Chapter 26
TREV
Trev buttoned his black fatigues with the precision of a man preparing for war. The duffel sitting on the bed already held what mattered. Some clothes, guns, ammunition, knives, and the files he couldn’t leave behind because he needed to address them in the next twenty-four hours.
His reflection in the dresser mirror was hard, jaw tight, every inch the commander he used to be.
“I wish you would wipe that look of your face.” Cody’s voice came from the bed, low and rough from them spending the last couple of hours enjoying one another. Trev had no idea when they’d be back. Maybe a week, maybe a month. If at all, it was impossible to say.
Trev looked over his shoulder and tried not to be distracted by the naked chest and hard abs as Cody leaned back, arms behind his head, with the sheet pooled at his waist. Cody was watching every little move that Trev made was trying to memorize him.
Trev turned to face him, folding a shirt with military efficiency. “Like what?”
“Like you’re already a ghost. Like you’re not coming back.” Cody swung his legs off the bed and stood, bare feet whispering against the carpet as he came closer. He wrapped his arm around Trev’s waist. “Take me with you.”
“No.” Trev’s answer was final and a little harsher than he intended. Cody’s arm dropped, and Trev stepped into his space, gripping Cody by the back of his neck. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say it like that. I need you here. Not just for my peace of mind.”
Trev let go and laid the folded shirt into the bag, zipping it shut.
“That’s bullshit,” Cody snapped, grabbing him before he could walk away. “I can fight. I know what you’re walking into, and—”
“You don’t.” Trev’s voice sharpened, cutting off Cody like a gavel cracking through the noise.
He hated giving ground, but he was learning to be more patient.
“I need you to keep the firm running. Clients can’t know I’m gone, and more than that, I need someone I trust watching Renee, Ashley, and the kids.
If someone comes to California looking for me or attacks the house, I’m counting on you to get them out. ”
Cody’s throat worked. He looked away, but Trev could tell by the look in his eyes that Cody was giving in. “And go where?”
Trev walked over to the decorative table that looked nothing more than a place for pictures or a vase, and unlocked the hidden drawer. He pulled out a white swipe card and held it out to Cody.
“This is for a state-of-the-art safe house in San Clemente. No one knows about it but me. It is stocked with every weapon you can think of, and more importantly, it’s secure.
If the worst comes—” His voice dipped lower.
“I want you to take all of them there and protect them. I trust you more than you’ll ever realize. ”
Cody stared at the key, his jaw firm, and his eyes ready to argue. Instead, he closed his fist around it. “You made me promises, Trev. Don’t hand me a key like it’s a goodbye. You tell me right now that you’re coming back.”
Trev’s hand lifted, brushing along Cody’s jaw. “It’s insurance, not a farewell.” He leaned closer, the distance between them electric. “I’m coming back. I promise.”
“Say it again,” Cody whispered, leaning in and kissing Trev softly.
“I’m coming back.” Trev deepened the kiss until his blood was searing. Even though it wasn’t a goodbye, it was weighted with everything they left unsaid. He lingered, as long as he could, but eventually had to pull away with a control that hurt.
“Stay alive for me,” Cody murmured, voice breaking. “I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t,” Trev said with a firm declaration like that would make it so. He picked up the duffel. “I'd better get going.”
“You’re killing me, Anderson, I swear,” Cody grumbled as he marched across the room and yanked on a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt.
They walked out into the living room, and Trev spotted Renee curled on the couch with Arek’s arm around her, their little boy on her lap, and J.J.
sprawled on the rug with toy soldiers. Ashley leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, eyes locked on Kes with a fire only matched by his smirk.
The second Trev stepped in, J.J. launched to his feet and ran across the room. “Uncle Trev!” The boy barreled into his legs, hugging him with surprising strength. God, he loved this kid.
Trev crouched, resting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I’m counting on you to take care of everyone while Arek and I are gone. Can I count on you?”
J.J. grinned, missing tooth and all. “Yes, I’m on the job. I have already done a perimeter walk.” Trev smiled and almost burst out laughing. “Can you bring me back a rock?”
J.J. had started a rock collection and was keeping a record of each one like a geologist. “You’ve got it,” Trev promised. The boy’s laugh made Trev’s heart hurt in his chest.
Renee’s eyes shimmered as she stood, pulling J.J. back to her. “You'd better come back,” Renee growled, as she gave all of them a hard look.
Trev rose, his face unreadable. “I will look after them,” he promised, as Arek’s hand clasped hers. Trev didn’t need to say the rest. If anyone was not coming back, he would make sure it was him. No one else was dying on his watch.
Ashley finally crossed to Kes, shoved at his chest, then kissed him hard. “Don’t you dare die, you stubborn jerk.”
Kes closed his eyes and hugged Ashley tight. “Wouldn’t dream of it, especially not when I get to come home to you.”
Arek kissed Renee’s temple, murmured something only for her, then slung his sniper case over his shoulder. “It’s showtime, boys. We need to blow this popsicle stand before it gets any later.”
“We have a popsicle stand?” J.J. asked Renee, looking confused.
Trev smirked, grabbed Cody’s hand, giving him one last reassuring look before they walked toward the underground garage, duffels in hand, faces serious, the weight of their worry pressing down on them.
The garage smelled of tires and concrete. The two black Hummers waited like beasts in the shadows. They loaded their gear in silence, each click of metal against metal and bin loaded spoke louder than words.
“Alright, Counselor. You sure about this little road trip? No maps, no friendly faces, no damn plan except drive into the lion’s den.”
“It’s not the lion’s den,” Trev said calmly. “Morry is still Morry, of that I’m sure.”
Kes snorted. “Maybe, but without any word, we could be walking straight into a trap. I for one, actually have something to live for now and want to come home.”
“We all do.” Trev hit Kes with a hard stare. “Besides, with something to live for, you’ll be at your best,” Trev stated, loading the last of the weapons.
Arek cackled. “Relax, Kes, I promise that if we die, I’ll hang out with your ass forever.”
“Jesus, I didn’t say I want to die and go to hell,” Kes shot back.
Trev shook his head at the two of them. It never changed, they’d always been like this.
“Leave the comms open between the two of our vehicles, I want to see if we end up with any interference or if anyone tries to track our movement,” Trev informed, holding up the device he’d acquired for the journey.
He might not be able to rely on the Righteous technology, but that didn’t mean he had other contacts.
“Sounds good to me,” Arek said as he got into the driver’s seat of his Hummer. “Kes, are you coming with me and Dehlila?”
“Do I have to?” Kes shot back but wandered to the passenger side of the vehicle.
Keeping the comms had probably been a bad idea. They bickered the way only brothers-in-arms could, about anything and nothing all at once, but it was constant, like they were always trying to out-snipe the other.
Trev pulled out of the garage with Arek following, and headed straight to the freeway. He ignored the chatter of his brother and Kes and set his mind on what lay ahead as the freeway lights streaked by.
Every mile forward was another mile away from home, from Cody, and the life they had built after he thought he’d never truly love again.
But there was no turning back.
This wasn’t just a mission. If he was right and he usually always was…then their brothers were now the enemy. This was war, one he never saw coming, but one he would make sure he finished.