Seeking Salvation: A Shadow Elite Novel

Chapter 8

Silence filledthe room as Maya waited for a reaction to Titan’s meltdown, but none seemed to come. Irritation clawed through her at the way he’d behaved but she tried to remember that the last twenty-four hours had been a lot for him, too. He might be some big, bad rescue guy, but he was also a man who’d gained a child overnight.

Bás caught her attention as he moved his chair, the legs scraping the floor, and she regarded him before letting her gaze move around the room. At a glance, these people looked normal, but she was beginning to realise they were anything but. Charlie had been a freaking spy for fuck’s sake. Others were former military, according to Titan, and she wondered what his past would reveal, and if she even had the right to ask him.

Her gut twisted when she thought of the pain in his voice when he spoke of his brother being dead and how he’d made his own choices. Something told her the decisions made by his sibling had affected him as much as Rose’s had affected her. Nobody lived in a bubble and everyday people made decisions that would hurt or help the people around them.

Was that what she was doing by insisting she be part of this? Was she hurting Titan? She didn’t know him really, or owe him anything, and yet the thought of causing him further pain knotted like a fist in her chest. Was she behaving exactly like Rose, ignoring the worries of others because what she wanted was more important?

Maya found her attention back on the man in the corner. His pain radiated off him like a physical black cloud, oppressive and dark. Yet his words when he spoke at all were measured and intelligent, but also kind. No, not kind exactly but like he didn’t want to cause harm. He looked up, his gaze catching her own and, behind the empty darkness, pain and grief swirled like a sucking vortex, and she wanted to help him wash it all away.

It wasn’t the same hot desire she felt when Ti was in the room. This was more how she’d felt around her sister. She had the urge to wrap him up and protect him like she hadn’t been able to with Rose. A silly thought when he looked like he could bench-press a car but the heart was always the most delicate organ, and his had clearly been broken into tiny pieces.

“Maya, you go back to your sister’s flat and pretend like everything is normal.”

Maya pulled her attention back to Bás, who was clearly in charge of this group, his relaxed posture telling her he was used to dealing with outbursts from his people.

“Titan will go in as a bouncer at the club, and I’ll have Hurricane and Bein with eyes on you at all times.”

“I’m not sure Ti will want to do this now.” She picked at her cuticles, tearing at the skin as she resisted the urge to follow him out and make sure he was okay. She’d never intended to cause this kind of chaos for him. She’d only ever wanted Tyrique safe.

“He will. Titan is just very protective and he’s not wrong, this is dangerous, but not difficult. These people are by no means criminal geniuses. It shouldn’t take us long to take them down. Maybe a few weeks at worst.”

Maya cocked her head. “You all seem surprisingly unfazed by all this and okay with the danger and yet Ti is losing his mind?”

“The difference between us and Titan is that most the other men in this room are married or engaged to strong women and we learned quickly, and sometimes by fire, that if you tell a woman she can’t do something she’ll dig her heels in so hard you’ll see those fuckers on the beach in Australia.”

“Damn straight.” Snow held her hand up to Charlie who slapped it with a whoop.

Bishop shook his head, but his lips carried a smile full of love as he looked at his wife.

“Did you really shoot him?”

Charlie nodded. “Yeah, I’ll tell you all about it at our next girls’ night.”

Maya almost staggered back at the statement, not realising until that second just how much she’d missed that close female friendship. Disappointment was hot on its heels as she remembered this was all temporary. The chances were she wouldn’t be here then.

“Yeah, I doubt I’ll be around for that.”

Charlie cocked her head. “Yeah, I think you will.”

Maya didn’t argue, suddenly wanting to get this settled so she could move on with her life and get back to reality, even if that reality now felt tepid and a little staid.

“As I was saying, Reaper will stay further back and Watchdog will monitor you with a tracker too. Do they make you do more than dance?”

Bás hesitated to ask the last question and she could tell it made him uncomfortable when Val placed her hand on his forearm.

“No. So far it’s just dancing.”

“Okay, good. Good. How do you feel about the plan? Is it okay or would you prefer more protection? I can send Bishop in too if you need more support.”

“It’s fine, except….” Maya paused, biting her lip and glancing at her sleeping nephew, not sure how to ask or suggest the next part. She’d come here to leave her nephew in the safe hands of his father but now his father was throwing himself headlong into danger, and she knew it was because he thought she needed his protection.

“Tyrique.”

Maya looked up at Snow and found the other woman watching her with understanding. It was crazy to think that, just yesterday, she’d felt a searing jealousy towards the woman. Yet now that was gone, replaced by a kinship, like they were part of some club she hadn’t asked to be part of.

Maya sighed, the tightness in her chest easing. “Yes. I brought him here so he’d be safe. If I take him back to the flat, I place him in the firing line again and I can’t protect him when he’s with a sitter. Those people won’t think twice about hurting him to make me dance to their tune.”

“Leave him with us, we can take care of him.”

Maya couldn’t hide the surprise from her face when the quiet enigmatic Watchdog spoke from the corner. Watchdog’s eyes didn’t even leave his screen as he continued to type like his fingers were on fire.

Maya shook her head. “That’s too much to ask.”

His head snapped up as he pinned her with his gaze. “Worrying about a child will make this more dangerous for both you and Titan. Leave him where he’s safe and can be cared for. It’s selfish to do anything else.”

She couldn’t deny his words but she bristled at the implication she was selfish. She barely knew these people, and they sure as hell didn’t know her. You barely know Titan either and yet you were prepared to leave Tyrique, her brain reminded her.

“Watchdog’s right. We can look after him.” Bishop agreed. “But he’s wrong about you being selfish.” Bishop gave Watchdog a glare that seemed to slide off him like his skin was coated in Teflon.

“Who would he stay with and where?” Maya glanced at her sleeping nephew, knowing his morning nap would be coming to an end shortly.

The people around her exchanged glances, a silent conversation happening around her. Bás gave a barely perceptible nod.

Watchdog stood, slamming the lid of his laptop closed and moving towards her as the others watched in amused silence. “Follow me.”

Maya stood with a huff and gathered the handle of Tyrique’s car seat over her arm. She was getting a little tired of being ordered around. “Will you quit with the demands and maybe try talking to me like I’m a human being instead of acting like a cyborg?”

Watchdog stilled and she almost slammed into his back as she heard a snicker of laughter from behind her, cursing when the movement jostled Tyrique.

Watchdog silently turned and took the carrier from her as if it weighed nothing and she let him. “Let’s go.”

Knowing it was useless to argue, she followed him out of the conference room, but instead of going for the front door, he headed to the back and through a fire door with a secure access panel. “Where are we going?”

Watchdog ignored her as he pressed his thumb to an elevator panel and the doors slid open.

“If you’re going to murder me, can you at least promise to make it quick?”

They stepped inside and Watchdog pushed a button. As the doors slid closed he turned to her. “If I was going to murder you, you’d already be dead.”

Laughter sputtered out of her until she realised he wasn’t joking. “Man, that’s dark. What happened to you?”

“Hell happened to me.”

Unsure what to say to that, Maya remained silent. Every instinct in her body told her she could trust these people even when they kept giving her reasons to run for the hills. Her inner thoughts came to a screeching halt when the doors slid open and they stepped out into what could only be described as an underground complex. A wide, open hallway with doors leading off in several directions was painted in white.

“What is this place?”

“Home.”

Watchdog took off to the left and she followed, her gaze moving as they passed open doorways.

“That’s the common room.” He pointed to the left. “Over there is the gym, opposite that is the kitchen. Apartments are on the opposite end of the compound.”

“You live here?”

“We all have apartments here, but some choose to live elsewhere. Those with families, mostly.”

“Does Titan live here?”

“Mostly.”

“Who are you people, really?”

“We’re who the governments call when the job is too dirty. We clean up the scum of the earth and nobody will ever know it, save a few.”

“Is it legal?”

“It’s sanctioned but, if it ever came out, we’re on our own. We don’t exist.”

Maya followed blindly as Watchdog led her into a room that would make NASA jealous. Watchdog seemed to visibly relax, his demeanour changing like he could finally take a breath after hours without oxygen.

“This is where you work?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you showing me this?”

“Titan trusts you and I trust Titan. But you need to trust us if you want to keep him safe.” He dipped his chin at Tyrique who was now staring wide-eyed and alert at the man holding his carrier.

“How does it make me trust you?”

“Because you could destroy us with what we just revealed to you.”

“I won’t,” she denied hotly and she knew she’d take this to the grave. Not that she had anyone to tell, anyway.

“I know. Leave the child with me and I’ll protect him with my life.”

“Why would you do that? You barely know me or Tyrique.”

“He’s Titan’s and Titan is family to me and that now includes you and Tyrique.”

“Okay.” Maya drew out the word, not sure she was doing the right thing but knowing she’d need to go on her instincts with this.

“Good.” Watchdog retrieved something from his pocket and handed it to her. A silver anklet with a heart charm.

“What’s this?”

Watchdog shrugged. “An ankle bracelet. You should wear it.”

Maya didn’t understand the gift, but he was so nonchalant about it, she decided to just go with the flow.

“Does this mean we’re friends now, Watchdog, since you gave me a friendship anklet?” She was teasing him, wanting to put a smile on his face.

“No, it means nothing. It’s necessary.”

Maya didn’t argue or push, as Watchdog retreated behind his walls. “Thank you.”

“Just stay safe, we can’t lose anyone else.”