by Jessie Lane
Or as Ice would say it, he had his brother’s back. There was not a single doubt in my mind they would take Wellington out. They also didn’t know about Ginny or her mother. Knowing those guys as long as I had, a casualty was a casualty, and Wellington had started the war.
I couldn’t let that happen. Not to Ginny or her mother.
Twenty minutes later, my phone rang. Looking at the screen, I dreaded the ass chewing I knew I was about to get. That was why I let it ring twice before I could answer it.
“Young.”
“You motherfucker! You better give me one good reason why I can’t go after him, or I’ll defy the order I’ve been given to leave him alone and take him out to make sure my woman stays safe.”
Shit.
I kept myself in check just for a few moments. I needed to wrap my head around sharing what was at stake here.
“You’re not the only one with woman problems, McCoy. If you take Wellington out, I could very well lose my own woman.”
Feeling my gut twist while my palms sweated around the burner phone, it was both a relief to tell someone what was going on while a feeling of dread burned through me at the loss of control. Only, had I ever been in control?
Hammer’s response was short and to the point. “You better not be dicking me around, Young, or I swear to God, I’ll skin your hide. I could have lost Desirae for good.”
“And I still might lose my girl because she’s tied up with Wellington in ways I’m still trying to figure out. So back the fuck off, stay the hell out of it, and trust me when I say I’m gonna take care of him.” I allowed my anger, my frustration, and my need to handle shit my way be evident in my tone.
“You better, Lucas. You’re not the only one who knows how to go lone wolf and get shit done.”
Hammer hung up before I could say another word. Funny thing was, even if he hadn’t, I didn’t know that I would have the words to reassure him, anyway.
It was ironic that he had threatened to go rogue like I had done, because I was starting to realize that Ice might be right about me trying to handle this situation on my own.
The man really did dot every i and cross every t when building and maintaining his empire. Every time I thought I had an angle I could work to get at him, I discovered more security, or something else that would effectively protect Wellington. The man’s life was like a fucking concrete fortress and I wasn’t a big enough wrecking ball to get through his walls. It was going to take more than just me to take Wellington down, even if I hated admitting it.
Ginny had occupied so much of my attention that I hadn’t managed to get far in my plan on taking down Wellington. She hadn’t been sleeping well. Even after a night of allowing ourselves to get lost in one another, she hadn’t seemed to settle enough to fall asleep and stay asleep. The fatigue was killing us both. Only, for me, it wasn’t physically assaulting me, but rather mentally. I couldn’t think straight.
The most important thing in my arsenal had always been my mind. But how could I focus, how could I figure shit out, when my woman was withering away right in front of my fucking face?
She wouldn’t eat. She didn’t speak except to either tell me she loved me or beg me to take her home to save her mother.
We had worked through her alcohol addiction. She still craved vodka like water in a desert, but she wasn’t going through withdrawals anymore. Nope, her withdrawals now came from home. She was physically and mentally deprived from being away.
Ginny loved me, but was love going to be enough for us to get through this?
I wasn’t so sure that love would see us through if I didn’t find a way to get this sorted soon. And that … Well, that thought alone killed me on the inside. Day after passing day it wore me down a little more.
Now, with her giving me that ultimatum, I felt like one of those guys in the movies who had to disarm the ticking bomb. It was all about making the right choice, or everything would blow up in my face. Except, I didn’t have to choose between two different colored wires, I had to choose between putting three lives on the line versus putting nine lives in jeopardy.
If I took the hint Ice had not so subtly shoved into my face and called my team, that was putting every man in Ex Ops in danger, and for a personal mission, not a professional one.
Picking up my phone, I stared at the screen, grim with the knowledge of what I had to do. Dialing the secure number few people knew, the line rang twice before a gruff voice answered.
“Wall.”
My mouth didn’t want to move. My tongue was thick with uncertainty, but somehow, I made it happen. “It’s Young.”
The line was quiet for a few seconds. Then the normally cool Commander exploded.
“Where the fuck are you? Do you have any idea how much shit you’re in?”
I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off before I could get a word out.
“Let me enlighten you on just how deep you’ve buried yourself this time. You’re neck deep in Richard Wellington’s Olympic-sized pool of freshly laid crap, and you’re damn near close to drowning.”
A normal person would have wondered how the hell he knew I was in trouble. However, in our line of work, I only wondered how long it had taken him to figure it out. Had he known since the moment I had disappeared with Ginny out of Chicago?
Heaving a weary sigh, I replied, “I know.”
“Good. Now let me tell you what you don’t know. Wellington isn’t the one you need to be worried about.”
“He’s not?” I asked in confusion.
“Nope. You need to worry about me, you stubborn ass motherfucker, because when I get ahold of you, I’m going to shove my boot so far up your ass you’re going to taste the sole’s rubber on your tongue for a solid fucking week. You got me, Young?”
I grinded my teeth to keep my mouth shut. We might not be active duty anymore, but that didn’t mean I could run my mouth to my commanding officer. That would be a good way to get your teeth knocked down your throat.
Apparently, I was quiet too long, because Wall snapped, “I said, you got me, Young?”
“Yes, sir.” Saying those two words in this circumstance felt like eating a whole plate of humble pie, but I knew I deserved it.
“Smartest thing you’ve said since I met you. Now tell me what I need to know.”
“Elk Lodge. Upstate, New York.”
I could hear movement over the phone, and I instinctively knew he already had the Ex Ops team on the move.
“Fucking fantastic. Don’t move, and don’t do anything stupid. See you soon.”
When the line went dead, I pulled the phone down to stare at the screen as it went dark.
Part of me was relieved to know the guys would be here soon to help. The other part of me worried how many people were going to die on my behalf.
For the first time in a long time, I felt like saying a prayer. Not for forgiveness and not for myself, but for the woman I loved and the six men who had become a band of brothers to me, even after I tried to keep them at arm’s length.
I would give my life for any of them. I just didn’t want them giving their lives up for me.
Chapter
8
Ginny
A knock sounded on our cabin door, and I watched, both scared and fascinated, as Lucas silently told me to hide in the bedroom as he pulled a gun from beneath the coffee table we had been sitting by.
What had he done? Taped the gun to the bottom of the table?
I knew better than to ask him, given the look on his face.
Getting up from the couch we had been cuddling on, I snuck over to the bedroom, closing the door until it was just cracked open so I could watch.
Lucas slowly moved across the small living room to the cabin’s front door as he watched me to make sure I was hidden. Then he turned his attention back to the door, took the final step to close the space, and put his head next to the wood.
I watched as he seemed to listen for any sort of hint of whom it might be
before he finally yelled out, “Who is it?”
A muffled, “Yo mama!” came back.
Lucas’s entire body seemed to relax as he dropped his gun hand down to his side and shook his head. He had apparently recognized the voice, yet I was still confused as I stayed in my spot behind the bedroom door. I wouldn’t feel safe again until I saw Lucas tuck his gun away, which he had yet to do, even though he was opening the door.
Standing on the other side was a man who looked to be about the same height and size as Lucas, only his hair was cut close to his head. He was sporting a huge grin as he inspected Lucas from head to toe.
“It’s about time you called us, knucklehead.”
I watched as Lucas stuck his head slightly out the door, looked left then right, before stepping back and motioning the man in while grumbling, “Really, Baker? Your momma jokes?”
The stranger shrugged as he stepped through the doorway. “Belle says I need to work on my sense of humor.”
Lucas snorted. “Tell Belle I said you suck at it.”
Before I could ask Lucas what was going on, I stifled a gasp as more men came through the door. Every one of them carried the stature of a soldier; some meaner looking than others. A couple of them gave Lucas a slap on the back as they walked by, heading into the living room. The second to last to enter the cabin, Lucas nodded his head to, which didn’t seem to alleviate the extremely pissed off expression the man wore. Although I was intrigued by the exchange, my eyes didn’t stay with him for long. They fell on the last man through the door who, for some odd reason, sent a shiver down my spine.
It wasn’t that the man, who I heard Lucas by the name Chavez, was overly large and intimidating. It was something about his countenance as he silently walked past Lucas without a word. And there was something about Lucas’s expression that said he respected the man. I couldn’t help wondering why.
I wasn’t able to ponder it for long, though, because a man clearing his throat from just to my left startled me, and I let out a surprised shriek before clapping a hand over my mouth.
Looking at him, I found the smiling face of a blond man. His hair was messy as if he had just rolled out of bed, and he had a killer beard that sort of reminded me of a lumberjack. Or maybe that was the red flannel he wore with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. All over the pale skin of his neck, what was visible of his arms, and even his fingers were covered in tattoos.
If I weren’t madly in love with an Italian-American man with olive skin and gorgeous hazel eyes, I could seriously see myself getting hot and bothered over this one.
He was holding his hand out, as if he wanted me to shake it, as he said, “Hi, beautiful, name’s Chase. Why don’t you come join us?”
Lucas growled as he crossed the room to stand in front of me. “Quit your flirtin’, Anderson; she’s mine.”
Stepping up onto my tiptoes to see over Lucas’s shoulder, I watched as Chase’s smile widened and he held his hands up in surrender. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Young. I was just being friendly.”
Lucas growled again, and I swore I could hear his teeth grinding. “Go be friendly with someone else and leave Ginny to me.”
Reaching blindly behind him, Lucas grabbed my hand with a surety that only came from being a hardened solider and pulled me with him as he stepped into the living room. Tugging me to step up and stand by his side, I watched as he nodded his head in my direction.
“This is Virginia.” Looking back at me, he waved a hand at the group of men. “Gin, these are the men I work with. I’ll give you a quick introduction, but then we need to move on to business, angel.”
Hope surged through me at his words. Was this business rescuing my mom? Because if the answer was yes, then I just might break down in happy tears while giving Lucas a big, fat kiss on the lips.
Turning his attention back to the five men, he pointed them out quickly. “That’s Bobby, Riley, and Arturo.” He then pointed to the blond who had tried to shake my hand. “That bozo is Chase.” Then Lucas politely nodded his head toward the last man in the room. “And that is Commander Jaxon Wall.” Looking back at the man he called Riley, I watched as Lucas asked him, “Declan still in the hospital?”
Riley shook his head. “He’s in a rehab facility now. Started his physical therapy.”
Lucas turned his attention back to me, a playful twinkle in his eye that I hadn’t seen in a very long time. “Declan is usually the class clown among us, but he was hurt a while ago and is recovering. That’s probably why Bobby is trying to throw his crappy jokes around to try to fill his place.”
Bobby grabbed a magazine sitting on the end table next to him and threw it at Lucas, missing him because Lucas grabbed me and pulled both of us to the side.
It was nice to see Lucas being playful again, but I couldn’t stop thinking about why these men might be here.
Turning in his arms, I grabbed his T-shirt with both hands to get his attention. Once I had it, I whispered, “Are they here to help us?”
His features went serious as he nodded.
Unable to control the tears that were brewing, I leaned forward and wrapped both arms around him in a tight hug. “Thank you, Lucas. Thank you so much.”
I felt his head drop until he kissed the top of my head.
“I would do anything for you, Ginny. Anything and everything, except lose you again.”
Lucas
Ginny retreated to our room so I could sit with the guys and strategize.
In all the years and all the missions, I had never taken the time to appreciate what we had built together as a team. Ever ready, that was me. Always prepared. Yet, I had never stopped to think about this team, these guys. Having them here, I had relief for the first time since I had whisked Ginny away.
Commander Wall was the first to break the ice. “You know, MacArthur said, ‘You are remembered for the rules you break’.”
“Oh, yeah? Then I’m pretty sure there’s not a person in this world—who’s met me—who’s going to forget who the hell I am.”
Jaxon laughed.
Chase Anderson, not missing a beat, started to sing “Unforgettable.”
“Where the hell is Declan when you need him?” I quickly shut the man up.
Yes, without Declan, a piece seemed to be missing. Funny that I had thought I could do this without these guys.
Bobby was the first to pull out his phone and start us off. “Well, Young, your bread crumbs were hard to follow. Wellington made our radar because of the Regulators. Ice issued the stand down for you, but he’s made us no promises Hammer will stay away for long.”
“Wellington is in deep, Lucas,” Riley jumped in next. “He’s the man in charge, though. So, once we take him down, if it doesn’t shut down the entire operation, it will at least take someone with some big fuckin’ balls to replace him.”
“He does shit sly, Young,” Anderson chimed in. “Owning multiple pharmaceutical production plants. The shipments all pass codes, but he hides the illegal shit behind it. It’s all a game of bait and switch. He’s the king of manufactured drugs, not only in Chicago, but parts of the East and West Coasts. The man keeps production close to home here in Chi town, but he’s expanding distribution far and wide. Anyone gets too close, they go ghost. The only thing he’s ever been tied to is the shit that happened in North Carolina. If that hadn’t landed with the Regulators, the one witness would certainly be gone as well as any trace back to the pharmaceutical companies since her sister worked at one, and that’s what opened more than one set of government eyes on it.”
“We need to find an inside man who isn’t so turned and tainted yet, but is close enough to know what Wellington’s next move is,” Arturo added while simply twiddling his thumbs as if my woman hadn’t left me with a seventy-two-hour window to get her mom safely out.
“Jay,” I gave them the one name that seemed to fit into the puzzle. Why else would Wellington want Ginny to marry the man unless it was to groom his predecessor.
“Sanjay Kahn is in no way going to replace Richard Wellington.” Chase closed the thought immediately as the rest of the team nodded.
“What does your girl know about Mr. Kahn?” Commander Wall inquired.
It was a hit to the gut to even allow myself to think about what Ginny might or might not know about Sanjay Kahn.
“He was nice to her.” I swallowed every bit of pride, jealousy, and anger to spit the words out. I felt like I was choking on my own emotions. “What do you know about him?”
“Not enough,” Wall sternly answered. “He has enough of a financial profile and connections to make him dangerous. But his interests don’t seem to be in conquering Wellington, but rather joining their enterprises.”
“He someone we need to worry about?”
“I think anyone tied to Wellington is someone to keep an eye on. Down to the fuckin’ butler and maid, they all pose a risk when it comes to the way that man handles his shit,” Riley clipped before standing to pace the room.
For the first time in a long time, I looked at Commander Wall. “What’s your gut say?”
It was a strange feeling to really allow myself to rely on someone else’s instinct. Not that Commander has ever led us wrong, but I had never given this kind of control to something so personal over to anyone before.
“Sanjay Kahn is the key to unraveling the whole enterprise. He is the opportunity to get to Wellington from the inside. We need to set up a surveillance to Kahn’s home and business before we rush in on Wellington.”
Sanjay Kahn, my woman’s fiancé, was the key to this. Bitter didn’t even begin to describe the taste in my mouth.
Chapter
9
Lucas
You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.
I can hear my father saying that to me when I was a little boy who didn’t grasp what it truly meant. Now I’m a man who understands all too well. My back is up against a proverbial wall, and the only way to get out alive while making sure my girl stays safe is to fight. I’m more than ready to do that after being on the run for four months.