Gage (THE GOLDEN TEAM #3)

5. Gage

5

Gage

I wondered if Lori had ever known I had a massive crush on her back when we were overseas. Every time I’d worked up the nerve to ask her to dinner—nothing fancy, just something simple that I’d cook myself—I’d backed out. There were always too many guys hanging around her, vying for her attention.

They probably still were. But I was the only one who’d seen her with her hair down, cascading around her face like the sun shining on a red gold waterfall. That image had stayed with me all these years. Even now, with her hair braided neatly around her head, she was just as beautiful—maybe even more so.

We were finishing the repairs on the plane when a jeep came barreling toward us, kicking up dust and scattering small stones. The men inside hopped out, their rapid speech barely intelligible. Between their broken English and gestures, we pieced together that the property owner was in Europe, the nearest airstrip was nonexistent, and the closest city was over 150 miles away.

As the jeep roared off, we exchanged a look and decided to keep working. By noon, we’d completed the repairs. Raven climbed into the cockpit, flipping switches and checking gauges. When the engine roared to life, smooth and steady, relief washed over us all.

“Buckle up, everyone,” Raven said over the intercom.

We touched down in Greece, the golden sunlight illuminating the rugged terrain and glimmering off the blue Aegean waters. Lori was already planning her trip home, checking flights on her phone.

“We’ll have the plane checked over thoroughly before heading back,” I offered, not wanting to part ways with her just yet. “You’re welcome to fly back with us.” I hesitated before adding quickly, “I mean, with me—us.”

She chuckled, the sound light and warm. “Thanks, but I need to see my dad and make sure he’s really okay. I’m glad I got to see all of you again. Maybe we’ll cross paths in the future.”

“You can count on that,” I said, my voice low.

The others had walked ahead, giving me a moment alone with her. Acting on impulse, I leaned down and kissed her. The world seemed to fade as her arms slid inside my jacket and wrapped around me. I held her close, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. When I finally pulled back, our eyes met, and a small smile passed between us.

“Bye,” Lori said softly, her voice lingering in the air like a melody.

I couldn’t stop myself. I kissed her again, this time slower, savoring the moment. “I’ll see you soon, sweetheart,” I murmured against her lips.

As she walked away, I caught her glancing back, her eyes locking with mine for a brief second. Damn, she tastes good.

“I see you finally got the courage to kiss Lori,” Raven said, his voice laced with amusement as he came up beside me.

“How long have you been waiting for that?”

“About eight years,” I admitted.

Raven smirked. “I’ll visit her when I get another break,” I added, watching her disappear into the terminal. “I’m not ready to let her go yet. I need to know if she’s the one.”

“Why does there have to be just one?” Raven teased.

“Hell, if I know,” I said with a shrug. “You’ll have to ask River or Gideon about that. I don’t have the answer yet.”

We walked back toward the rescued women. Raven gestured toward one of them. “That’s the sister, right?”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “They’re all shaken up, and it’s no wonder—they know how close they came to dying. Lori said she was going to a wedding, but I think her dad’s scare made her rethink everything. She’s really close to him.”

“I’ll hire a company to inspect our plane before we head back,” Raven said. “I want every inch of it gone over. That’s a long trip.”

When we reached the rescued women, the mother wrapped her arms around us, her gratitude palpable. “Thank you for saving us,” she said, her voice trembling.

“I’m just glad we got there in time,” I replied, hugging her back. We helped them into their vehicle before renting our own to head to a nearby hotel. We’d be in Greece for at least three days while the plane was inspected.

Three months had passed since I last saw Lori, and not a single day off had come my way since. Now, we were in Russia on a mission to rescue Brian, a friend who’d been captured.

The cold was relentless, biting through our gear as we huddled in a safe house on the outskirts of a small, snow-covered town. Outside, the wind howled like a living thing, rattling the windows and making the temperature feel even colder.

“They’re accusing him of being a spy,” I said, frustration lacing my words. “Which we know is bullshit. Brian’s a pastor. He came here looking for his brother, not to play James Bond.”

“I told him not to come until we finished our last job,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. The tension in the room was suffocating. “Now he’s a prisoner, and I have no idea how we’re going to get to him.”

Gideon, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, frowned. “If they find out we’re former Army Special Forces, we’ll all end up in a cell.”

His words hung in the air, a stark reminder of just how dangerous this mission was.

“They won’t find out,” I said firmly, though the weight of the situation pressed heavily on my chest. “How could they? We don’t know anyone in Russia except for one person, and we don’t even know if he’s still alive.”

Gideon shot me a skeptical look. “I told you Oliver should’ve come with us. If we get thrown in jail, Laney will kill both of us.”

Gideon cracked a faint smile despite the tension. “I know she will. Laney doesn’t always understand how dangerous this job is. She wanted to come along, you know. She even said Kat used to go on missions with us. I had to remind her that Kat was a Marine and knew what she was doing.”

I chuckled, a small crack in the tension. “Yeah, Kat always said you only had to tell her something once, and she’d remember it. But this isn’t about Kat—it’s about Brian. We’ve got to get him out safely.”

We pulled up to our destination, a nondescript, gray building that seemed to blend into the drab surroundings. The air was cold, biting at my skin as we stepped out of the car and walked to the front desk.

“We’re here to see Brian Smith,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm and steady.

A voice from behind made my blood run cold. “Well, look who it is.”

We turned slowly, and there he was—Ivan Lissow, a familiar smirk plastered across his face. Time had aged him, but the sharpness in his eyes hadn’t dulled one bit.

“So he’s alive,” I muttered under my breath.

“Ivan,” I said louder, forcing a tight smile. “Are you working here now?”

“Yes, I am,” he said with a casual shrug, snapping his fingers. In an instant, four officers surrounded us, their hands resting on their weapons. “You are under arrest for spying.”

“You know we’re not spies,” I said, my voice rising. “We’re here to retrieve our pastor, who’s been falsely accused of espionage.”

Ivan tilted his head, feigning curiosity. “What is your pastor’s name?”

“Brian Smith. He’s done nothing wrong, and neither have we. If you arrest us, our government will not be happy.”

“Are you threatening me?” he asked, his tone icy, his smirk vanishing.

“Hell no, I’m not threatening you! Damn it, Ivan, just because you think I went out with your woman doesn’t mean you can arrest us.”

Ivan’s face darkened, and his voice rose to a growl. “I can do whatever I want—I run this place. And you did fuck my woman!” He stepped closer, his finger jabbing toward my chest. “She told me so.”

“She’s lying, Ivan! I already told you that. If I had, I’d admit it!”

Before I could react, his fist slammed into my gut, knocking the wind out of me. Pain radiated through my abdomen as his men grabbed my arms to hold me in place.

“Stop! Right now!” A sharp, commanding voice cut through the tension, freezing everyone in place.

I raised my head, grimacing through the pain, to see none other than First Lieutenant Laura Daniels standing in front of Ivan, her expression like a thunderstorm about to break. Her hands were on her hips, her glare sharp enough to cut steel.

“If you hit him one more time,” Lori warned, her voice steady but loaded with menace, “I’ll go straight to whoever is in charge. Back off, Ivan.”

Ivan chuckled, a low, menacing sound. “Laura, what are you doing here?”

“You’ve arrested my pastor, and I’m here to get him out,” Lori replied, her voice unwavering. “He came here to find his brother, who’d joined the Russian army, and you arrested him instead. Brian just wanted to locate his brother, who he hadn’t heard from in months. Let him go.”

Ivan’s smirk faded into a scowl. “Let me get this straight—you all have the same pastor? Is this some kind of small-world coincidence, or are you all lying to me?”

I glanced at Lori, my brows furrowed. “Brian is your pastor?”

“Yes,” she said simply, her gaze steady. “How is he your pastor?”

“Where do you live?” I asked, still trying to process the bizarre coincidence.

“Southern California.”

“We live in Southern California, too. What town?”

“Oceanside.”

“We’re in Carlsbad.” I shook my head, incredulous. “What a small world. But can we get back to the matter at hand? Ivan, are you seriously considering arresting her now?”

Ivan tilted his head, his lips curling into a smirk again. “I’m debating it. Can you give me one reason not to, Lieutenant Laura?”

“I’m not in the service anymore,” she replied, her tone steady. “I’m here as a civilian to get Pastor Brian out. You can’t arrest every American who enters Russia. I’m surprised to see you here. You were in the Army the last time I saw you.”

“I left the service and came home, and I don’t arrest every American,” Ivan said, his tone flippant. “Only the ones I don’t trust. What’s his brother’s name?”

“Matthew Smith,” Lori answered without hesitation.

Ivan raised an eyebrow, his grin returning. “I’m still trying to process the fact that all of you actually go to church,” he said with a laugh.

“Are you mocking us?” Lori shot back, her tone sharp.

“Not you, Laura. I can imagine you going to church. I was talking about the other two.”

“Why wouldn’t you think I go to church?” Gideon asked, bristling. “I have a family, and we all go to church. My wife, Laney, insists on it.”

“And what about you, Gage?” Ivan asked, turning his attention to me. “Do you go to church?”

I shrugged. “I’ve been a few times. That’s how I met Brian. I should probably go more often.”

Ivan held up a hand, cutting me off. “Stop. I don’t need to hear confessions. Fine, I’ll let Brian go, but I want all of you out of Russia by nightfall.”

“Done,” we all said in unison.