. Don’t fuck with me O’Reilly or this ends with your pregnant little whore and baby all over this tarmac. Got it?”
“You fucking touch her…”
“Seems I already have, as a gentleman of course. This is what happens next. We’re going to walk over to the hangar and you’re all going inside where there will be a terrible explosion. I, the war hero, will seal my fate in the White House when I drag out bodies, trying to save you all…but I’ll be too late. The media will report that I flew in for an old friend’s wedding and when you all came to see me off, boom. Shit…got…real. I will be so distraught that I’ll set up college funds for all your little fucking O’Reilly orphans, because I’m a nice fucking guy, a hero.”
“Let me take him out, Luke.” Wylie shouted, causing a distraction.
“Stand down, Wy. Stand down.” He yelled back.
“Luke, just do it.” Daisy cried. “Just do it. Just stop him.”
“Daisy, there’s a gun at your head, no fucking way.”
“It’s me – or all of you.” She cried. “Think of your parents, the kids…Luke shoot him. Shoot…him!”
“Daisy stop…”
“Luke, I love you. I love you more than I’ve loved anything. You are good, remember that you are always good, and you deserve everything good. You get to be happy too, Luke. Be happy and never forget – never forget how much I love you.”
“Looks like you’re losing control, Luke. What’s it going to be?”
“Shut the fuck up, Blachley!” Luke yelled. “Daisy, no!”
“Shoot him!” Daisy screamed, her cries full of terror she looked over her shoulder at Wylie. “Wylie…shoot him. Shoot…”
“Wylie, don’t you pull that trigger. Daisy this isn’t how it ends. You don’t get to end.”
The world paused, and for a brief moment where it was only Luke and Daisy on that tarmac. Only a few yards apart, locked in each other’s gaze, she mouthed the words I love you. A terror filled voice screamed no, it was Luke’s voice as he lunged toward Daisy, attempting to stop her from what she was about to do. What was first slow, became quick motion that came and went in a flash.
“Shoot him!” Daisy screamed as she dropped an elbow to Blachley’s gut and followed with a stomp to his foot. She leaned forward, trying to escape his grip, but he was stronger despite her fight. The chaos was only enough to throw him off balance, but Blachley was quick to recover. His weapon was no longer at Daisy’s temple, but now on Wylie who was rushing him from behind.
Gun fire cracked through the air, echoing as it pierced their ears, then another shot rang out. Luke stopped in his tracks, his eyes went wide, and he screamed Daisy’s name as he watched his brother fall, then Blachley with Daisy in his clutches. Dace and Declan rushed the scene, City stayed back, holding Eva.
“No!” Luke dropped his weapon and ran to the pile of blood stained bodies. “No, no, no, no.”
Luke didn’t even recognize his own voice, or the tears spilling over, staining his face. He didn’t care if Blachley was dead or alive, just tossed him aside, so he could get to Daisy.
“She has a pulse.” He yelled, checking her over for bullet holes, then cradling her in his arms. “C’mon baby, wake up. Wake up for me.”
His brothers sat Wylie up, who was holding his shoulder, Declan yelled, “It’s clean. Through and through.”
“Daisy?” Wylie said, looking around in a daze, then he saw her, “Oh my God, Daisy!”
Wylie shrugged off his brothers and crawled the few feet to her side. “Luke, I didn’t get a shot off. I didn’t fire.”
Daisy started to stir, relief started to settle in. There was decent sized laceration on her forehead, she must’ve hit hard when Blachley fell on her. Luke just held her until she was ready to wake up.
Carter was knelt by the body of Terrence Blachley, checking for signs of life. “He’s dead, his weapon discharged.”
“The other shot, who got Blachley?” Declan asked.
Liam began his descent from the top of the mobile stairs, a blank look on his face, and a weapon loosely hanging from his hand. Liam took the kill shot Daisy gave him with her fight against Blachley.
“She saw me.” Liam said, “She saw me when she turned around and I…I nodded. I took the shot.”
Luke stared speechless. His brother saved Daisy’s life in a moment that felt all too familiar.
“I owed you.” Liam said under his breath, grasping his brothers arm. “
I owed…you.”
Liam wasn’t a killer, combat trained for self-defense, sure, but not a killer. When his now wife was in trouble, it was Luke who unloaded a bullet into the enemy, so Liam wouldn’t have to make a choice he may not be able to live with. Liam returned the favor, if one could call it that.
Luke used his brother’s words to see him through the shock of what he’d done, “Liam, sometimes we do bad things for the right reasons. Sometimes…that makes you a hero.”
Liam smiled and nodded at his brother, “I know. I learned from the best.” Liam stood, but stopped to say, “The plane is clear, me and Wy got the two. Pilots clean but cuffed just in case. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need a minute with my wife.”
“Luke?” Daisy mumbled, her face pale and voice weak.
“It’s over baby. He’s gone.”
“Luke…somethings wrong.”
“You took a hard hit, honey, you’re going to be okay.”
Carter approached, “I have Doc Charles on the line – he has credentials at the University Hospital, he’ll meet us there. Let’s load up Wylie and D…”
“Luke.” Her voice was louder, and she cried out in pain, “The baby. Somethings wrong.”
When Luke stood, to get her to the car, his pants and hand were wet from holding Daisy. He extended his hand to see it covered in blood. Daisy’s blood.
“Carter!” Luke yelled. “The baby!”
“Get her to the car, Luke.” Carter yelled, before relaying information into the phone. “Doc’s waiting for her.”
A black SUV with blue and red lights flashing pulled up and Blake Cooper got out, still dressed in his wedding attire, he had Pete Langley from the local FBI Field Office with him.
“Take the car!” he said to Liam tossing him the keys, “Use the lights, we’ll take care of this here.”
In a matter of seconds, Luke and Daisy were loaded, Wylie too, Liam and City their escorts.
“This isn’t how it ends, Daisy.” Luke whispered, “This isn’t how it ends.”
He cradled her in his arms, keeping her lifeless body warm, then…he cried.
Luke sat at Daisy’s bedside for hours, though it felt like days. She had been sedated so she could rest – her body needed it after what it had been through. Though he was told to go home and shower, change, because she would be sleeping for hours, he refused to leave. He held her hand in his, willing her to wake up and say something, anything, so he’d know she was okay.
Liam brought a change of clothes for Luke to change into, so the nurses weren’t as afraid of him in his blood-soaked attire. He owed his brother everything. He saved Daisy’s life. Luke had underestimated his brother – Liam was the real hero in this story. He was the one that saved the day, and all the days to come now that Washington’s biggest conspiracy yet, was laid to rest.
“Luke…”
His head shot up, and he slid to the edge of his seat. “Daisy. Thank God. Are you okay? Does anything hurt? What can I…”
“Shhhh…” she chuckled, “Not so loud, my head feels like tequila had its way with me.”
Luke laughed at her playful attempt at a joke, “Not tequila, darlin’ just some asphalt and some stuff to help you sleep.”
Her eyes darted open, her memory becoming clear, “The baby!”
She tried to sit up, but pain shot through her head.
“It’s okay, honey. Lay back down…”
Her hands rubbed her belly, she looked for any evidence that everything was okay. “Luke, the baby?”
“The babies are fine.” He said, “Despite everything you went through, they’re fine. The fall caused a little trauma, Doc has big words for it and can explain it later, but you and the babies will be okay after a few weeks of rest.”
“Babies? You said, babies?”
A proud smile covered his face and the emotion that filled him caused him to choke on his words, “There’s two of them in there. You kept them safe and they’re going to be just fine.”
Daisy rolled to her side to face him and began to cry. Cry for what had happened, cry because this time it really was over, and cry because she had a family of her own now. He crawled into bed with her, and gently pulled her into his body, kissing the top of her head as he often did.
“I love you so much, Daisy King. You were so brave, and strong.” He cried, “If I know anything now, it’s that you are my everything. You and those babies. Forever.”
“You’re our hero, Luke. You always come for me.” Her voice was low, the sedative reclaiming her, but not before she said, “You’re our everything. Forever.”
THE END
EPILOGUE
Four months later…
Dace sat back and watched his brother celebrate his happily ever after. As different as they were, Luke and Daisy were made for each other. He was happy for them, they’d been through so much, they deserved this day.
In keeping with tradition, they held the wedding at the Pittock Mansion, but due to Oregon winter weather, it was held indoors. It was just as beautiful as the rest of the grounds, Cally had out done herself as the event planner, and Daisy’s Maid of Honor. She relocated to Portland, needing a change of scenery, and with her reputation, she could work anywhere.
He watched his brother dance with his bride. Luke had changed so much in such a short time, it was all for the better though. He didn’t lose his edge, still a soldier in many ways, but he was softer now too. In what seemed like a flash, he’d watched all three of his older brothers fall…for the better. Each had a wife, babies were being born, the O’Reilly clan was growing.
Daisy and Luke were having twins, a boy and a girl, which was odd for their family of mostly male twins. They would here before long, Tilly after Daisy’s Gran who had become a big part of the O’Reilly family, and Duke named for Daisy and Luke. Dace laughed at that one, but somehow it was wearing on him.
Everyone was on the dance floor, coupled up with their other half. Even Wylie and Eva were dancing, despite telling everyone how much they hated each other. There was only one-woman Dace wanted to dance with and he couldn’t have her. More like, she didn’t want him. He couldn’t imagine a life with anyone but Ivy, but searching for her was becoming monotonous
He had every resource available to him, and still couldn’t locate her because she didn’t want to be found. Not by him. When Cally crossed the room, eyes set on him, he decided to table that decision, what was one more night when it had been years of searching.
“Want to dance?” she asked.
Dace smiled, checking her out from head to toe, remembering what she had under that dress. He’d already had her in his bed, more than once since she’d been in Portland. It was just a fling, keeping each other company…for the past three months. Maybe it was time to move on…with a little brunette firecracker from Nashville.
Dace stood, took her hand, and twirled her around. “Of course I want to dance with you. Then later,” he whispered in her ear, “you can show me what’s under that dress.”
Cally tossed her head back in laughter. “You don’t have to ask me twice. In fact, I’ll just tell you…nothing.”
He pulled her closer, his hand on her ass, and his steely length firm against her hip, showing her what she did to him. “One dance, and we’re out of here.” He said.
“Make it two and you have a deal.”
They danced their one dance, then the second, then clear into the night.
Dace had left his phone sitting on his table where it rang, more than once, the screen showing it was an Unknown Caller. The only problem with that was that only his family had his number…and Ivy.
THE END
About Stephanie St. Klaire
Stephanie St. Klaire debuted in 2016, launching her writing career with Rescued, the first book in the five-book series known as McKenzie Ridge. Stephanie is a Pacific Northwest native currently living in Oregon with her husband, five children, and two ferocious lap dogs.
As a writer, Stephanie brings real
istic circumstances to the pages, and fills them with real emotion, reactions, and outcomes. Her characters are passionate, have bold personalities, and full of life. She writes happily ever after’s, with plenty of twists, turns, drama, and of course, steamy romance.
Stephanie has always been a story teller, with the gift of “gab”, and a life-long goal to be a writer. Unfortunate circumstances with her health, finally afforded her the time to do so. Irony at its best, she began writing her first novel at an adverse time, to escape her circumstance and explore the stories in her imagination for relief. She is happy to share those stories with her readers, and bring a little fun, entertainment, and of course smexy characters to the pages.
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