Chapter 25
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GRABBING A BLANKET from the back of the rental vehicle they’d “borrowed” from Mike Cameron, Boone wrapped it around Radley as they moved through the parking garage and into the hotel lobby.
He’d packed his rifle back in his oversized duffle bag, but he still felt conspicuous.
On edge. At least Radley was covered so no one could see the blood on her pants and ask questions.
They rode the elevator to their floor, Gage jumping up as soon as they entered the room.
“How is she?” he asked Boone.
“She’s okay.”
“I’m fine,” Radley said at the same time. “And I’m right here,” she stressed, shooting Gage an annoyed look.
“Yep, you do seem okay,” he said with a quirk of his lips. “Glad to have you back, Rad,” he added, giving her a quick, brotherly hug.
“It’s all thanks to Boone,” she admitted.
He slanted her a look. “Like anything would stop me from getting to you. Now sit. Relax.”
“Not until I change out of these clothes,” Radley told him, setting the blanket aside.
Boone swore, hurrying to her suitcase. “What do you need?”
“New everything,” she stressed. “And then I’ll burn what I have on now. Not the boots,” she added as an afterthought. “I love these.”
Boone looked at her in disbelief, then shook his head. “I’ll be happy to dispose of those pants with Cameron’s blood on them.”
Gage raised his eyebrows.
“He’s gone” Boone confirmed.
Boone followed Radley into the bathroom, despite her protests, and helped her strip off her old clothes.
She stood there in only her bra and panties, and they stared at each other a beat, the moment feeling intimate despite the fact that Boone’s teammate was right outside the door, waiting in their hotel room.
He helped her put on a clean shirt, then unable to resist, gripped her waist, pulling her close.
Boone lifted one hand to her face, then kissed her passionately, letting her feel his emotions.
He kept his head ducked low, looking right into her eyes.
“I love you, Radley. It’s been a whirlwind, but almost losing you tonight?
I knew without a doubt that I’m so fucking gone for you, I’ll never be the same without you in my life. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too, Boone,” she said, sniffling a little. “I can’t believe you did all that for me tonight.”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you,” he said, his voice harsher than he’d intended. “Nothing.”
She smiled through her tears, and Boone felt his chest clench. There truly was nothing he wouldn’t do for this woman. He glanced around the bathroom, mentally noting it was an odd place to have their declarations of love. Radley’s lips quirked, seeming to think the same thing.
“After we handle this threat, and after Gage is gone, I’m going to show you exactly how much you mean to me,” Boone swore, the air between them growing thick.
“Promise?” she asked.
“I swear on my life,” he said, his gaze raking over her. “Now get dressed, kitten. Gage doesn’t get to see what’s mine.”
She flushed, and he chuckled. Boone pulled her close again, kissing her heatedly, then reluctantly pulled away so she could finish dressing. “I hate that he hurt you,” Boone said, staring at the red marks on her wrists.
“I’m fine. Luckily, he didn’t do any real damage. Now let’s go save the city of L.A.,” Radley joked.
They finally exited the bathroom, Gage shooting them no more than a quick, curious glance.
Radley strode across the room, dumping the contents of her backpack on the bed. She rifled through her things. “Nope. Nope.”
Boone crossed his arms, watching.
Holding the empty backpack, Radley carefully felt it, smoothing her hands over the lining. “Shit. There’s a tracking device. That’s how he found me.”
She pulled it free, holding up the offending piece of metal.
Boone took it from her, dropping it to the floor, and smashed it with his boot. “Problem solved. Now sit,” Boone ordered firmly.
“So bossy,” she muttered, but she sank gratefully into the desk chair he pulled out. Radley looked at the camera feed and then toward Gage. “Tell us what’s going on.”
Gage quickly brought them up to speed about the suspected terrorist. “You already know Quinn figured out he was on the 8th floor through communications where she posed as another terror cell member. I’ve been watching the feed and am positive it’s him.
A man hauled multiple suitcases up to his room.
It’s more luggage than any one person would reasonably travel with.
Then I spotted him returning again, this time with a woman who looked absolutely terrified. ”
“Do we have a name?” Boone asked, studying the footage as Gage replayed it for them.
“Affirmative. Once we figured out the room number, Quinn got into the hotel’s reservation system.
His name is Damon Miller, age twenty three, dropped out of college several years ago, and has taken odd jobs ever since.
He likely became radicalized while in school and has been on the wrong path for several years.
The guy is close with Blake Shepperd, another man we were monitoring. ”
“And Damon Miller has the missing sister? I thought she was with Shepperd,” Radley murmured.
“I don’t think she’s doing anything willingly at this point,” Gage said, his voice uncharacteristically dark.
“You think they’re passing her around?” Radley asked in disbelief. “Sick.”
Boone eyed them both, a feeling of resolve washing over him.
They’d ID’d the guy. They’d found the missing sister.
All they needed now was the location of the explosives.
If this went down how he suspected it would, they wouldn’t even need to intercept the self-driving vehicles—not here in L.A.
, at any rate. Everything they were looking for was likely in that damn hotel room.
“We need to get into that room,” Radley declared, echoing his thoughts. “I’ll go with one of you. We can pretend we’re in the wrong place—at the wrong room number or something.”
“You need to stay here and rest,” Boone stressed.
“I won’t do anything crazy—just stand there at the door with you. It will look less suspicious if a couple shows up than some big, muscular guy. You know that as well as me,” she said firmly. “Gage can hide around the corner. It’s almost too damn easy.”
“And if they don’t open the door?” Boone pressed.
Gage eyed him. “We bust in.”
***
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, Radley was giggling, clutching onto Boone’s arm as he escorted her down the hallway. They’d decided to play a couple who’d been drinking too much and were adamant that Damon Miller’s room was actually their own.
Boone had a sidearm concealed under his jacket, his knife sheathed in his ankle strap. Radley was armed as well.
Gage spoke clearly into his mic, informing the rest of the team of their actions. “I’m positioned around the corner,” he said calmly. “LAPD is on standby. Once we take down the suspect, they’ll be moving in to confiscate the explosives materials and secure the scene.”
“Copy that,” Holt said.
Boone was thankful they were already working in coordination with the local authorities. Rather than ending this Saturday, however, he hoped like hell it would all be over tonight.
Radley exchanged one last glance with Boone, then gripped the hotel room door handle, trying to open it. She’d even brought her keycard and slid it in, despite knowing it wouldn’t work. “Baby, I can’t open the door! Why isn’t our keycard working?”
“Did you insert the card right?” Boone asked. “Give it to me.”
He took it from her, pretending to try it as well, then jiggled the doorknob.
“It’s not working for you either,” Radley said. “What’s going on?”
They heard footsteps from inside the room approaching the door. This guy could be armed to the teeth. They could be walking directly into danger. And Radley was giggling, completely playing it up despite being held captive hours earlier.
“You’ve got the wrong room!” an annoyed voice called through the door.
“This is our room!” Radley said, managing to slur her words. “H—how did you get inside our room? Baby, do something!” she whined. Radley grabbed the doorknob, rattling it. “Why won’t our door unlock?” she asked loudly. “Why can’t we get inside our hotel room?”
Boone lifted his hand and rapped on the door. “Hello? Why are you inside our room?”
“Someone’s in our hotel room!” Radley said, her voice growing louder. “Let us in! You’re in our room!”
Just then, the door swung open, a scruffy guy with a full beard glaring at them. He was tall, although not bigger than Boone. Young. And fire shot from his gaze. “You’re at the wrong room,” he said. “You need to leave.”
Boone looked past him, noting all the suitcases lined up against the far wall. His stomach twisted as he saw duct tape and rope on the bed.
“Leave now!” the man said, anger flashing across his face as he saw Boone peering around him. “You’re causing a commotion and are at the wrong room.”
Boone tensed. Radley giggled, pretending to sway slightly on her feet.
“We’re not at the wrong room,” she said.
“You are. Oh! I’m going to be sick. Baby, I think I drank too much.
” Her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide, and as the man stepped back in a hurry as she pretended to throw up, Boone charged.
The man grunted as Boone tackled him to the ground, Radley neatly jumping over them both and rushing into the hotel room.
Gage was already charging down the hall, talking into his mic.
He knelt down and assisted Boone, pulling out zip ties to restrain Damon Miller.
Miller was shouting and causing a commotion, fighting to free himself, but he had no way of overpowering both men.
The moment was over seconds after it had started.
“She’s back here!” Radley yelled. Moments later, she was guiding out a frightened young woman. The missing sister of the servicemember was gagged, her wrists tied together, and Boone noted that her eyes were wide, tears running down her cheeks.
“You’re safe now,” Gage told her.
Radley gently removed her gag, using a knife to cut the ropes binding the woman’s wrists.
“How—how did you find me?” the woman asked, crying harder. “They kidnapped me, and I couldn’t escape. I was locked in a cabin and then moved around. I think they’re going to set off bombs somewhere in the city!”
“It’s okay,” Radley said, guiding her to sit down on the bed. “We’ve already neutralized the threat. The police will be here shortly, along with EMTs so you can get a medical evaluation. And I know for a fact that your brother has been looking for you.”
“He has?” she asked, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Yes. You’ll be able to contact him and the rest of your family soon.”
Boone stood, Gage still restraining the tango. His gaze swept over Radley, taking in every inch. She was in her element, calming the victim, speaking quietly into her mic, in complete control of the situation.
“You good?” Boone asked her.
“Of course, soldier,” she said, flashing him a smile.
She brushed some of her dark hair back, her gaze locking with his own. Something passed between them in that moment. A promise. A future. Forever. Boone felt his chest fill with pride, with love for this woman.
They’d both lived a wild, crazy life, and this was only the beginning.