Chapter 6
Reed pulled his SUV out of the hotel parking garage, checking his rearview mirror out of habit as they merged into Seattle traffic.
Elena sat beside him in the passenger seat, her travel bag clutched on her lap like a shield.
Even in the dim light from the dashboard, he could see the tension radiating from her every muscle.
“We aren’t going to the corporate offices tonight,” Reed said, making the decision as he spoke. “Tonight we’ll go to my home outside of town.”
Elena’s head snapped toward him, alarm flaring in her dark eyes. “No.”
Reed was already pulling out his phone, scrolling through his contacts with one thumb while keeping his attention on the road. “Yes. We have to meet with my brothers.”
“What?” Elena’s voice pitched higher, genuine shock coloring the single word.
He nodded, finding the group text thread he maintained with Walker, James, and Terrel. “Lucky for you, Walker lives here. And my other two brothers have been on leave.”
Reed’s fingers moved quickly across the screen: Emergency family meeting. My place, one hour. Bring your gear.
The responses came back almost immediately.
Walker: On my way. Everything okay?
James: Define emergency. Are we talking therapy session or tactical situation?
Terrel: I’ll be there.
Reed pocketed the phone and glanced at Elena, who was staring at him like he’d just announced they were flying to the moon.
“Reed, absolutely not,” she said firmly. “I won’t involve your family in this. It’s too dangerous.”
“My brothers are all former military. Walker was a SEAL, just like me. James and Terrel are still active SEALs, technically on leave but available for... consulting work.” Reed took the highway exit that led toward the lake district where he’d built his home five years ago.
“If we’re going up against Webb and his resources, we need people we can trust absolutely.
People who won’t ask questions or hesitate when things get ugly. ”
“But they’re your brothers,” Elena protested. “Your family. I can’t—”
“You can, and you will,” Reed said with quiet authority. “If this operation goes sideways, I want people watching my back who care whether I make it home alive.”
Elena fell silent, but her anxiety filled the car like a living thing. He understood her reluctance. Family was a weakness that could be exploited, a vulnerability that enemies could target. But family was also strength and loyalty that couldn’t be bought or broken.
Twenty-five minutes later, Reed turned onto the private road that led to his estate.
The property sat on ten acres overlooking Lake Washington, close enough to Walker’s place that they could see each other’s lights through the trees.
Reed had bought the land three years ago and spent two years completely renovating the 1920s hunting lodge into something that suited his tastes, keeping the quaint exterior charm while transforming the interior into a modern, masculine space with clean lines and state-of-the-art technology.
“This is beautiful,” Elena said softly as they approached the house, genuine appreciation in her voice.
Reed felt an unexpected flush of pride. He’d built this place with his own hands during weekends and evenings, needing the physical work to quiet the restless energy that had plagued him since Elena’s “death.” It was the first home he’d ever owned that felt like more than just a place to sleep.
They pulled into the circular driveway just as two other vehicles arrived—Walker’s pickup truck and James’s motorcycle, with Terrel riding passenger. Reed smiled slightly. His youngest brother had never met a vehicle he couldn’t convince someone to share.
Elena’s hands trembled slightly as she gathered her bag. “If anything happens to your brothers because of me—”
“Nothing’s going to happen,” Reed said firmly. “These guys have been through war zones, counter-terrorism operations, hostage rescues. Whatever Webb throws at us, they can handle it.”
Elena nodded, but Reed could tell she wasn’t convinced.
They climbed the front steps just as the Star brothers assembled on the porch. Walker looked alert and ready for anything, James was grinning like this was the most entertainment he’d had all week, and Terrel was quietly assessing Elena with the same tactical awareness Reed recognized in himself.
“Well, well,” James said, his eyes moving between Reed and Elena with obvious curiosity. “When you said emergency family meeting, I was expecting corporate crisis management, not... this.”
“Elena Vasquez,” Walker said carefully. “I thought you were—”
“Dead,” Elena finished. “I know. It’s complicated.”
Terrel stepped forward, extending his hand with the quiet courtesy that had always been his trademark. “Terrel Star. I don’t think we’ve met.”
“Elena Vasquez,” Elena replied, shaking his hand. “And you’re right, we haven’t. But Reed used to talk highly about all of you.”
“Did he now?” James’s grin widened. “Good to know. Especially after you allegedly died and he turned into a complete hermit for two years.”
“James,” Reed warned.
His youngest brother just shrugged. “What? I’m just saying, it’s interesting that his long-lost love has apparently risen from the dead. Very dramatic. Very romantic. Like something out of a movie.”
Elena’s cheeks flushed, and Walker shot James a look that promised retaliation later.
“Maybe we should take this inside,” Terrel suggested.
Reed nodded, leading them through the front door and up the stairs to his office.
The room was his pride and joy—expansive windows overlooking the lake, a large conference table that could seat twelve, and wall-mounted televisions that could display everything from financial reports to satellite imagery.
The space was completely secure, swept for electronic surveillance weekly, and equipped with communications equipment that rivaled anything at STAR Enterprises.
His brothers settled into their familiar spots around the conference table—Walker taking the chair closest to the door, James sprawling in his usual casual manner, and Terrel quietly choosing the seat that gave him the best view of all approaches.
They’d held family meetings here dozens of times, though never about anything quite like this.
“All right,” Walker said, cutting straight to business. “What are we dealing with?”
Reed turned to Elena, who was still standing near the door like she might bolt at any moment. “Elena, lay it out for them.”
Elena took a shaky breath and moved to the head of the table. For a moment, she seemed to struggle with where to begin, how much to reveal to people she’d just met.
“The short version,” she finally said, “is that I created a surveillance system called WATCHDOG five years ago. I was supposed to die in an explosion, but instead I went into hiding to protect the technology. Now my former mentor has been selling access to foreign governments and criminal organizations.”
Walker leaned forward. “And you need our help to stop him.”
“There’s an auction in five days,” Elena continued, her voice gaining strength as she shifted into mission mode. “In Vancouver. If those access codes get out, every digital communication on earth becomes vulnerable to monitoring and manipulation.”
James and Terrel exchanged glances. Reed recognized the look—they were shifting into operational assessment mode, weighing risks and resources.
“Well,” James said after a moment, “good thing we’re on leave. We can join your team.”
Walker nodded in agreement. “You’re going to need experienced operators for this. What’s the target profile?”
Reed felt something loosen in his chest as his brothers automatically began planning the operation. This was what family meant—not just shared blood, but shared purpose. People who would follow you into hell because they trusted your judgment.
“Elena?” Reed prompted.
Elena looked around the table, taking in the four Star brothers who were watching her with professional interest and growing acceptance. “The Blackwood Estate, forty minutes outside Vancouver. Private compound, multiple security perimeters, armed guards.”
“How many hostiles?” Terrel asked.
“Unknown, but at least twenty-four security personnel, plus whatever protection details the buyers bring.”
“Weapons?”
“Standard small arms, but we have to assume military-grade equipment.”
James was already pulling out his phone, making notes. “Timeline?”
“Five days total. We need at least three for planning and positioning.”
“Insertion method?” Walker asked.
Elena looked at Reed, who nodded encouragingly. “We’re still working on that. The estate is isolated, but there are service roads that might provide access...”
For the next hour, they went through every detail of the mission. Reed watched Elena gradually relax as she realized his brothers weren’t just willing to help—they were genuinely capable of pulling off an operation this complex.
“All right,” Walker said finally, leaning back in his chair. “Assignments. James, you and I will handle reconnaissance and perimeter security. Terrel, you’re our tech specialist and backup extraction. Reed, you’re team leader and primary assault.”
“And Elena?” James asked.
“Elena’s our inside expert,” Reed said. “She knows the technology, knows Webb’s operational patterns. She’ll coordinate intelligence and provide technical support.”
Elena nodded, but Reed could see uncertainty in her expression. “There’s one more thing,” she said quietly. “Webb can’t know I’m alive. If he realizes I survived, he’ll disappear completely. We’ll never get another chance to stop him.”
Terrel was quiet for a moment. “So you stay hidden until we’re ready to move.”
“Exactly.”
“Where?” Walker asked.
“STAR corporate offices,” Elena said.
“On second thought,” Reed interrupted, “I think you’ll be safer here.”
Elena’s head snapped toward him. “What?”
Reed nodded. “Here is the safest spot. Plus, James and Terrel are staying here anyway, so that’s extra security.”
Both of his brothers nodded in agreement.
“No,” Elena said firmly. “I don’t want—”
”This house is the safest place you could possibly be,” Reed said.
Elena’s eyes widened, but before she could protest, James grinned. “Oh, this just keeps getting better. Reed’s mysterious dead girlfriend moves into his bachelor pad while they plan to save the world together. Tell me someone’s writing this down.”
“James,” Reed said dangerously.
“What? I’m just saying, it’s very romantic. Very second-chance-at-love. Mom would have loved this.”
For a moment, pain flickered across all four faces at the mention of their mother, who’d died when Terrel was still in high school.
“She would have,” Walker said softly. “She always said Reed needed someone who challenged him.”
Reed felt Elena’s eyes on him, but he didn’t trust himself to look at her. Not with his brothers watching every micro-expression.
“We should get some rest,” Terrel said, breaking the moment. “Tomorrow, we’ll start operational planning in earnest.”
As his brothers prepared to leave, Walker caught Reed’s arm.
“You sure about this?” he asked quietly. “About her?”
Reed looked across the room at Elena, who was organizing papers with the same methodical precision he remembered from their time at the facility.
“I’m sure about the mission,” Reed said. “The rest... we’ll figure out as we go.”
Walker nodded and squeezed his shoulder. “Call if you need anything. And Reed? Welcome back to the land of the living.”
After his brothers left, Reed found Elena standing at the windows, looking out over the dark lake.
“They’re good men,” she said without turning around.
“They are.”
“They trust you completely.”
“We’ve been through a lot together.”
Elena finally turned to face him, and Reed was struck by how small she looked in his large office, how vulnerable despite all her strength and training.
“Thank you,” she said simply. “For bringing them in. For trusting me with your family.”
Reed moved closer, stopping just outside her personal space. “Family is family.”
Reed thought about her situation. She’d been an only child. Her father had passed from cancer when she was young, but she’d been close with her mother.
“Speaking of that, how is your mother?”
Elena’s face went white.
“What happened?”
She winced. “Well, they told her I was dead, but of course she didn’t believe them. We communicated through the newspaper, but... she passed a year ago. Heart attack.”
Reed was stunned. “I’m sorry.”
She blinked rapidly and turned away from him, but not before she wiped at her eyes. “It’s okay. I just miss her. And... it made me miss you more too.”
So many emotions washed over him, but he didn’t dare go to her. He didn’t even dare to move, but what he really wanted to do was close the distance between them and hold her until the haunted look left her eyes.
“I should show you to the guest room,” he said finally.
“Okay.” She turned back to face him. “And Reed?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for coming back for me tonight. At the hotel. I was... I didn’t know what I was going to do.”
Reed studied her face, seeing the gratitude and something deeper—hope, maybe, or trust that was slowly being rebuilt.
“You don’t have to thank me for that,” he said quietly. “You called, and I came. That’s how it’s always been with us.”
She smiled then, the first truly peaceful expression he’d seen on her face since she’d walked into his office that morning.
“Come on,” Reed said, heading toward the door. “Let me show you around your temporary home.”