The Legend

by Donna Grant

  He raised his head, stunned at the feelings churning within him. While he could barely form a thought, Kate was smiling up at him.

  “When this is finished, I want many more of those.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he replied, a grin forming.

  He walked with her out of the office to the back service elevators that took them to the first floor. They exited via a back entrance that put them in an alley behind the building.

  “I’ll never be far,” he told her, his hand on her back while leading her to Cullen’s SUV.

  “I know. It’s the only reason I’m doing this.”

  Her faith in him was staggering. He didn’t know what it was about Kate that made her so willing to trust him, but he was glad of it.

  He opened the door for her and waited as she got inside. Her hand lingered on his arm. Orrin reached up and touched her face.

  “Stay to the route,” he told her.

  “I will.”

  He hesitated, fighting the need to taste her lips again. It was Kate who pulled him down and pressed her mouth to his. The desire that went through him once more rocked him to his very core.

  He leaned away, shocked at his primal reaction, but she merely winked at him as she fastened her seatbelt. When she started the engine, he closed the door and gave her a nod.

  As soon as she drove off, Orrin made his way through the buildings and away from cameras to set up in a secluded part of town. From the moment Hewett had walked out of the building earlier, he’d known this plan would work.

  Mitch was waiting for him to make a move. What Hewett wouldn’t see coming was Kate, who would lead him right to Orrin and the others. It would be a simple snatch and grab, but the majority of the operation relied upon Kate.

  Orrin didn’t doubt her ability. He worried that they were throwing her to the wolves. Then again, they didn’t have a choice. Mitch knew everyone. It was either Kate, or they ask someone else.

  At least he knew he could trust Kate. He didn’t know why or how, but the moment he’d looked into her eyes, he’d known. And he hadn’t second-guessed himself once over it.

  Orrin looked at his phone where he could track Kate’s progress as he settled into his spot. She would drive around until Hewett was in position. It all depended on how quickly Mitch spotted Mia.

  Cullen was tracking Hewett and acting as backup to Mia. Yuri was on the roof above Orrin, waiting to take out anyone who tried to interfere with them taking Mitch.

  The minutes crawled past. Orrin checked his phone constantly to see Kate’s progress. The group had no COMs, so they couldn’t talk to each other except through their phones.

  Just as that thought went through his head, his cell rang. He saw Cullen’s number and answered it immediately. “Yes?”

  “The bait has been hooked,” Cullen said.

  The line disconnected. Orrin then sent the message to Yuri to alert them that Hewett was being led to them. Now, all he had to do was wait.

  Wait to come face-to-face with the bastard Orrin had trusted who had betrayed him.

  Wait to talk to the man who he’d shared meals with.

  Wait to look into the eyes of a so-called friend, who had been willing to kill him.

  Now that Orrin knew about the Saints, there were new questions he’d like to put to Hewett. Not the least of which was what he knew about Melanie’s murder.

  Orrin spotted Mia come around the corner and duck behind a car. A few seconds later, Mitch ran after her, coming to a halt as he looked around to find her.

  While Hewett searched for Mia, Kate drove up and parked about fifty feet from him. She got out with her phone to her ear as she began talking frantically, pacing back and forth. As expected, Mitch turned toward the sound of Kate’s voice. Kate lowered the phone and let out a loud groan before she shook her head at the vehicle.

  Hewett was hesitant to go to her, but his curiosity won out. He kept looking around him as he approached Kate. “Ma’am? Is everything all right?”

  “No,” she said loudly. “There’s something wrong with my engine, and I can’t get a tow for another hour.”

  Mitch glanced behind him. “Did you see a woman with black hair come running this way?”

  Kate shook her head. “Sorry. I’ve been on the phone and not paying attention. Do you think you could look at my vehicle? Don’t men know how to fix these things?”

  Orrin wasn’t surprised that Hewett was on edge. He was cautious about getting closer to Kate.

  “Let me see your hands,” Mitch demanded.

  Kate gave him a confused look and took her hand from the pocket of her jacket to show him. Only then did he walk to the driver’s side of the SUV and pop the hood. He didn’t take his eyes off Kate as he walked to the front of the vehicle and pushed the hood up. He was so concerned with Kate that he never saw Orrin approaching.

  Orrin walked right up to Hewett’s back and pushed the barrel of the gun into his spine. “Hello, Mitch.”

  Hewett hung his head and held up his hands. “I need you to listen to me, Or—”

  “Shut the fuck up,” Orrin ordered. “Walk to the right toward the alley.”

  The few cars that passed didn’t pay them any mind, and then they were soon out of sight. Orrin gave a nod to Kate, who walked behind him.

  By the time they reached the alley, Mia, Cullen, and Yuri were already there. Cullen walked up to Hewett and punched him in the face so hard that Mitch was knocked down to his knees.

  “Get up,” Mia demanded.

  Mitch looked up at Orrin as he got to his feet. “You’re going to want to hear what I have to say.”

  “First, you’re going to answer some questions,” Orrin said.

  “Then ask.”

  Yuri was the first. “How long have you worked for the Saints?”

  “Twenty years,” Mitch answered.

  Orrin suspected as much, but to hear it was like a punch to the gut. “You specifically chose me for the Russia job, didn’t you?”

  Mitch nodded.

  “Why?” Cullen questioned.

  Hewett shrugged and wiped at his busted lip. “I knew Orrin was the type who would figure things out. The easiest answer was to get rid of him.”

  “Who runs the Saints?” Orrin asked.

  Mitch held up his hands and said, “I don’t know. We aren’t allowed to know their names or see their faces.”

  “How many lead the Saints?” Mia asked.

  “I don’t know that either.”

  Orrin saw Kate out of the corner of his eye. “We need answers, and you aren’t providing them. Perhaps you aren’t useful to us.”

  “I am,” Hewett insisted. “I heard there’s a book that lists all the names of every Saint and their rank.”

  “Where is it?” Yuri demanded.

  Mitch shrugged helplessly. “I have no idea. My contact is Andrew Smith. He works for the CIA.”

  “One name?” Yuri asked with a snort. “We should just kill him.”

  Hewitt shouted, “No! I’ve got information you want, Orrin.”

  Orrin cocked his head to the side. “Really? What might that be?”

  “I’ve lied to you all these years.”

  Cullen scoffed. “Of course, you have. You lied about everything.”

  Hewett shook his head. “No. About Melanie.”

  “What did you say?” Orrin asked. He was deadly calm, the anger coiling within him like a snake ready to strike. Mitch was going to give him information without being asked? How … interesting.

  Mitch swallowed nervously and shrugged. “I had my orders.”

  “What did you know?” he demanded.

  “Everything,” Hewett admitted. “I knew everything. I knew when it was going to happen, how it would happen.”

  Cullen took a menacing step toward him. “And who?”

  “Yes. And who.”

  Orrin walked to Mitch and put the gun to his forehead. “Who murdered my wife?”

  “Don’t you want to know why first?”
Mitch asked.

  Mia said, “I do.”

  Hewett licked his lips. “The Saints were eyeing you as a recruit, Orrin, but then on that mission in Afghanistan, you went back to the village overrun with insurgents and rescued that British businessman. They needed him killed in action.”

  “Who?” Orrin bellowed. “Who killed Melanie?”

  “Andrew Smith.”

  As soon as the name passed Hewett’s lips, Orrin pulled the trigger.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Cullen stared at Hewett’s dead body on the ground as the name of his mother’s killer reverberated through his head. There was a chance Mitch had lied. But there was also a chance he hadn’t.

  Mia’s hand slipped into his. Cullen squeezed it as he looked to his father. It had taken over twenty years, but they finally had answers.

  The depth of betrayal against the entire Loughman family was staggering, but it was mainly done to Orrin—for following his conscience.

  Kate was the only one who dared to approach Orrin, who still held his gun up. She lightly touched his right arm until he lowered it. Then she put her hand on his cheek.

  Cullen watched as Orrin closed his eyes and turned to face Kate. There were no words between them as Kate wrapped her arms around Orrin and simply held him.

  In all the years since his mother’s death, Cullen had never wondered why his father didn’t date. It never occurred to him that Orrin might be lonely. Until now.

  Seeing his father with Kate brought it all to the surface. They looked good together. And despite that such a horrible thing had brought them together, Cullen hoped they could find comfort in each other’s arms.

  “I like her,” Mia whispered.

  Cullen smiled down at his woman. In many ways, she knew Orrin better than he did, so her opinion mattered. “I do, too.”

  “You should tell him that.”

  Cullen bent and gave her a kiss. “I will.”

  Yuri cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Who is Andrew Smith?”

  “I’ve no idea,” Orrin said.

  Cullen saw how Kate’s and his father’s hands were entwined. “I doubt that’s his real name. We should’ve gotten a picture.”

  “Callie can work her magic,” Mia said.

  Yuri looked to the sky. “We should get going.”

  “Going where?” Cullen asked.

  “Mia did ask for a plane or helicopter. I said I knew someone. They are waiting for us,” Yuri explained.

  In seconds, they were on their way north of the city. In the fifteen-minute drive, no one said a word. They were all crammed into the small SUV with Mia, Kate, and Yuri in the back while Cullen drove and his father sat in the passenger seat.

  There was much Cullen wanted to talk to his dad about, but Orrin was still coming to terms with how the government had killed his wife, thus destroying their family.

  Cullen followed the directions that Yuri gave him as they drove until he pulled up to a private airstrip. Sitting before them was a gorgeous white and silver luxury helicopter.

  He stopped the vehicle and put it in park as someone came around the chopper. Cullen recognized the black hair and walk as none other than Lev Ivanski. A moment later, Sergei Chzov appeared.

  Mia was out of the SUV and walking toward the Russian don in the next second. Cullen watched as Sergei’s smile lit up his face while his head of thick, white hair blew in the wind.

  Cullen waited until they were all out of the vehicle before he turned to Yuri. “I didn’t realize you knew Sergei.”

  “Everyone knows Sergei,” Yuri replied and walked to the chopper.

  Lev greeted Cullen with a nod. Cullen eyed the Brigadier because he knew just how dangerous a man Lev was. “So, we meet again.”

  “Unfortunately,” Lev replied, his ice blue eyes watching Sergei like a hawk. As the captain in Sergei’s mafia and most trusted, Lev was always by his side.

  “Suck it up, buttercup,” Cullen said and turned to Sergei.

  Sergei smiled and held out his hand. “It is nice to see you and Mia again. You are healing well?”

  “Very. We’ll never be able to repay all that you’ve done for us.”

  Sergei waved away his words. “Bring Mia to visit me, and we will call it even.”

  “Consider it done.” Cullen watched as Sergei went to Orrin.

  Sergei held out his hand to Orrin. The two clasped hands, smiling. “And you did not think we would meet again.”

  “I knew you would look after Mia,” Orrin said.

  Sergei laughed and clasped his hands behind his back. “Our pledge to each other. I believe that promise has now passed to your son.”

  Orrin glanced at Cullen and smiled. “It has. Let me introduce Dr. Kate Donnelly. Kate, this is Sergei Chzov. He has several businesses in the Dover area, and to be frank, he runs the docks.”

  “It’s lovely to meet you,” Kate told him.

  Sergei took her hand and kissed the back of it, his gaze moving between Kate and Orrin. “I think it is good the Loughmans have a doctor with them, no?”

  Kate’s laugh lifted the mood. “Definitely,” she replied.

  “I think we have spent enough time talking,” Sergei said. “Let us go.”

  Mia was already inside the chopper, readying it for flight when Cullen saw a muscle twitch in Lev’s jaw. The Russian stood as still as stone as he looked with distaste at the chopper.

  “Afraid of flying?” Cullen asked him.

  Lev gave him a look that would’ve flayed him alive. “Of course not.”

  “Ah. Then you didn’t know Sergei wanted to join the party.”

  “This isn’t a party,” Lev said, the hint of Russian accent coming through. “Sergei has no business in battle.”

  Cullen moved closer to Lev. “You might’ve been born and raised here, but you know the Russian culture better than most. Did you actually think you could keep Sergei out of this?”

  “I’d hoped,” Lev said tightly.

  “Then we don’t tell him that the two of us are protecting him.”

  Lev’s ice blue eyes jerked to Cullen before narrowing. “Is this a joke?”

  “Do I look like I’m joking?”

  After a moment, Lev released a sigh. “No.”

  “Sergei did much for Mia before I arrived, and the two of you have saved our lives since then. Let me repay you in the best way I can.”

  Lev gave a nod and walked to Sergei’s side.

  Orrin then came up. “What was that about?”

  “Sergei.”

  “I’m a little surprised he’s coming.”

  Cullen jerked his chin to Lev. “That’s putting it mildly compared to others.”

  “We can’t land this chopper anywhere near the ranch.”

  “What are you thinking?”

  Orrin glanced at Kate, who was being helped into the chopper by Sergei. “Those of us who can will rappel down when Mia flies us over.”

  “And the others?”

  “Will stay with the chopper.”

  Cullen ran a hand down his face. “Mia isn’t going to like that.”

  “This isn’t a jet loaded with weapons for her to aid us,” Orrin pointed out.

  The one thing his father didn’t bring up was Kate. The fact that Orrin didn’t say anything proved how quickly the doctor was coming to mean so much to his father.

  “I’ll let her know,” Cullen said.

  Orrin slapped him on the arm. “Let’s get this bird in the air, son.”

  Cullen took one last look at DC. They had accomplished much while there, but would it be enough? He had a feeling they’d only chipped away at a mountain instead of tearing down a hill.

  The repercussions were likely to be extreme. And getting to the ranch was imperative. His brothers needed them and the skills each of them possessed.

  Because this was just the beginning of a war.

  * * *

  Andrew Smith stood in the drizzling rain with his hands in the pockets of hi
s trench coat as he stared down at Mitch Hewett.

  “We can find nothing on any of the cameras in the area,” one of his men informed him.

  Andrew turned away from the body. “You won’t. This was Orrin Loughman.”

  “Are you sure, sir?”

  “Without a doubt.”

  Andrew didn’t relish informing his superiors of this latest incident, but he wasn’t surprised by Hewett’s death. When Orrin wasn’t killed, Andrew knew it was only a matter of time before he pieced things together and came for Mitch.

  Not that it would matter for much longer. Orrin’s options were slim, and he would never make it back to Texas in time to stop the slaughter of those at the ranch.

  By the time the Saints were done with the ranch, Orrin would have nothing left. He’d have no choice but to hand himself over to the Saints.

  And he’d do it gladly because Orrin would think it was to save his sons.

  Andrew smiled. He couldn’t wait to wipe every Loughman from the face of the earth. He’d wanted to kill the boys the same day as their mother, but he’d been stopped.

  If his superiors had allowed him to get rid of the kids, none of this would be happening now. Orrin would’ve been a broken man.

  But it was fine because Andrew would finally get his revenge.

  He was on his way to his car when his cell phone rang. “Hello?” he answered.

  “Well?” asked a deep voice.

  “We found Hewett.”

  “Is he dead?”

  Andrew paused beside his car. “Yes, sir.”

  “Just as you predicted. And was it Orrin?”

  “Yes.”

  There was a brief pause. “You have proof?”

  Andrew ground his teeth together. “Orrin never leaves any evidence behind. But he was here, in the city, sir. Who else would go after Hewett?”

  “It’s not like Hewett had a lot of friends.”

  “Neither do I, but I don’t expect any of them to kill me.”

  A soft chuckle came over the line. “Because they’re all afraid of you, Andrew. Your reputation precedes you.”

  “My reputation has served me well when I needed it to. If that is all, sir, I’ll head to Texas.”

  “Not yet.”