Chapter 7
Raiden
It’s been a grueling eight hours trying to work out the logistics of raiding Veritas’ forty-acre property, but every exhausting second I’ve spent working this case is more than worth it when I finally catch a glimpse of Andi as she appears at the opening of the compound.
Hudson Taylor is cradled protectively in her arms, her hand braced on the back of his head.
She mouths my name, the slightest hint of a smile forcing its way through.
I push past Chief O’Connor, ignoring his reprimand for my insubordination, my sights locked solely on Andi.
My eyes scan every inch of her in the seconds it takes me to erase the space between us.
Aside from a few scrapes, she looks to be in good health, but I know with heartbreaking certainty that her deepest wounds won’t manifest in a physical sense.
We collide so forcefully I stumble backward, then sink to my knees when Andi deflates and her entire body sags against mine, as if she knows she’s finally safe enough to let her guard down.
I’ve never felt such an overwhelming sense of pride as I do in this moment, knowing that Andi feels secure enough to break under the knowledge that I’ll be here to piece her back together.
That I’ll protect her image and dignity from being scrutinized by any onlookers.
Intending to do just that, I curl myself around the two of them, giving her a semblance of privacy.
“Thank fuck,” I mumble on an exhale, breathing in the scent of her.
“It’s good to see you, too,” Andi jests, the rigidity of her posture making me want to cart her away from here as quickly as possible.
“You have no idea.”
When her message came through late last night, I went into work mode immediately.
The proof we’d been waiting for was finally in the palm of my hand, and I wasn’t going to waste a precious second of the rapidly dwindling window we were up against. We’d spent countless hours implementing a plan for when the moment finally came, but nothing really prepares you for the real thing.
Emotions are heightened, adrenaline is wreaking havoc on your body, and through it all, it’s imperative you remain levelheaded so you can think logically when those plans inevitably need to be altered.
Andi and Hudson being the last ones retrieved certainly put a chink in the way things were supposed to pan out, which might’ve caused me to have a brief lapse in sanity when my fear and frustration got the better of me, and I lashed out at my superior.
“Cortés!” Chief barks, the angry set of his stride making it obvious to anyone with eyes what kind of mood he’s in.
“Quit drawing attention and get them to the damn hospital. We’re in the process of making contact with the boy’s father, and I’m sure he’d appreciate knowing the state his kid is in.
” Shit. I thought I was doing a decent job of keeping us off anyone’s radar, but the prickly feeling of eyes boring into us clues me in to how naive that possibility was.
Andi is the sole reason this investigation ever came to fruition, and every member of law enforcement that’s aided the case in some capacity knows exactly who she is and what she’s sacrificed to get us to this point.
But it isn’t their attention I have an issue with.
I dip my chin, taking Andi by the elbow as I steer us towards my truck, but Chief’s comment makes a lot more sense when I catch sight of Tobias Stillwater.
He’s glaring at the two of us, his mind making connections I’d prefer it not to, and stupidly, I’m the one who gave him the information he’s using to piece it all together.
When no one could find Andi, I lost my shit and demanded he tell us what he’d done with them.
Not Hudson–them. As far as he knows, the only reason we’d be here today is if he made a mistake.
And maybe he did, but we’re yet to come across it.
If it weren’t for Andi, we’d have no idea about the things taking place within these walls.
We’d still buy their produce at the Sunday market, completely oblivious to the heinous crimes they’d commit just hours later.
If not for her bravery, there’s no telling how many lives would have been lost this year alone.
His brazen stare causes her to stiffen, but I shift my weight, positioning myself so she’s hidden from view.
Once the two of them are safely buckled in–Hudson still wrapped in Andi’s arms since I have no car seat to secure him in–I close the door and round the hood of my truck.
I purposely seek out Tobias, knowing he’s watching and unable to bite back the satisfied smirk that graces my lips at seeing him bound in handcuffs.
It’s stupid of me to give him any more ammunition, but a part of me delights in watching his fury take root, knowing I’m about to drive away with what he perceives as his.
I hold his icy gaze for far too long, but I want him to know, with certainty, that the woman he tried to break is the sole reason he’s on his knees right now.
That everything he thought he’d claimed as his is going to be nothing but rubble by the time we’re done with it.
I mouth a fuck you, not the least bit shocked when he snarls and thrashes his arms in an effort to free himself.
Climbing into the driver’s seat, I give my attention to the mid-morning traffic clogging the streets of Chaplain.
Andi grips my hand across the center console, the faint tremble easing when I glide my thumb softly across her pulse point.
The people we pass have no idea of the storm that’s about to hit this city.
It’s just another day for them, but the woman seated beside me is taking in every detail, seeing the world with new eyes and a lot more appreciation for the simple things we take for granted.
I field a few calls during the drive, taking advantage of the last bit of quiet we’re going to have for the foreseeable future.
As instructed, we enter through the ambulance bay to avoid causing a scene.
A team of nurses and doctors is ready and waiting, having been alerted ahead of time that we'd be the first of many arriving within the hour. Andi and Hudson are taken to a private room, and as much as I hate to leave them, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to accompany her without reason.
The nature of our relationship is already murky, and the optics aren’t in my favor when I so publicly lost my shit earlier.
Instead of throwing decorum out the window and gluing myself to her side, I make use of the break room, pounding back a cup of coffee before I’m escorted to meet with Mr. Taylor.
Between his hulking stature and the knowledge of him being a Green Beret, I’m more inclined to stick my dick in a beehive than risk upsetting the man in any way, which is rather unfortunate for me, because nothing about our impending interaction could be classified as pleasant.
He’s lived through the worst day of his life, but the bags beneath his eyes, the mismatched clothes and unkempt hair, let me know he hasn’t made it through to the other side just yet.
Understandably so, but maybe having his son back will be the first step in him coming to terms with everything that’s transpired.
“Mr.Taylor?” I place my hand between us, trying not to wince when he gives it a firm shake.
“I’m Detective Cortés. I want you to know that your son is safe.
He’s undergoing a thorough examination to ensure he doesn’t have any injuries that aren’t visible to the naked eye. I’m happy to take you to him.”
“Please,” he answers with a nod, his rough response making me wonder how many nights he’s spent screaming his throat raw.
We walk in silence, but I refuse to fill it with pointless babble.
I stop the first nurse we come across and ask for Hudson’s room number, but she does me one better and leads the way.
Perfectly timed, his doctor joins us in the hallway, his face drawn tight with worry.
We’re given a quick rundown of his assessment, and Mr. Taylor is advised to meet with a child psychologist as soon as possible.
“It’s a blessing and a curse that Hudson is only two.
His mind lacks the ability to understand what’s happened to him, as well as his mother, but the emotions he felt in those moments will linger.
I have no doubt he’ll be just fine, but the road to get there won’t be easy.
” With a solemn dip of his chin, the doctor excuses himself, leaving the two of us alone with the weight of an impossible task thrust upon a father who’s wholly unprepared to face it without the person he planned to grow old with.
I place my palm against the door, waiting for Mr. Taylor’s silent approval before cautiously entering the room.
Hudson is fast asleep on the bed, but Andi’s hand is clenched against his chest like a teddy bear.
She lifts her head, her gaze probing as she sizes up the man beside me.
He takes a cautious step closer, doing his best to take things slow when it’s obvious all he really wants is to wrap his arms around his little boy and never let him go.
Hudson stirs, his eyes fluttering open as his dad comes to a stop beside him.
“Hey, Huds,” he whispers, stroking the curls framing his cherub face. “Come here, buddy.” Carefully, he lifts his son, but Andi’s hand makes the trip too. She laughs uncomfortably, slowly extricating herself from the vice grip Hudson has her in.
Clearing his throat, Mr. Taylor addresses Andi, saying, “I’m not very good with words, but I can’t thank you enough for saving my boy.
” His gaze is fixated on the wall, but the emotion in his voice conveys his gratitude.
“I know his mama would feel the same way. For her, the sun rose and set with Hudson. I’m not really sure what to do without her… ”