Harris rushes to Vice to check for a pulse and exhales in relief when he finds one. “Gunshot wound to the leg, and it looks like he was knocked out.”
“Cocaine. We were both injected.” Grace speaks through her swollen lips as I race to untie her, kicking the shit out of the fucker at my feet as I do.
“Fuck.” We all know that isn’t good news when it comes to Vice. Grace begins to slip out of consciousness again, so I lift her into my arms. “Harris, put a call in to Kaleb to come get us the hell out of here.”
I stroke the hair out of her face and start to look for any other injuries. I don’t know what I’ll do if they’ve done something to fatally hurt her. She’s sweating and her body temperature is out of control.
“Kidnappers are gone. We need help asap. I have four needing medical attention. Vice is down, cocaine toxic. These fuckers shot both him and Grace up.” Harris keeps it short and to the point as he tries to brief the others.
“Listen to me.” Pierce takes over the call and starts directing us on how to help Grace and Vice. “Do what you can to get their body temperatures back to normal. Watch for seizures and cardiac arrest. You do not leave their side for any reason until we get there.” The rush in his voice scares me as I hold Grace’s lifeless body. I pick her up and move her closer to water so I can pour it over her clothes. I leave them on her, because keeping her damp will only help bring down her temperature. I catch Harris struggling to move Vice until Jackson runs in and they both move him to the small table that sits a few feet from where I’m standing. We do the same with Vice as I just did with Grace. Our eyes search them both, trying to decide what to do.
“How are the hostages?” I bite out my question while I try to make sure everyone is safe, even though I really only care about her walking away from this. I know one of the hostages is a doctor, but I have no intention of putting my trust in someone else when it comes to Grace’s care. Not to mention he’s been in custody for days, and who knows what kind of condition he’s in himself.
“They’re fine. I untied the doctor before I rushed down here. He’s freeing the girl.” Just then, they both walk in. The doctor moves quickly to look at Vice and Grace, and we all step back to allow him the space he needs. I hate to put my trust in him, but at this point I have no choice.
It’s killing me to stand by and watch her like this. “Grace, baby. You have to stay with me.” My heart hurts and the lump in my throat is making it impossible to breathe while I watch her body go lifeless in my arms. “Fuck, get the doctors here now!” I scream toward Harris just before I slide the hair out of her face. Seeing her like this is tearing me apart.
“I need to know you’re going to be okay.” She opens her eyes slowly and moves her head only slightly, acknowledging me. “You fucking owe me a vacation, and I’m not letting you out of it like this.”
She coughs before she squeezes my arm and then struggles to speak. “You owe me one. Don’t even think about getting out of it.” And with that challenge she warms my heart. Everything we’ve been through and all that I’ve done in my life comes crashing into my mind as I realize I’m holding the exact woman I want to spend my life with.
She’s beautiful and strong, never giving up on those she loves. Her dedication and loyalty have been proven over and over as I’ve watched her. My fingers slide down the side of her face as she comes in and out of consciousness, and even though I know the room is littered with the noise from the others, I can only hear her breathing. I’m tuned in to her, and it’s in this moment I know what I have to do.
EPILOGUE- TWO WEEKS LATER
STEELE
She’s been in the bathroom for two hours trying to make sure she looks perfect. I’ve been trying to squeeze in some groping, but she’s hell-bent on denying me today. I’m just not used to her saying no, but I get that she’s nervous to be around everyone again.
“I’m ready.” The minute I turn around to see Grace standing in the doorway, my mouth drops open. She looks gorgeous and she’s tempting me to take her straight back into the bedroom she’s coming from. We’ve been here a week, staying in a suite and taking every opportunity to spend time with each other. It was actually an order from Jade and Kaleb. What can I say, we have their support in this relationship.
“You look stunning.” She does. Her hair is swept off to the side in the front and piled smoothly on top of her head. Her makeup is dark across those rich brown eyes. That’s not what has my dick wanting to claw its way through the zipper of my black dress pants. It’s her body in that dress. Light blue and lace, short as fuck and strapless, making me want to tell everyone that we’ll be late to the beach wedding and they’ll just have to start without us.
“You sure you haven’t mixed stunning with shocking, because I think I see your eyes popping out of your head at any moment, and I would think with all the sex we’ve had over the past week that you’d be at least somewhat satisfied.” She walks past me to grab her little purse off the table, bending over just enough to give me quite the view of her cleavage, teasing me with a smile as she does.
“Remind me to never let you go shopping with Sophia or Ivy again. In fact, if you want to march right back in the bedroom and put on a pair of those scrubs you bought, it won’t bother me a bit.” I’m actually not the least bit nervous to have her gorgeous body standing next to mine. Everyone we will be with today is like family to me, and I have no reason to worry that any of them would do shit to make me jealous.
“I think I’ll stick with this for tonight. I’ll be living in scrubs for the next four years. You’ll be sick of seeing me in them when we see each other.” Fat fucking chance, I want to say. There isn’t a thing this woman could wear that won’t have me raging for her.
“I doubt that. When we do see each other, I won’t be giving two shits what you have on.” I sound like a horny fucker. Can’t seem to help it with her.
She spent the first few days after we found her at her old house in the care of Dr. Stapleton. Leslie refused to leave her side the entire time. Even after her fever came down and her heart rate went back to normal.
I wanted to fight like hell with every one of them to let me fly her to Germany or anywhere else to a hospital once she was stabilized. But it was Grace who finally put her foot down and told me no. She trusted them, and I had to, too. Even though it was only two days to get her back to a conscious state, I felt like it took forever.
Kaleb and Jade took off right away with Vice, while everyone else stayed behind to clean up our mess. I didn’t ask them what or how they did it. I don’t care to know. Not when my main concern was the woman who helped me realize that I’ve finally found peace. I knew the second I saw her injured that I can’t handle my life without her.
I will never forget my brother or the things he did to protect me, to keep me safe, and to make sure I had the things I needed when we were growing up. He will always be a part of me, and I will never fully stop blaming myself for his death.
The thing is, Trenton would kick my ass if he knew I felt this way, and it took a woman with more strength and courage than most people possess to make me see that my life must go on. That I deserve to live a life with no regrets, and I am. Maybe it was simply just having someone like her in my arms every night, but the nightmares have calmed down, too. There are less of them, and when I do have one, it’s not as catastrophic as it used to be. I’m actually having a few dreams in which I get to remember my brother in a good way.
Grace is going back home after the wedding. I’ve got to leave for another mission and help keep things in line at the compound, while Kaleb and Jade are on their honeymoon. Pierce has to head back to his desk job, and Kase is finally back from staying a month with his mom after he and his sister made the decision to put their father in assisted living. And Jackson…Well, let’s just say I’m not sure what’s going on with him.
I know whatever it is that has had him hanging out with all of us over the past few days without some chick on his arm or
even looking at one has me wondering if he isn’t realizing he needs to pull his shit together and be serious for once in his life.
I had every intention of going back to the ranch to chill once we returned to the States, but Grace had other plans. She said it had been years since she hung at the beach or even saw the ocean. Can’t say I blame her, so we booked our room at the hotel where Kaleb and Jade’s wedding is about to happen on the beach, and spent half of it in bed where not only did a wild side come out of Grace, but the woman blew me away.
“I hate that I won’t be able to wake up to you soon.” She lowers her head as her face flashes with the same dread.
“I know.”
“So, don’t go back home. Move to the compound with me.” Her eyes dart up as she takes in what I’m saying.
“That’s tempting, but I have school.” I can’t push for her to move in with me at this point, knowing it will change her own dreams. I’d never do that to her.
“Then we’ll just have to live in two places.” She’s processing what I’m saying, and I like the look she’s giving me.
“I’m not ready to say good-bye to you tomorrow, I know that.” I move closer to her and wrap my arms around her waist. She snuggles into my chest and takes a deep breath. “I have a few months before school starts. I could come stay with you at the compound for a while, and then we can get a place near my school.”
“Now you’re talking.” The thought of not having her next to me when I wake up doesn’t sit well with me. I’m going to do what I can to make this woman happy. She deserves to live her own dream of becoming a doctor, and nothing I do should change that. She will have my support and love for as long as she’ll take it.
“You do realize that I’ll have to do a little shopping for that house of yours. It’s like a bachelor pad right now, and I think it’s in need of some female-inspired decorating.” I step back and smile. This is how I knew she’d be. I want her to come in and cause chaos in my life. All of that shit means nothing to me. What matters is loving this insanely beautiful woman so much that I can’t think of anything when I’m away, except getting home to her. I know that’s how I’ll be, because the second I found out she was going back to Iraq, my heart sank. It was like a giant slap in the face and the turning moment that made me realize how much she means to me.
“Grace. You know you’ll have to put up with all of my shit if we move in together. I’ll be on missions at times, and it’ll be hard.”
“You can’t say anything I haven’t already thought about. But what I’ve realized”—she stands on her tip toes and kisses my lips a few times before she continues—“is we both love our careers. We both have a passion to help others, and that’s what makes us a great fit for each other. Our time together will just be special because it’ll be limited. I’m okay with that, because any other option isn’t something I’m willing to consider. I love you, Trevor Steele.” Those last few words slam into my chest as if they jump-start my heart for the first time in my life.
The peace that surrounds me when she’s near consumes and completes me. I can’t even fathom my life without this woman.
“I love you too, Grace Birch.”
THE END
Acknowledgments
Hilary Storm
Again, I have to thank Kathy first! Book four lady! This has been an amazing series and I couldn’t love our boys any more than I do! Thank you for walking this journey with me and taking me for who I am at all times!
My husband and kids are always the people who have to sacrifice the most when I write. I love them for understanding and challenging me to be even better every time I publish! They are the reasons I do what I do. They’ve taught me to love with everything inside me and I don’t know what I’d do without the four loves of my life!
Battershell… Thank you for yet another amazing picture! You and Preston are great people and I love that we were able to incorporate him as one of the Elite men!
Dana… Don’t ever leave me. You make my chaos look great and I love you to the moon and back for all that you do for me!
Julia… thanks for cleaning up our mess! It’s because of you that it’s clean and ready for readers!
Amanda and Lindsey… thank you so much for being my Alpha girls! I love your opinions and it means so much to me that you take time out of your lives to help me through these ideas! I love ya ladies!
And last but never least… thank you to the readers who are reading this series! It’s because of you that we have the demand for another book to follow! Stay tuned because we won’t disappoint!
KATHY COOPMANS
Hilary, what can I say except you and I make a perfect team. We simply flow, get one another and click. This series has blown me away and I couldn’t ask for a better partner.
Jill Sava, my friend, PA and, the left side of my brain. You are a Godsend to me. A talent that does not go un-noticed in the slightest. You complete me!
Eric Battershell and Preston Tate. This cover was supposed to be for another book. However, things took a turn and Preston became our Steele. It’s perfect.
My husband and my sons. The three of you keep me grounded. You push me every day to continue to do my best. I have the best family in this world.
Dana Leah. You are such an amazing woman. These covers, teasers and everything you do for the two of us never disappoints. Thank you for being on our side.
Julia Goda. Our amazing editor. I love you so dang much.
To every reader, blogger, author, and supporter out there. I thank you from the depths of my soul for reading our series.
BOOKS BY HILARY STORM
Six
Seven
Rebel Walking Series
In A Heartbeat
Heaven Sent
Banded Together
No Strings Attached
Hold Me Closer
Fighting the Odds
Never Say Goodbye
Whiskey Dreams
Bryant Brothers Series
Don’t Close Your Eyes
Alphachat.com Series
Pay for Play
Two can Play
Elite Forces Series
ICE
FIRE
STONE
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BOOKS BY KATHY COOPMANS
The Shelter Me Series
Shelter Me
Rescue Me
Keep Me
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Book one-The Wrath of Cain.
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Book three - The Absolution of Aiden
Book four - The Deliverance of Dilan:
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The Drifter
The Contrite Duet
Contrite
Reprisal
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RIDDICK
Jude (out February 28th)
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Steele (The Elite Forces Book 4) Page 17