Rising (Anderson Special Ops Book 2)

by Melody Anne

  “Joseph, you know how much this entire hospital loves and appreciates you and your family,” Spence told him. “Katherine’s our top priority.”

  “We’ll be here when you get out, Dad,” Lucas said, patting Joseph on the arm before stepping back.

  “We’re going to be here for the next twenty-four hours to monitor your wife, and then we have to get back to our hospitals, but she’s in capable hands with the staff here,” Dr. Manstein said.

  “What? You’re leaving?” Joseph asked, his heart picking up speed.

  “We’re not going anywhere today, Joseph. But I have faith Katherine will be just fine,” Dr. Raul said.

  With that, Spence led Joseph through the hospital, the other two doctors turning down an opposite hallway.

  “I’m scared,” Joseph admitted to Spence. “I can’t keep seeing my wife so beat up.”

  “I know, Joseph, this entire situation is impossible to deal with. But you have to remember that you have dealt with it. You’ve been strong for Katherine for a long time now. I know you’ll make it to the endzone with her,” Spence said.

  “I’ll always make it to the finish line with my wife,” Joseph said.

  “She will make it out of this, Joseph. I have faith,” Spence said. “She’s made it through everything else, including you giving her some of her beautiful white hair with the craziness you’ve pulled through the years. You have to continue to stay strong as she goes through recovery. When you need to scream, do it away from her. And it is okay to scream, to cry, to rant at the world. You can’t always hold it in, because then it becomes a risk to your own health.”

  Joseph gave him a semblance of a smile. “When have you ever known me to hold anything in?” Joseph asked as they stopped in front of a curtain in the ICU.

  “That’s a very good point,” Spence said. Then he held Joseph’s hand. “There are no chairs in there, but there are many machines. You get ten minutes, which is five more than most people get. We have to be strict on this, Joseph. Wash your hands right here, then sanitize them, then do it one more time. We need to keep Katherine safe. We have strict protocols for her right now.”

  “I’ll do whatever it takes,” Joseph said.

  Spence nodded to a nurse who brought a gown, gloves, and mask for Joseph. He spent five minutes scrubbing his hands, then put on the protective gear, the items barely fitting him. He’d put on a suit of armor if it meant he could be with his wife for even thirty seconds.

  He went in and stood next to Katherine, having to clutch his fingers to keep himself from touching her, from pulling her up into his arms. Her face was pale, her body looked frail, and she wore a giant bandage on her head. It was wrong, it looked so damn wrong.

  “You’ll come back to me again, my love,” Joseph said, his voice choked. “I know you’ll come back to me again.”

  His time was up far too quickly, and Joseph walked from her small room defeated. He moved with slow steps as he made his way back to his family. He wasn’t leaving that hospital, not that day, and not the next. He wasn’t leaving without his wife.

  He only got to visit one more time that night for another brief ten minutes, but the staff was optimistic, saying her vitals were great, and she was showing signs of trying to wake up. He said prayer after prayer.

  That night turned into the next morning, and then another day went by, all with Katherine’s vitals growing stronger by the minute. After three days she’d been somewhat conscious a few times, but didn’t remember waking each new time she did. She was moved to a larger room, still being monitored closely but not needing to be in ICU any longer. That was more of a positive step than he could’ve hoped for so soon.

  Joseph stepped inside her room on the third day, grateful he no longer had to wear gloves, ecstatic he could finally touch her hand.

  He stepped up to her bed, took a seat in the waiting chair, and gently grasped her hand, nearly shaking with the happiness of getting to touch her again. Joseph hadn’t gone three days without feeling her skin since the day they’d been married. He prayed he never had to do it again.

  Her eyes fluttered, and her monitor beeped. Joseph’s heart skipped a beat.

  “Katherine?” he whispered. “My love, I’m here.” Her eyes fluttered again, and then they opened, her beautiful blue eyes glazed but looking his way. “I love you,” he told her.

  It was several heartbeats before he heard her voice. “I love you,” she said, her words raspy, but absolutely beautiful. He smiled, his heart enlarging, his nose tingling as he fought tears.

  “I love you so very much, my beautiful wife,” he said again. He’d say it a million times a day, and be grateful she could hear it.

  “Is it gone?” she asked.

  “It’s gone, my love. They got it all,” he told her. They’d taken a scan the day before, and yes, they’d gotten it all. They were still concerned, but not necessarily about cancer, and they did warn him that it could come back. But there was no need for Joseph to tell her all of that. For right now, she was alive, she was healing, and she was with him and conscious. That was all that mattered.

  “The kids?” she asked.

  “They’re all going out of their minds with worry, but that’s good for them,” Joseph said with a smile. “Think of the many, many, many nights they kept us awake worrying about them.”

  Katherine smiled as she lightly squeezed his fingers.

  “That’s very true, my love.”

  “I’ve missed you so much,” he told her.

  “How long have I been out?”

  “Three excruciating days. You’ve come in and out of consciousness, but this is the most you’ve spoken. And I can see your eyes clearing. I think you’re going to stay with me now.”

  “I won’t ever leave you,” she promised him.

  “I know you won’t, my love. You are stuck with me for all time and eternity.”

  “It’s not stuck when it’s exactly where I want to be,” she assured him.

  “It’s not just where I want to be, my darling Katherine, it’s where I have to be.”

  “I’m very tired,” she said. “I’m sorry. I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes open. I want to look at you, take you in . . .”

  The nurses had come in while they were talking, and they were taking stats, adding fluids, and giving Joseph some much needed time with his wife, not interrupting them.

  “You go ahead and get some rest, Katherine. You’ve run and run your entire life, and it’s okay for you to get some extra sleep for a little while. You know I’ll be right here waiting for you when you wake up. I’ll be here taking care of our family so when you’re healed you can have that job back.”

  “I know you will,” she told him. “Now kiss me before I fall asleep.”

  “That’s a request I’m more than happy to do any second of the day,” he said with a real smile. He carefully leaned down and gently brushed his lips across hers. She sighed as he pulled back. She closed her eyes, a soft smile resting on her lips.

  “I feel good, Joseph, I truly feel good,” Katherine whispered.

  “I love you,” he said again. She let out another contented sigh. And then she fell back asleep.

  Joseph sat at her side, holding her hand while her chest gently moved up and down as she breathed. He’d be happy to sit there for as long as it took. He knew he’d be taking his wife home, and he knew they’d have many, many more years to come.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Team, we’re heading out soon. You need to get ready,” Chad said. He looked at the men around him, varying expressions on their faces. Chad’s outfit let them know this wasn’t going to be a fun mission.

  “Where?” Eyes asked, always the professional.

  “The Andersons,” Chad said with a smirk. “Since you guys are so brilliant and have figured out who your benefactor is, I figured it’s high time you show some respect and meet the man who’s funding this operation.”

  “Dammit, Brackish,” Smoke said. “If y
ou weren’t so good, we wouldn’t have to go to some event where we have to wear suits.”

  Brackish normally would’ve laughed at that, but he hadn’t felt up to do a whole lot of laughing lately. “I’m not going to complain, but is this really necessary? I don’t feel up to socializing.”

  “This isn’t a polite invitation, Brackish,” Chad said before looking at each of the men. “We’re going . . . period.” The men moaned and his gaze sharpened. “Look, this isn’t a fundraiser, or a glad-hand party, this is the Anderson home, and none of us would have this job without them so when Joseph summons us, we go.”

  “Copy that,” Brackish said flatly.

  Brackish knew he had to pull his head out of his ass. Rubbing elbows with the billionaire club wasn’t his favorite activity on the best of days. It was downright revolting on the worst. But Chad was right that Joseph funded them. Brackish would just have to suck it up.

  “Have you spoken to Erin yet?” Sleep asked.

  “As shitty a mood as he’s still in, I’d say that’s a resounding no,” Green answered.

  “This is my point, once again, on why it’s better to not have a relationship,” Smoke piped in.

  Brackish rolled his eyes. “I did speak to her this morning. She called, said she was feeling better physically, and that we could talk. I don’t know what the hell she means by that. I don’t know if she’s going to tell me to jump off a cliff, or if she’s going to give this a chance. But if I’m at some damn event, I’ll never know.”

  A couple of chuckles were heard as whipped, besotted, and goner were whispered. Brackish looked around, ready to show the team how whipped he wasn’t. They might be much better fighters than he was, but there was something to say about adrenaline and frustration. He could take them.

  “Don’t even think about it, Brackish, I’d have to spank you,” Smoke said, outright laughing now.

  “Enough of this,” Eyes said, trying to hide the laughter in his own voice. “We all need to quit giving Chug a hard time. He always does right by this team. We can suck it up for one day.” He stopped and looked at Brackish. “Just call Erin and tell her to call anytime except between the hours of 1800 and 2200 hours. Tell her you’re gonna be hobnobbing with the Andersons. Maybe she’ll be impressed.”

  “I wouldn’t want to be with a woman impressed by that. Been there, done that,” Brackish said.

  “Amen,” Green said. “I understand a woman wanting security and not wanting to date a bum, but I don’t like the moneygrubbers.”

  “Hell, I wouldn’t mind a sugar mama,” Smoke said as he did a little dance, wiggling his hips. “I have a life of luxury I need to maintain.” That made the entire team laugh, including Chad.

  “Your big fat bank account is evidence you don’t need anyone supporting your girlie lifestyle,” Brackish said. “I know about the spa trip.” That made a couple of the guys gasp as they looked at Smoke like he’d just spouted an extra head.

  Smoke didn’t seem at all embarrassed. Brackish didn’t think anything could embarrass a man like Smoke who had swagger coming off of him in waves. “Hey, I’m trying to keep that account secret,” Smoke said. “And there’s nothing wrong with a good massage. It keeps this fine skin silky soft.”

  “You are a girl,” Green said with a laugh. He wasn’t standing too close to Smoke as he said this. All of the men would feel sorry for an enemy of Smoke’s. He was a nice, funny guy. But he was also protective and believed in justice. He’d go to the end of the world to enforce that — and he had.

  “Say all you want. I’m a damn fine man, and I know it,” Smoke said as he flexed, then kissed his massive bicep, making the men laugh.

  “We might like a good lifestyle, but we can all agree that we deserve to be liked and respected for what we’ve done, not how much money we have,” Eyes said, going back to the conversation they’d had before Smoke’s shocking love of spas was revealed. They’d all been in situations where people around them had tried to get all they could from them. It wasn’t pleasant.

  “Imagine being Joseph. You guys don’t look or act like people with millions of dollars, but the world knows who Joseph Anderson is, and how much he has. Maybe that’s why he wants to be around those who want to be with him for him and not what he has or what he can do for them,” Chad said.

  “Damn, Chug, now we can’t complain about going,” Brackish said. The other men nodded their agreement.

  “Yep, I’m damn good at guilt trips. Now go and change so we can load up.”

  With that, the men left the room. Within thirty minutes, they met at the garage and chose a blacked-out Escalade.

  “Where’s Chug?” Brackish asked.

  “He went ahead of us,” Eyes said. Eyes and Sleep were in the front of the vehicle and Green had his arms crossed in the back.

  “I don’t know why we couldn’t take two vehicles. We don’t always need to go everywhere together,” he said.

  “Ah, Green, are you uncomfortable way back there?” Smoke asked with a laugh. He was in the farthest back right hand seat, but the Escalade was pretty roomy, surprisingly accommodating his large size.

  “This sucks. I’m always in the third row. If we’re shot from behind I’m the first to die,” Green said.

  That elicited several chuckles. Not only was the car bulletproof, but they were far too good at their job to have a sneak attack. And if someone did appear behind, Eyes had killer driving skills, so they wouldn’t be trapped for long.

  “Yep, there’s no way to escape your fate, Green,” Brackish told him. “We all know the order goes by seniority first, then looks, and then age. You’re at the bottom of all of the categories.”

  “You can kiss my young ass, Brackish,” Green said with a sugary sweet smile. Then he snapped a pic of Brackish, did some editing magic, and sent it to him, making Brackish laugh out loud as he showed the other men.

  “Damn, Green, that’s good. Brackish looks like a troll. He just needs a big stick,” Smoke said.

  “He looks like an oversized gremlin thrown into a blender,” Green said. “The suit doesn’t help.”

  “You might be damn smart and damn good at a lot of things, but your comeback game needs major improvement,” Brackish said. All of the men laughed.

  They took a turn and showed IDs at the gate of the Anderson mansion, and then all of them were silent as they turned a corner and Joseph Anderson’s place came into view. Eyes stopped their vehicle as the men sat for a moment and looked up.

  Smoke was the first to speak. “Holy hell, this place is way bigger than it looks on a monitor.”

  “Holy hell is right, Smoke,” Eyes said. “This place is unbelievable.”

  “I know we all have money, but this is money,” Sleep said.

  Those words made the men laugh. And then Brackish piped up. “Can you imagine the security measures taken here?” He rubbed his hands together. “Damn, I’d love to see the server room.” They stepped from the vehicle as Brackish looked around. “The person who set up the outside cameras did a piss poor job on placement.”

  “Can you go anywhere without critiquing the place?” Eyes asked.

  “Not a chance,” Brackish said. “I need to talk to Joseph about it.”

  “He’s never been invaded so they haven’t done that bad of a job,” Smoke pointed out.

  “Yet,” Brackish said, then he smiled, probably his first full-blown, mega-watt, happy smile he’d had in weeks. “We should challenge Joseph, tell him that if we can get in and out without anyone noticing then we get some kind of prize. And as a major bonus, if we can do that, then he gets to let me redo his entire system. That’s the only prize I need.” Brackish’s mind had glazed over as if he’d just been handed the keys to the kingdom. “I’d love to get my hands on this place.”

  Eyes looked serious. “I like it,” he said. “That would be a hell of a mission, and damn fun.”

  “We could use some fun,” Sleep said.

  “Would his guards know?” Green aske
d.

  “Nope. If he let us do it, we’d get to pick the time and date. Only Joseph would be aware,” Brackish said.

  “He has a bit of stress. I can’t imagine he’d be up for that,” Eyes said.

  “I think he’d love it,” Chad said, startling the men as he popped up next to them. They’d been so absorbed in the house and its security, they’d allowed themselves to be snuck up on. They weren’t unaware of how ironic that was. “I love the idea. I’ll talk to Joseph. If his security isn’t the best, he’ll want it to be. He might just go for it.”

  “That’s bad ass,” Brackish said, his eyes roving the entire front of the house. He was already making a plan in his head. The other men had ideas of their own brewing about a mission there. They hoped it could happen. They had a lot of fun, but this was a whole other level of merriment.

  They began moving toward the front door when a booming voice called out to them from the top of the staircase. “Welcome to my humble abode. I’m Joseph Anderson.” He spryly descended a few stairs, meeting the men halfway. Brackish had mad respect for that. This man might be one the wealthiest people in the world, but he didn’t think anyone needed to bow to him. He was more than willing to meet in the middle.

  “It’s great to officially meet you, sir,” Eyes said, the first to shake Joseph’s hand. The rest of the men followed.