by Lexi Blake
“He did get two full doses,” Case pointed out.
“And kept on moving.” Ian put a hand on Theo’s arm. “That was something. Still, he could have short-term memory loss from the drugs. We won’t know until he wakes up.”
“I’ll have to tell him.” Robert sounded apologetic, but sure. “I can’t keep it from him.”
Ian shrugged. “I could smother you with a pillow, but I want to know why Erin doesn’t think Theo should know there’s a threat to his son.”
“Good. I would hate to have survived everything only to be taken down by a pillow,” Robert replied. “And I think I know why. She knows Theo’s going to flip his shit and want to distance himself from her, but he’ll do that anyway. What happened out there today freaked me out, too. I thought she would stay away. The first time she took Theo, she knew no one would look for him. Everyone thought he was dead. It was easy. This time she would be courting war with McKay-Taggart.”
“Oh, she’s declared it.” Ian’s eyes had hardened. “We’re definitely at war. She walked in to my town and tried to take my family. There’s no turning back now. I wasn’t planning on letting her go free, but she’s upped my timetable.”
“I’m with Robert,” Case added. “I can’t imagine how she thinks she can win this one. We won’t ever let her take him and god, she thinks we’ll allow her to kidnap my nephew? She’s high.”
Oh, but she wasn’t. “She’s drunk on power and feeling good about her position again. I find it interesting that she has a high-powered meeting with a Collective conglomerate and suddenly we’re dealing with her boys.”
Ian pointed her way. “Exactly. She’s cut a deal and is feeling protected.”
“Which means we have to cut her off from her resources and take her out,” Case concluded.
“And make sure the company doesn’t continue her work, right?” Robert had managed to sit up, his legs dangling off the bed. “That drug is dangerous. It’s ruined so many lives. I know you want to get McDonald, but we have to save the others, too. We have to save an entire generation of people she could use that drug on.”
Ian put a hand on his shoulder. “I promise you, I will not forget them. Whatever happens, we’ll remember those men and we’ll take care of them. And I vow I’ll do everything I possibly can to end this, the entire thing.”
Case stood by his brother. “I promise you, too. I won’t let this go undone.”
Robert seemed to release a deep breath. “Thank you. I know you don’t trust me yet, but I want to help. Anything you need. I won’t complain when you hand me the grunt work. I mean it. Anything.”
She believed him, but she was fairly certain he wouldn’t be hanging around here. “And when Theo asks you to run with him? Because there’s zero chance he heard that threat against his son and doesn’t take off to try to put some distance between us and her. Oh, he’ll make a plan with Ian, Sean, and Case to put me and TJ in a box somewhere, but then he’ll attempt to martyr himself and I can’t let that happen.”
“Erin, you know we’re going to have to figure out a plan to protect you and TJ,” Ian said, his hands coming to his hips.
“You can’t stay at your house,” Case agreed.
God save her from overprotective men.
She held up her hands, knowing when she couldn’t win. “I get that, but I have a plan and it’s a plan that won’t separate us, but might put us in a position to protect our son and find that crazy bitch.”
Ian’s eyes narrowed. “I’m listening.”
“Let’s go and grab whatever they’ll call dinner here,” she began. “I want Robert to be able to honestly say he knows nothing.”
Robert gave her a smile. “My lips are sealed, but it’s probably best I don’t know anything. I’ve been told I talk in my sleep.”
She didn’t even want to know. Erin looked down at her own sleeping beauty and vowed to do whatever she needed to keep them together.
No matter what.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Theo sat back in the black car that had come to pick them up and yawned. A solid week had passed since that horrible day he’d realized nothing was over. He was still having nightmares about the doctor getting her hands on his son.
A week since Erin and TJ had been sent into hiding without so much as a kiss good-bye. He could still see her standing there, asking him to come with her, to keep them together.
All of his memories had to do with disappointing her.
“I’ll have you to The Garden in no time a’tall.” Owen slid behind the wheel and relaxed back. “Well, as fast as London traffic will allow. You see, this is one of the many ways my native country of Scotland is better than this pale land. Not as much traffic. God knew that if he made too many Scots the world wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
Nick groaned from the seat beside Owen. “Stop. No one wants to hear about your Scottish pride. I understand there are more sheep than people in the upper lands.”
“Highlands,” Owen quickly corrected. “It’s the Highlands, you Russian barbarian.”
“Yes, well, I’m fairly certain all Scots descend from Russian explorers.” Nick clicked his seatbelt on. “It is little known fact that all of Europe was first explored by Russians. We were exploring when your people were still worshipping trees.”
“Little known because it’s a complete bloody lie,” Owen said under his breath.
Robert leaned over. “They’re insane.”
He couldn’t argue with that. The London office of McKay-Taggart was run by a man named Damon Knight, and he’d put together a multinational team Ian liked to call the Mutts of Europe.
“They’re good at their jobs,” he whispered back. “And The Garden is extremely well protected. We should be safe there.”
Robert frowned. “I’m not worried about safe for me. I’m worried about Erin. Do you even know where she is?”
Theo felt his whole body stiffen. After twenty-four hours on three different planes, the fact that he could get more uncomfortable was saying something. “It’s better I don’t know.”
It was the plan he’d worked out with Ian shortly after he’d woken up in the hospital that terrible day when he’d learned the danger he was to Erin and their son.
She would never forgive him if he cost her their son. Never. He wouldn’t forgive himself.
It was better this way, but still, not knowing where she was made him ache inside.
They’d been so close to starting over again and he had to wonder if she would give him another chance. Hell, he didn’t even know how long it would be before he could see her again. She could settle down and figure out how much trouble he was. If he took too long, she could meet someone new. How would he handle it if he went through everything and then came back to get his family and there was another man in his place?
He should picture it, prepare himself for being magnanimous. After all, it wasn’t like he remembered their past together. She could move forward and have a nice, normal life with a man who never attacked her because he had visions of killing her. She could be with someone she could trust. Someone who could open his whole heart to her and TJ.
Or he could quietly assassinate the fucker and slip back into his own bed.
Yeah, he was going to have trouble if that scenario played itself out.
“Your partner is very stupid man,” Nick said, his Russian accent deepening. Theo had noticed when Nick wasn’t trying to sound more American, he tended to drop articles. When Nick was angry, his accent went thick and deep.
Well, he’d known the man didn’t like him. “Thanks a lot. Your opinion is noted.”
Owen turned toward London from the small private airport that had been their final destination. They’d taken two commercial airliners, and then a private jet provided by a friend of Drew Lawless had taken them from Chicago to London. The paper trail would lead anyone looking to a car rental at O’Hare and a hotel off the Miracle Mile.
“Why is the baby Taggart stupid?” the b
ig red-haired Scot asked. “That’s not what I’d heard. Kay likes all the Tags. She says they’re awesome.”
Nick snorted a little. “Kay thinks everyone is awesome. She’s far too positive to be in this business. And Kay’s sister apparently slept with at least one of them.” He sobered a bit. “I call him stupid because he leaves his woman behind. He leaves child behind. They are in danger and all alone because he’s too stubborn to hold them close to his heart.”
“My heart is the fucking target.” He was guilty of many things, but not giving a shit wasn’t one of them. The fact that she wasn’t with him was a genuine ache in his gut. “I’m not going to use my wife and child as a shield.”
Robert’s right eyebrow rose over his eye.
Theo waved him off. “You know what I mean.”
Robert shrugged. “Never heard you refer to her that way.”
Theo stared out the window at the ridiculously green countryside. “She’s not legally, but I know what the old me wanted. I bought her a ring. I was going to ask her.”
“Or you bought ring and chickened out,” Nick said.
“I know what I would have done.” He wasn’t going to discuss this with a man who hated him.
Nick sighed and sat back. “I’m sorry. I’m being an ass. You’re right. You were going to ask her while we were on the island. You told me this. I felt bad because Desiree wasn’t ready to marry. I was jealous of you. I knew Erin would agree. You planned to ask her after we were through with the mission. You had even picked out a place to do it.”
“Are you fucking with me?” He wanted to believe it was true.
Nick didn’t look back, but his voice had gone low. “I do not fuck with you. There was a restaurant at the resort Brody and I worked at and you were planning to ask her there. You had a reservation. Things did not go as you planned, but that does not mean they must be through.”
“They’re after me, Nick. They won’t stop until we stop them.”
Nick shrugged. “Yes, the operative word there is we. Your we should include her. She is much smarter than you. You need her.”
Again, nothing he didn’t know. “I’m not putting TJ in the line of fire and that means not putting Erin there either. She can’t leave her son.”
“Don’t you mean our son? You act like you had nothing to do with the boy’s conception. Wasn’t that one night the only time you’ve held the child? I’ve held him more often than you,” Nick said dismissively.
“Good for fucking you.” He was just about done with the Russian. “I hope the two of you will be very happy together.”
Nick shrugged as though he couldn’t care less what Theo thought of him and went back to watching the road. They were in London proper now, leaving behind the vibrant green fields of the surrounding countryside.
Had he ever been here before? He’d forgotten to ask. Things had been so hectic that he’d done nothing but study Nick’s case files on McDonald, work with Adam trying to trace the call to Erin and the hack to Erin’s computer, and sit up at night worried sick that she wouldn’t ever forgive him.
“I think what Nick here was trying to say got lost in translation.” Owen’s light brogue filled the car. “You see, Russians speak arsehole most of the time and it’s hard for him to tread lightly.”
“I say what I meant.” Nick was unrelenting. “He is coward.”
“Hey,” Robert began, “you have any idea what it means to have your whole fucking life blinked out of existence, asshole? Any conception what it means to wake up and not know who the fuck you are? Because if you don’t, maybe you should recuse yourself from commenting.”
Nick looked back at Robert. “Interesting turn of phrase, counselor.”
“Yes, it is,” Owen agreed. “You were right. You can tell an awful lot by getting him wound up and talking.”
“What?” Robert was looking between the two men.
They were assholes, but they had a point. “You used the word recuse. It’s a specific term that not many people outside the legal profession or politics would use. You were likely highly educated, though I’d already figured that out.”
“He’s got a mathematical brain,” Nick commented. “He could be self-trained, but I doubt it. And no, I don’t know what it’s like to have been through what you’ve been through. I do know what it’s like to lose woman I love. I know what it means to be Erin and you’ve hurt her terribly by leaving her behind. You’ve shown her she’s nothing but piece of property to be put in safe and guarded. She’s not a partner. That is how I would be feeling.”
“That’s not how it is.” He felt his fists clench at his sides. It wasn’t what he meant at all. “I care about her and TJ. I can’t have them in the line of fire. How am I the bad guy here?”
“You’re not,” Robert assured him. He put a hand to his head, a sure sign that he was hurting. The information Nick had given him was probably causing him to think about things he shouldn’t. “You’re trying to take care of her.”
At least he had one friend in the world. Even Ian had tried to talk him out of what he knew was the only right path. Case and Sean had told him he was a dipshit. Awesome. “I am trying to ensure she’s not a casualty of my problems.”
Nick looked at Owen, nodding his head in a knowing fashion. “See what I mean?”
“Aye. I understand that he’s got memory problems but it appears he’s got some judgment trouble as well if he thinks that woman is soft,” Owen replied.
“I didn’t say she was soft.” How far was it to The Garden? He hoped it wasn’t some actual garden. Ian had said it was the most fortified place he could think of, but Theo wasn’t sure how plants and butterflies and crap would protect him and allow him to work in peace.
But she was soft. She could be. She could be so fucking soft.
“She’s a warrior.” Nick turned to stare out the passenger window to his left. “If this were happening to O’Donnell or Miles and Dean, I would agree with the plan. Their women are strong, but they’re not trained. Can you imagine what Charlotte would do if Ian suggested she hide away for months, possibly years?”
“She would need to protect her children.” He wasn’t wrong about this.
“Scottish women can protect their children, do their jobs, cook a meal, and still make a man feel like a man at the end of the day,” Owen piped up. “Perhaps you should find a Scottish lass.”
He ignored Owen completely. “Charlotte would understand that Ian needs to keep a clear head and know his children are safe.”
“Have you watched Big Tag around Charlotte?” Nick scoffed. “That man talks good game, as you Americans would say, but he knows the score. Doctor wins if she breaks up family. It’s what she wants.”
“She wants me,” Theo argued.
“And to hurt Erin. There’s no doubt in my mind she’s thrilled that you’re not with her,” Robert said.
Robert had explained his theories of McDonald’s motivations. Theo wasn’t sure he bought the idea that he was the prize two alpha females were fighting over, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t putting the female he actually gave a damn about in danger.
“You think she’s got eyes on you?” Owen stopped at a light, his gaze searching the streets before the light went to yellow and then green.
Nick fiddled with his phone, not looking back as he spoke. “You’ll have to forgive him. He took a week off to gather new venereal diseases. He’s not up on the recent intelligence. McDonald’s been watching Argent for weeks. From what Adam can tell, it started a few days after young Taggart was rescued.”
“She hacked Erin’s system.” How much had she seen?
“I didn’t think McDonald was particularly adept with a computer system, and I can’t help it that all the lovelies want a piece of me. It’s that show.” Owen winked in the mirror. “All I have to do to get an American girl to hop on me is call her sassenach. There was a pretty redhead named Angel at a club in LA. Worked like a charm on her.”
Nick sighed heavily
but seemed ready to soldier on. “McDonald’s not adept with computers. It’s why she took Hutchins in the first place. She needed someone who could get her into systems. Which makes me wonder how she’s doing it now.”
“She’s got backing again.” Theo would love to know how she’d gotten in good with The Collective again. “They’re the ones providing her with what she needs. Cash, research materials, and apparently hackers.”
Nick shook his head. “This began before the meetings with the new firm. I have a theory but you won’t like it. Big Tag tells me not to even talk about it, but he is wrong.”
Theo hadn’t heard anything about a theory.
Robert sat up. “I think you should listen to Ian.”
Nick turned, his face fierce in the last light of day. “No. I don’t listen to Putin when he tells me to shut up, either. Adam said it himself. No one but an insider could have busted through his firewalls.”
What the hell was he trying to say? “You think someone we know is helping her?”
“I think Hutchins is helping her.” The words dropped from the Russian’s mouth like a bomb waiting to explode.
“He is not.” Theo bit the reply through clenched teeth. Hutch was his friend. Hutch had been there. “He would never help that bitch.”
“I’m sure he left protocols for her to follow when we got rescued. He wouldn’t have thought to destroy them,” Robert said quickly, as though he could find a way to defuse the situation if he talked fast enough. “It’s why he was there. He was supposed to teach one of us how to do what he does, but Theo kept forgetting and Victor would rather punch the computer than use it. I spent the most time with him. He wouldn’t help her.”
“Yes, this is what Big Tag says, too.” Nick crossed his arms over his chest as he slumped against the door to his left. “No man of his ever goes bad. No one he trained himself could ever have his brain washed. No one of his employee could be bought. But Hutch is the one who ran and two days later a woman who couldn’t hack a system to save her life begins watching her greatest enemy through a system that should be safe from everyone.”