Maximus
Page 28
“John?”
“No. Tex.”
“I’m not naming my kid Tex. I’ll consider sneaking John in as a middle name.”
“Bet Eva will name your kid Tex,” he told me.
He was correct, Eva would jump at naming my kid Tex.
“We’re having girls, so this conversation is moot,” I told him. I did not see good things for my unborn child so I changed the subject. “Anything we need to go over? Did Owen ever get back to you about Natasha?”
“The woman’s not talking. I’ve been over all missing persons reports with the first name Natasha and came up with nothing. Either that’s not her real name or no one’s reporting her missing. Owen’s gonna get me something so I can run her DNA. But for now, he’s more worried about her getting settled in. You know he took her back to his place, right?”
“Yeah, I know. Eva’s called over there a few times to check on her.”
“And I got nothing new. You already know Novak’s body was taken care of. Kenneth and Tracy Eklund are making deals. Joshua Lemont is up shit creek with no paddles or life preserver. You four are all good. Smooth sailing from here.”
“Smooth sailing? We’re gearing up to roll out as soon as you and Garrett finish your work up.”
“Yeah, we should have everything ready in a few days.”
Fucking hell—a few days and I’d be leaving.
“It gets easier,” Tex told me.
“What does?”
“Leaving. Or so I’ve been told. The first time Wolf went on a mission after he met Caroline he was a wreck, couldn’t wait to get home, all the guys busted his balls over it. The first time’s the hardest.”
“You know you sound like an old man, sitting back sharing wisdom.”
“I’m an old man with everything I could ever want.”
Damn right, he had it all.
“Listen, I need to talk to about something.” The seriousness in his tone had me on high-alert.
“There a problem?”
“Not right now but there’s gonna be.”
“Come on, Tex. This isn’t your style. Enough with the cryptic bullshit.”
The deep creases between Tex’s brows worried me. In our world a problem could mean a variety of things. Anything from a shortage of ammunition, to someone’s life in danger, to anything in between.
“Declan’s…in over his head—”
“Yeah, Tex, I know.” I cut him off. “Has he talked to you about her?”
“Take Dec’s back,” Tex told me.
“What?”
“Max, trust me on this. Take his back. I know you don’t understand right now, but Declan’s struggling more than any of you know.”
“Declan is—”
“Hollow. He’s a dead man walking with nothing left to live for. He’s a shell of who he once was and if this goes sideways, he’ll never recover. This is it. Autumn Pierce may be the only person who can heal what’s broken inside him.”
“How do you know about Autumn?”
I didn’t bother asking how he knew Dec was dead inside. That was the only thing my team leader didn’t hide. You didn’t even need to meet the man face-to-face to know he was a shell of a man, you could hear it in his voice. I hated that Dec preferred to suffer in silence, but there wasn’t anything any of us could do when he refused to open up and trust us.
“I know a lot of things, Max.”
More ambiguity. Tex did know a lot, truth be told he seemed to know all—yet he’d never tell anyone how he came about the information.
“I’d never let a friend swing. I’ll take his back but Thad’s gonna be pissed. Emerson’s gonna lose her shit, which is gonna make Thad lose his. The whole situation is a clusterfuck and it doesn’t have to be. He should’ve told Thad—at a minimum—that Autumn was living in Annapolis.”
“Dec has his reasons. Trust him.”
“Trust him? Fuck, he needs to learn to trust us.”
“True story, but he has a good reason for keeping his personal life private. You of all people should understand when someone screws you over, in a way that is so heinous your only option is to protect yourself.”
Well, fuck me, Tex had a point.
“I’ll take care of Declan.”
Some of the tension left Tex’s shoulders and he relaxed back into his chair. I glanced around his inner sanctum—the epicenter of information that had saved my ass and countless lives and I took a moment to take it all in. Tex valued his privacy and protected his personal life to the nth degree. It was an honor to be welcomed into his home.
“’Preciate the invite. Means a lot to Eva and the boys.”
“Invitation’s always open.”
“’Preciate that, too. As fun as it is sitting in here staring at your ugly mug, whatever your wife’s cooking is calling my name.”
“Mel’s one hell of a cook, but I don’t think my wife’s cooking is what’s calling your name.” He chuckled.
Nope, it wasn’t. Eva was. In the week and a half since she’d been home I still couldn’t take my eyes off of her, I needed her within arms’ reach at all times. Thankfully, she either felt the same way or was willing to humor me. I didn’t care which one it was, I just wanted her close—always.
“I miss mornings like this,” Melody said, and with her coffee mug in hand gestured to the boys. “Enjoy happy mornings while you can. Once they become teenagers its all sass and attitude when you wake them up.”
Liam and Eli had been up bright and early, which was a little shocking considering last night they’d stayed up late with Akilah and Hope. Tex and Melody’s daughters were great with the boys and had entertained them for hours while we’d sat outside and waxed lyrical.
Tex and Melody had a good life, a great marriage, after all the years they’d been together the love they shared still shone bright. Being around them had filled me with certainty. They were proof there was such a thing as a long, happy, healthy marriage.
“So I’ve heard.” Eva’s beautiful smile never failed to take my breath. “Though I think they’re extra excited they got to help you with the chocolate chip pancakes.”
Eva leaned closer and my arm went around her shoulder, tucking her to my side.
“Everything okay?” I whispered.
“Perfect.”
“Good.” I kissed the top of Eva’s head and breathed in the flowery scent of her shampoo.
I’d almost lost her—lost my chance at happiness. It would be a long time before the nagging thought burned out, one day the fear and crushing panic would dissipate, but I’d never forget those twenty-seven hours. They’d always be a constant reminder of how fragile life is, how in a split-second everything can be taken from you. A warning to never to take Eva and my boys for granted.
“Thanks for letting us come up and spend the night.” Eva sniffed and cuddled closer to my side. “You’ve done so much—”
“Eva…” Tex cut her off, never comfortable with gratitude.
“No, Tex, let me finish. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for us. First you saved my boys and gave them back to me, then you believed in me when no one else did and helped me get on my feet so I could give my kids what they deserved. Then you gave us the best gift—Max. So, thank you, for saving us in every way.”
I was having difficulty swallowing the boulder in my throat and the stinging in my eyes was intensifying with every second that ticked.
“You’re welcome, Eva.” Tex cleared his throat and leveled his intense gaze on me. “But I didn’t give you the gift. I gave it to Max.”
Fuck, yeah, he did. A gift so bountiful I’d treasure it always.
“I just have to say,” Melody croaked. “I have the best husband in the world.”
“Damn right you do.” Tex declared with way too much seriousness, and the women dissolved into laughter.
It had been a damn good visit but we had to get on the road.
“We should start packing up the boys,” I told Eva.
�
�Yeah, you’re right,” she sighed.
“Come up anytime. We loved having you,” Mel invited.
“We’ll be back,” Eva promised.
An hour later we’d said our goodbyes, passed out hugs, handshakes, and wrestled the boys into the car—a task that was only accomplished because Hope had buckled Liam and Eli into their seatbelts.
“You ready?” I asked Eva as she waved to Tex and Melody still standing on their porch.
Her pretty eyes came to mine and damn if they weren’t shining with happiness.
“So ready.”
Eva rolled up onto her toes and brushed her lips against mine. It wasn’t the time nor the place but I couldn’t stop the rush of excitement that accompanied her touch.
“Might get bumpy. Life’s full of curveballs and surprises. But no matter what, Eva, I swear I’ll be by your side.”
Eva stared up at me and graced me with one of her megawatt smiles that blazed a trail of love that haywired my brain.
“Bumps, curveballs, surprises…By your side I’m the strongest I’ve ever been—bring it.”
My fierce, strong woman was cute as fuck. With our eyes locked, my thundering laughter surrounding us, our kids waiting for us in back seat, and good friends standing nearby, I crushed my mouth to hers and didn’t give the first fuck people were watching.
Best kiss ever.
Chapter 37
Declan Crenshaw unlocked the front door and stepped into Autumn’s tiny, two bedroom cottage, and knew.
He didn’t need to search her house to know she was gone. The air was different, it lacked the electricity he felt when she was near.
The hell of it was, he’d expected this even if she’d promised she wouldn’t leave.
Autumn Pierce had a mission and no one, not even him, could stop her from obliterating her prey.
But just because he knew didn’t mean it wasn’t a kick to the gut. A sharp and acute pain that caused the left side of his chest to ache.
Declan was well aware he never should’ve touched her, never should’ve gotten as close as he had. Thad would go ballistic, Emmy would be hurt her sister had been so close for months and she’d been kept in the dark. He’d disagreed but Autumn had insisted her presence be kept a secret.
Declan took his cell out of his pocket and started to dial Tex as he made his way into the kitchen.
Empty.
Just like everything else in his life—a vast canyon of nothingness. A deep gorge that would never be filled. Not that he deserved to be replete. Hell, the reprieve he’d found in her bed hadn’t been warranted either. His only justification for the hours of bliss Autumn’s warm, soft body had provided was she’d taken what she needed from him.
Declan had never met anyone—woman or man, whose suffering had mirrored his own. Two broken souls who had no desire to be fixed. Autumn used her pain much like he used his—as a crutch to survive in a world where everyone else strived for love and happiness.
Fuck that. Once upon a time, Dec had it all. A beautiful wife who’d given him an equally beautiful daughter. But all of that was gone—torn from him in the worst way. And not a day went by, he didn’t remember it was his fault.
Dec stabbed his phone’s screen, irritation infiltrating his normal calm and calculating demeanor.
“Hey, Dec,” Tex answered. “I just sent the intel to Garrett.”
His eyes hit on a note left on the counter and annoyance grew.
They were too late.
“We got a problem,” Declan informed Tex.
“We always have a problem. You’re gonna have to be more specific.”
“Autumn’s gone. She knew Madeleine Strotherby was going to Afghanistan for a photo op for that new girls’ school. She swore she wouldn’t go off halfcocked and by herself.”
“You think she went to Afghanistan?”
“Considering I’m staring at a goddamn note that reads: ‘Got a new source, headed over now. See ya’ in the sandbox. P.S. Don’t forget your sunscreen.’ I say yes, she’s left for Afghanistan.”
“What do you need from me?” Tex asked.
“Find her new source.”
“And you want me to do this how? Pull a name out of my ass? I need a little more than ‘source’.”
“I don’t know how you do what you do, I don’t pretend to know, I don’t pretend to understand the voodoo you work. All I know is you’ve never let us down and I need to know who got to my woman and why she took off. We had a plan and she bolted anyway.”
Tex’s heavy sigh wasn’t the reassurance Declan had been hoping for. Garrett could work on finding the source, he was good at gathering intel, but Tex was the best and if he was moaning his complaint, Declan was in deep shit.
“I’ll get you a name.”
Thank fuck.
“Appreciate it.”
“You know you’re gonna have to come clean.”
Christ, he’d known his days were limited but he thought he’d have more time.
“Yep. Zane’s my next call.”
“Good luck. And don’t worry about Autumn—she knows what she’s doing.”
That was what was worrying Declan. An off-the-chain Autumn could mean any number of things. Worst case she was on a suicide mission, best case she’d kill Madeline and skip home happily.
“Thanks, Tex.”
Declan disconnected the call and stared at his phone.
It was time—his day of reckoning had come.
Look for the next/last book in the Gold Team series, Declan, which will be available soon!
About the Author
Riley Edwards is a bestselling multi-genre author, wife, and military mom. Riley was born and raised in Los Angeles but now resides on the east coast with her fantastic husband and children.
Riley writes heart-stopping romance with sexy alpha heroes and even stronger heroines. Riley's favorite genres to write are romantic suspense and military romance.
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The Red Team
Nightstalker
Protecting Olivia
Redeeming Violet
Recovering Ivy
Rescuing Erin
The Gold Team
Brooks
Thaddeus
Kyle
Maximus
Gemini Group
Nixon’s Promise
Jameson’s Salvation
Weston’s Treasure
Alec’s Dream
The 707 Freedom Series
Free
Freeing Jasper
Finally Free
Freedom
The Next Generation
Saving Meadow
Chasing Honor
Finding Mercy
Claiming Tuesday
Adoring Delaney
Keeping Quinn
The Masters Collection
The Awakening
The Collective
Unbroken 1 & 2 – Season One
Trust – Season Two
Standalone
Romancing Rayne
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