The Hero

by Donna Grant

  “The Department of Defense?” Cullen asked. “Dad said he’d never work with those assholes.”

  Callie lifted a brow. “Things change.”

  “How did you get involved?” Owen asked. He noticed that even though Wyatt had walked outside, his elder brother stood near the screen door, listening.

  Natalie’s soft smile as Callie glanced her way told him that she already knew this part. By how chummy the two women were, it was clear that Natalie had been a part of things to some degree.

  Just how much, he intended to find out. Then he’d send her straight home. He needed a clear head, and he couldn’t do that with her around.

  “Your father found me at Quantico,” Callie explained. “The FBI recruited me. I was about to join when Orrin told me what he was putting together.”

  Owen rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He hadn’t slept in thirty-two hours, and it didn’t look like he was going to get any rest anytime soon. “You go on missions with Dad?”

  “I’ve been on a few. Mostly, I gather intel, get the requests to decode from Washington, and hack my way into whatever is needed.”

  Cullen wearily shook his head. “Now I know why we’re here.”

  “Yeah,” Owen said tightly. “Something went wrong. Where is Orrin, Callie?”

  She licked her lips and covertly slid her gaze to the door and Wyatt.

  It was Natalie who stepped in. “We don’t know. The mission went off without a problem. He and his men landed in Delaware at Dover Air Force Base.”

  “The plane that was to bring them back to Texas waited over an hour,” Callie said, her eyes full of sadness. “That’s when I called the base. They found the bodies of all six of Orrin’s men. They’d been shot execution style.”

  “Shit,” Cullen mumbled, running a hand through his short hair.

  Callie got to her feet. “That shouldn’t have happened. Your father handpicked those men. They are the elite of all the special forces.”

  “Where was the mission?” Wyatt asked from the porch.

  There was a long pause from Callie. Once more, Natalie stepped in. “Russia.”

  Owen wanted to demand to be told how Natalie was involved, but that would have to wait for the moment. But not for too long. He met Wyatt’s gaze through the screen door before he turned to Callie. “Have you heard from our father?”

  “No.” She put her hands on her jean-clad hips and took a deep breath.

  “We believe he was taken,” Natalie said.

  Owen nodded. “Otherwise, they would’ve left his body. What was the assignment?”

  Callie’s gaze quickly slid to Owen. “A new biochemical created for the Russian military called Ragnarok.”

  “Dad retrieved it?” Cullen asked.

  Callie looked at each of them before she said, “Yeah. Along with the formula.”

  “That’s enough to kill for,” Wyatt stated.

  Owen turned his head to look at the two bullet holes in the wall of the formal living room. “The Russians killed Virgil and Charlotte.”

  “The only reason for them to do that is if they have Dad, and he’s not talking,” Cullen said.

  Wyatt snorted. “He hid the bioweapon. That’s the reason we’ve not found Orrin’s body and why the Russians came here.”

  “Every government has bioweapons. What’s so important about this one?” Owen had hoped distance would help the tension between Wyatt and their father. Obviously it had been wishful thinking.

  Callie shrugged. “I don’t know, but there’s something different about it.”

  “We need to know what that is,” Cullen stated.

  Wyatt gave a nod of agreement.

  “If it were just Ragnarok our government wanted, we wouldn’t have been returned here. Dad is the other reason we were brought home.” Owen clenched his jaw. “Our government wants us to find him.”

  Cullen crossed his arms over his chest. “We’ll find Dad and the fuckers who did this.”

  “Actually, your orders are to locate and bring the formula to DC. I think bringing you home was to show you what we’re up against,” Callie said and held out a piece of paper written in a code.

  Cullen grabbed the paper while Owen looked over Cullen’s shoulder to read it. He recognized it as the code his father had created and taught them years ago. Callie already decoded it, writing the message below.

  “Son of a bitch,” Cullen muttered.

  Owen read the message twice. It wasn’t the first time the government had put an item before a person’s life. But he wasn’t going to do this without finding his father, as well. Orders be damned. “Looks like we’re going on a mission.”

  “You can’t seriously be thinking about finding that formula,” Cullen said. “It’s better left hidden, just as Dad wanted.”

  Owen slid his gaze to Wyatt, knowing what he was about to say wouldn’t sit well with his older brother. “Ragnarok could be anywhere. There’s only one person who knows the location. We’re going to find Dad.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Natalie pivoted and began to walk from the house when Owen’s voice stopped her.

  “Don’t leave the property.”

  She kept her back to him but nodded before she pushed open the screen door and walked onto the porch and past Wyatt. There was no need to be inside the house as the brothers began discussing how to find Orrin.

  Natalie had her own opinions of the Loughman family, and they’d changed drastically since meeting with Orrin and establishing her connection to Callie.

  Leave? He actually thought she was going to leave? That wasn’t going to happen. She was caught in the middle of this whether she wanted to be or not. And it didn’t matter what Owen or the others thought. She was well and truly connected.

  She stood on the porch and looked out over the beauty that was the ranch. So many days she’d spent right there on the porch drinking sweet tea and talking to Charlotte while Owen worked.

  Once his chores were done, they’d saddle horses and go for rides that lasted hours. It was the freest Natalie had ever felt. There was something about the ranch that called to her, a feeling that it was where she belonged.

  The Loughman name was well known enough for her mother, even if they chose not to be part of Dallas society. Their wealth and position gave her a reprieve from her interfering mom.

  But that’s not what kept her dating Owen all those years ago. It was the passion and love that blossomed swift and intense. He hadn’t seemed surprised by it, but she sure was. That year with him changed everything. She saw the world differently, felt everything deeper. Things had been so simple then. The years ahead had looked bright and joyful.

  She gazed at the big blue sky with a smattering of clouds. How many times had she lain upon the ground somewhere on the ranch and stared at that sky with Owen? They’d spoken of dreams and wishes. And plans.

  Every one of hers had included him. Not once had he let on that he felt differently. It was under that same star-filled sky that he had broken her heart—and nearly broken her spirit.

  The past no longer mattered. It was fourteen years ago, with a lot of water under that bridge now. She was there because of Orrin and Callie. She was at the ranch because she wouldn’t be able to live with herself otherwise.

  So, no matter how much being near Owen brought up those painful memories, she wasn’t going anywhere.

  * * *

  Owen walked from the house and searched for a glimpse of Natalie. Her car was still there, which meant so was she. He was both relieved and terrified of that.

  She always had a way of making him feel everything deeply—too deeply. With her near, he wouldn’t be able to focus on anything but her. His mind needed to be engrossed in the mission, fixated on their targets, and, at all times, fully alert.

  The sooner she was away from the ranch and going on with her life, the better.

  Or was it?

  Owen’s steps faltered. The very sight of her earlier had taken his breat
h away. Even now, his hands could still feel the warmth of her, the softness. His body had been pressed against hers, his every breath inhaling her fresh scent that was burned into his memory.

  He was happy with his life, with his career. Then Nat had to show up and shake him to his core. His blood still pounded from holding her, his cock was still semi-hard.

  All for her.

  He’d sacrificed everything once to ensure her safety. And he was about to have to do it again.

  The first time had nearly killed him. But he was stronger now, more sure of his decision. That didn’t mean it wasn’t going to slice him in two to leave her a second time.

  An image of her green eyes filled with desire flashed in his mind. His steps slowed from the crushing weight of longing for Nat that assaulted him.

  He took several deep breaths and pulled himself together. Then he walked to the pasture to the right of the house and stood at the fence. There, he watched a mare and her days-old foal. The filly was still a little awkward on her legs, but by the way she pranced and galloped, she was going to be as good-looking of a horse as her mother.

  The sight of the ranch brought back a rush of memories—most of them involving Natalie. Many times over the years, he thought of asking one of his friends to find her. But he never went any further than the thought because he knew she was probably married.

  He hadn’t needed confirmation of that. Besides, things were better as they were. At least he’d always thought that until he’d come face-to-face with her and saw her left ring finger bare.

  Being back at the ranch stirred feelings he wished he could forget. There was no chance of forgetting how happy he’d been, how everything had fallen into place when he was with Natalie.

  At eighteen, he’d known she was the woman for him. The only one who could quiet his soul and bring him the peace he hadn’t had since his mother’s murder.

  Now here Natalie was once more.

  His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps on grass. Callie strolled up and stood on the bottom rung of the fence as she watched the foal. “She’s a looker for sure. Your father was anxious for her arrival.”

  “What happened on the mission?” he asked as he faced her, leaning one arm on the fence as he did. He needed something to turn his thoughts from Natalie, and this was exactly where his mind needed to be.

  Callie’s hair was back in a ponytail, the chestnut color startling in the sunlight. Her blue eyes were direct, penetrating as they returned his stare. “He should’ve returned. None of them should be dead. Whoever got the drop on them is good.”

  She was worried, he realized. “I need specifics. If it was Russians who killed Virgil and Charlotte to get information, they’ll most likely come for us next.”

  “I think you’re exactly who they want.” She sighed and stepped off the fence. With her hands on her hips, she cocked her head to the side and squinted at the sun. “Orrin had plans to ask each of you to join him eventually, but he knew you weren’t ready to forgive him. Not yet anyway.”

  He didn’t reply. There was no need. The history between Orrin Loughman and his sons wasn’t pleasant.

  Callie dropped her arms, looking down.

  He straightened from the fence and glanced at the house. Wyatt was on the phone, talking to one of his superiors in the hopes of learning more while Cullen gathered evidence around the house. These were the few quiet moments before everyone went into action.

  And Natalie would be long gone by then.

  “Spit it out, Callie,” he urged.

  “It was Russians.”

  “You know this how?”

  “Who else would come?”

  She had a point. But how did they know it was Orrin who stole Ragnarok? That’s what kept nagging at him.

  “The Russians found our base.”

  He raised a brow, a slow burning anger rising as he comprehended her implication. “You mean the base is here? Dad operated his group here? On the ranch?”

  Callie couldn’t look at him as she nodded.

  “Didn’t he learn anything?” he exploded, no longer capable of holding back his fury. “Wasn’t my mother’s death enough?”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cullen round the side of the house, and Wyatt end his call. Both looked his way.

  “What’s going on?” Cullen called out.

  He started to go to his brothers when Callie grabbed his arm.

  “Wait,” she said and licked her lips. Her gaze darted around, most likely looking for Wyatt. “I’d rather tell just you.”

  “Tell me what?” he demanded.

  “Yes, tell him what?” Wyatt asked from behind Callie.

  Owen had seen him move swiftly and silently to come up behind Callie. To surprise her or overhear, Owen wasn’t sure.

  Callie shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and pretended she hadn’t heard Wyatt. She withdrew a piece of paper and handed it to Owen. “This just came across the wire.”

  He glanced at Wyatt over her shoulder as he took the paper and opened it. It was a printout of a coded email. Owen read it and handed it to Wyatt as Cullen reached them.

  “All information regarding the formula or Orrin Loughman must be shared with the DOD,” Wyatt read aloud. He moved so he could see Callie. “When did you get this?”

  “Didn’t you hear me say just now?” she asked with a roll of her eyes. “It was in the coded emails,” she answered, barely sparing Wyatt a glance.

  Cullen’s frown deepened. “Who sent it?”

  “Dad’s mission wasn’t sanctioned,” Owen surmised. “It’s why they brought us here. They’ve made it clear they want the bioweapon more than they want Dad.”

  “That’s bullshit,” Callie declared.

  Owen had his own thoughts on that subject. It didn’t bode well when the very department that sent Orrin on the mission was now leaving him swinging in the wind. Something was very wrong. And all of them knew it.

  The problem was attempting to untangle the mess. Owen had been in a situation like this before. The deeper they dug, the more information and lies they would find. That’s when it would become near impossible to determine who to trust or what to believe.

  “Were all his assignments unsanctioned?” he asked Callie.

  She shook her head and glanced at the barn where Natalie stood in the opening. “Only a few. Orrin was careful about which ones he accepted.”

  Wyatt shook his head in frustration and looked toward the mare and filly as the silence lengthened.

  “Callie, who sent the email?” Cullen asked again.

  Callie cleared her throat. “The murder of Virgil and Charlotte went out on the news last night.”

  Wyatt’s head jerked to her. “Why?”

  “The sheriff’s department already did their investigation after a government team came in and collected evidence and took the bodies,” Callie answered. “Mark called this morning to let me know they won’t be returning since the investigation has been handed to you three.”

  “Mark?” Wyatt asked through clenched teeth.

  Callie raised a brow but didn’t look Wyatt’s way. “Mark Cooper has been our sheriff for a few years now.”

  Owen remembered Mark. He was Callie’s age, and everyone knew he’d always had a thing for her. Cullen gave Owen a shrug as he glanced at Wyatt.

  “Why put it on the news and then send us in?” Cullen asked.

  Owen rubbed his chin as he spotted Natalie. “I’d have liked to look around the scene before the local authorities came in. And why send them in at all?”

  “A formality,” Callie said.

  Wyatt snorted loudly. “A government team isn’t brought in to clean things up unless they’re hiding something. Then they send in the locals?”

  Cullen clenched his hands into fists.

  Owen was ready and willing to go after the bastards for what they’d done. This was about a weapon that could affect the entire world, the murder of their family and a special ops
team, as well as the apparent kidnapping of their father.

  He felt Wyatt’s gold gaze on him. Wyatt gave him a single nod, an affirmation that his thoughts were the same. Owen turned to Cullen.

  “Fuck yeah, I’m ready to go after these assholes,” Cullen stated.

  Owen’s gaze slid to Callie. In the furor, no one bothered to notice how upset she was. Their father had taken Callie on as a workhand not just because she was good with cattle and horses, but because Orrin saw something in her no one else had.

  The ranch and the Loughmans became family to her. Orrin became a father figure, steering her away from the life her family tried to push on her repeatedly. Callie was torn up by the team’s death and Orrin’s disappearance, but as was customary Callie, she kept it locked tightly away.

  That was something she and Wyatt had in common. Not that he would point that out to either of them unless he wanted to be punched.

  Callie raised a brow at his silent question. “As if you need to ask. I’ve been ready to go after Orrin. Why do you think Natalie is here?”

  Owen’s gaze narrowed on Natalie. He still hadn’t figured out how she was a part of all this, and that unsettled him in ways he wasn’t yet ready to acknowledge. With the way Callie talked, however, she’d alluded to Natalie being involved.

  That was about to change.

  He then looked around at the buildings near the house. It appeared as though each of the barns was still being used for the animals. So where was the base?

  “You said Dad used the ranch as his home base. Unless he’s taken over part of one of the barns, I’m not seeing it,” Owen said.

  His head turned back to Natalie. Surely not. Surely his father wouldn’t have put it so close to the house. With all the acres of property available, why there?

  Callie motioned for them to follow her. The direction took them right to Natalie and the horse barn. And his ire grew.

  As if sensing his thoughts, Callie said, “Just so you know, Virgil and Charlotte knew about this. It was their idea for Orrin to use the ranch. He picked out a spot on the back five hundred, but Virgil urged him to use something closer.”