Chapter Fourteen Audrey
Chapter Fourteen
Audrey
“It’s going to be okay.” I tried to keep my teeth from chattering as I made the promise to my son. If I let him see how scared I was, then we’d both fall apart.
Chase trembled in my arms, his face pressed tightly to my chest, as I rocked him back and forth without pause, like maybe the rhythm could trick us both into believing we were safe.
That this was normal. That this wasn’t the second time in his young life that chaos had erupted and his father had to protect us.
The safe room’s metal walls seemed to close in and collapse all around us, making the air feel thinner with every breath we took.
Eden and Seraphina were across from us in the cramped space.
Seraphina was calm in a way that unnerved me, though the way she quietly rubbed Chase’s back said she probably understood me more than she let on.
I also knew she trusted Ryder with her life, along with ours, which made me feel a little better.
Because of that, I tried to do the same.
To trust. To pray. And to not let panic win.
I did my best not to let the sound of gunfire replay in my head like a sick lullaby. To ignore the shotgun blast that’d sounded far too close a few minutes ago. Trevor had more than likely cut someone down, keeping us safe.
This was all my fault. Every painful minute. They were all in danger because of me. Because I’d married a man who’d turned out to be a ghost wearing a mask. I thought I’d found safety and a new life with Mitch. Instead, I wound up inviting a monster into my life. Even worse, into my son’s.
Had it all been a performance? Had I ever truly known him at all?
The fact we were in a safe room because of him served as a resounding no.
I flinched at the tap on the door a minute later, followed by the “It’s me,” from Trevor before the door creaked open. His hand was the first thing I saw. While our marriage had failed, it was never because he’d been a threat or danger to us. “It’s over. For now.”
Just four words from him, but they shattered something inside me. Air flooded my lungs. My grip on Chase loosened.
“Dad?” Chase twisted in my lap, searching for Trevor.
Trevor stepped into the doorway, arm extended. “I got you, buddy. You’ll be okay.”
Chase launched himself into his father’s arms, clinging to him with the kind of trust only a child could so freely give.
Trevor held him tight, one hand splayed across the small of his back, before stepping aside so the rest of us could file out.
“Are you all right?” he whispered to me as Eden and Seraphina brushed past. His gaze flicked to mine, then over my shoulder, always assessing.
“I’m . . .” I swallowed hard, shoulders still tight with tension. “Is everyone okay?”
“Beau?” Eden asked before he could answer, a desperate plea in her tone.
“He’s good. Held the front.” That troubled and guarded expression wasn’t what I wanted to see from him, though. “Alex went into the woods. He’s trying to bring someone back for questioning since we, uh, had to put down everyone here.”
Put down. Kill. Chase was smart enough to read between the lines. But as long as no one on Team Good Guy went down, then I was fine with any measures necessary to protect our family.
Trevor gently lowered Chase until his feet hit the floor. He clung to Trevor’s hand but turned, looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. “Did Uncle Alex get the bad man and bring him back yet?”
The innocence in his voice broke something in me. How could he still sound so calm and trusting? I was grateful he was, but it was hard for me to believe. Probably because I was unraveling by the second while waiting for Trevor to tell me Alex was safe.
“I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” Trevor ruffled his hair with a half smile sitting on his lips. “Why don’t you wait with Aunt Eden and Seraphina in your bedroom for now, yeah? I don’t want you back in the safe room unless you have to be, but we need you close to it in case this flares up again.”
This? Another attack? Was that in the realm of possibility?
I reached for Chase’s hand, unable to help the tremor in mine. “There are windows in his bedroom.” Fear had rewired everything inside me, and I’d be stuck in overprotective mode for as long as any threats loomed.
Trevor’s jaw flexed. “Bullet-resistant glass throughout the place. Blast protection, too. Same stuff the DOD uses. They’ll be safe in his bedroom.”
“You really did overprepare for the just-in-case worst-case scenario, huh?” I murmured. “Thank you for that.”
He lifted one shoulder in a modest shrug. “Eden, can you take them to his room? We’ll catch up with you in a minute.” His eyes cut to Seraphina next. “Ryder will be upstairs soon to check on you, I’m sure, but he’s getting a little antsy.”
“Waiting on Alex to come back?” I asked him.
Trevor’s eyes darted to Chase, who was watching him closely. “Ryder will go after him if he, uh . . .” He didn’t finish his sentence. Not with Chase’s blue eyes pointed at him in anticipation of his father delivering only good news.
Yeah, well, I’d like some good news myself, please.
“How about you show me your room?” Seraphina took hold of Chase’s hand, coming in for the save. “I bet you have some LEGOs on display in there.”
“Thank you.” I forced my fingers to unclench as I let go of Chase’s hand.
I waited until the three of them had slipped into Chase’s room out of sight before I backed up against the wall and dropped my face into my hands.
The dam cracked. Every ounce of control I’d clung to bled out in a silent quake through my chest. I was nowhere near okay. Heck, I didn’t even know what okay looked like anymore.
“Hey, now.” Trevor took my wrists, gently prying my hands from my face.
“You know I’m not going to let anything happen to you.
That man hurt you before.” His eyes became watery with the kind of emotion he’d never shed when we were married.
“I will not let him do it again. Not even from the grave. You hear me?”
My shoulders jerked as I fought back the sob trying to break free. All I could do was nod. Because the second I talked, tears would flow, too.
I had to pull myself together, shake the fear still wrapped like vines around my lungs, stealing my breath. For everyone. Most of all, for Chase.
I had to have faith that everything would be okay. You know, whatever okay still meant. That word was being redefined by the second.
Trevor’s jaw tensed as he dropped my wrists and walked back a step, running a hand through his hair.
“Hey!” Ryder’s voice snapped down the hallway, slicing through the tension.
My heart stopped, then kicked back to life again.
“Alex made contact,” he continued, his rifle slung across his body. “He’s on his way to the lodge. He has someone with him for questioning.”
I didn’t think, just moved.
Relief surged through my chest so hard my knees buckled, forcing me to use the wall in the hall to guide me to my brother so I wouldn’t collapse.
I walked straight into his arms and clung to him the way Chase had to me in the safe room. I ignored the cold metal of the rifle wedged between us.
Ryder exhaled sharply, holding me for a few long breaths as Trevor said, “Tell Alex to take the guy there.”
“I’m going, too.” I pulled back from Ryder, swiping at my tears with my sleeves.
“No, I don’t want you running around this place when we have no clue if another team may strike,” Ryder said firmly. “Stay with your son.”
“I just have to see him.” I sidestepped my brother in a hurry to confirm for myself that Alex was okay after risking his life.
“Wait, hold up!” Ryder called out. “Keep on the lookout up here,” he added, probably to Trevor while in pursuit of me.
I made it to the bottom step before he caught up with me.
“The lodge is locked down and secure for now, but I don’t like you being—”
“I’m going with you. You’ll keep me safe.” I had no plans to listen to orders or change my mind.
“Fine.” He took hold of my arm and led the way, and we passed Beau standing guard near the front entrance.
Beau gave a grim nod but didn’t stop us, and that was when I saw Alex. He was at the far end of the hall, forcibly dragging someone behind him.
Alex had blood smeared on his jacket and up the side of his neck.
Please don’t be yours. I broke into a run, pulling away from Ryder. I reached Alex before I could talk myself down, and he quickly shoved the asshole over to Ryder to catch so he could then catch me.
With the prisoner secure in my brother’s arms, I crashed against Alex’s chest and threw my arms around him, eyes stinging with tears.
Alex carefully shifted me to the side, pinning me gently but firmly against the wall with his body like a shield as Ryder forced the man farther away from me. “Don’t let her out of your sight,” he yelled on his way down the hall with the prisoner.
Alex didn’t answer; he simply stayed where he was, hand braced against the wall beside my head, dark eyes fixed on mine.
“I was worried. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” His gravelly voice sent a shiver through my body.
I reached up for the side of his neck, needing to feel something solid.
Something real. I dropped my forehead against his chest, barely understanding the connection tethering me to this man, but I couldn’t deny it.
Not when I could feel the hard thrumming of his heart against my forehead.
“About that hug you were going to give me before all hell broke loose . . .”
“Yeah?” he murmured.
“I need it now, please.” A half sob caught in my throat.
Alex didn’t hesitate. He wrapped me in his arms, becoming my anchor. Holding me like I belonged there and he never wanted to let go.
He didn’t say a word—just held me. And that was more than enough.
“I’m glad you’re okay.” I sniffled. “I mean, who else would I not talk about my underwear with, right?” I half laughed, half cried, the sound breaking as it came out.
“Relieved you’re okay, too.” He tangled his fingers in my hair and held the back of my head the way I’d held Chase earlier. “But, Audrey . . .”
“I know.” I lifted my head to meet his eyes, blinking back fresh tears. “And I should never have asked you to let me go outside, and you—”
“Should never have said yes,” he bit out.
“Maybe this is dangerous? Or at least complicated.”
He quietly nodded, probably knowing exactly what I was talking about since he’d been the one to use that word last night. And he had to know I wasn’t referring to the danger we were in now because of Mitch.
We were on the same page, but it felt dog-eared. Bookmarked for later. But something told me we’d wind up back on a shelf, simply collecting dust. Destined to never try to uncomplicate things. To just be, well, friends, like I’d said I wanted to be earlier.
“We need to focus on getting you and Chase to safety.” He cupped my face, his thumbs skimming along the line of my jaw. Even covered in someone else’s blood, he was gentle with me.
“Of course.” I swallowed, never losing hold of his gaze.
He let go and stepped aside, then placed his arm protectively behind me as we walked.
When I heard the unmistakable low hiss of pain he was clearly trying to hide, I twisted free to confront him. “Did you lie about being okay? Is some of that blood yours?”
He closed one eye, pressing a hand to his side.
“Alex,” I said in my mom voice, and I shifted his jacket and shirt up. “You’re hurt.”
“Not that bad. Relax,” he grunted, shoving my hands away. “I’ll deal with it later.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he shook his head and tipped his chin forward in the direction he wanted me to go.
“Fine,” I relented, then hooked my arm around his back, careful of his bad side, in case he was the one who would need support but never ask for it.
We made it to the office a moment later, and the man Alex had gone after was now tied to a chair at the center of the room. Ryder was currently crouched in front of him, a knife in one hand, anger etched into every line of his face.
Reed stood off to the side, pistol drawn, jaw tight as he gave us a nod and the door closed behind me. “He says he’s military.”
Why’d that possibility feel so much worse?
“What do you want from me?” I asked him, freeing myself from Alex’s hold to draw closer. “Who do you work for?”
The man’s lips curled in a sneer as he spit out blood. “You won’t kill me,” he said instead of answering me.
Ryder pressed the blade against his neck. “You’re a traitor. The second you turned on the uniform, you stopped being one of us.”
The man laughed, a wet and broken sound. “You don’t know who I am or why I’m here.”
“Then enlighten us,” Ryder barked out. “And don’t lie and say you’re here on government orders.”
“You don’t think he’s been watching you?” His voice turned almost conversational, laced with something cruel. “He tried to be nice, you know. Planned to take you Friday when your son wasn’t home. Keep things quiet and neat.”
He? A rush of heat worked up into my face with feverish intensity.
“Then you ran straight into your ex’s arms. Predictable. So, here we are.” He tried to laugh again but wound up coughing up more blood.
Alex clearly had done a number on him outside, and Ryder must’ve finished the job in those few minutes I’d stolen with Alex in the hallway.
Ryder drew back slowly, his expression too hard for me to decipher as he glanced at Reed.
Alex stepped alongside me, keeping close.
“He said if we got caught . . . if plan B failed, then . . .” He groaned, doubling over slightly. “That we move to plan C.”
“What’s plan C?” Alex demanded.
The man lifted his head. His lips peeled into a grotesque smile.
I couldn’t look at him any longer, so I forced my gaze away. It landed on the bookshelf and the spine of the book I’d held in my hands only yesterday. Silence of the Lambs vibes going strong here. It made my stomach turn.
“He said to give you a chance to surrender peacefully. If you want to keep your family safe, he’ll text you with a location where he needs you to meet him with the key.”
My heart lodged in my throat, and I blinked my way back to him.
“There’s a phone in my pocket,” he continued. “He’ll make contact; then he’ll tell you where to go.”
“Who?” I repeated, louder this time. I stepped forward, fists trembling at my sides. “Who?”
Alex mirrored my movements, closing the distance in lockstep. His presence at my side gave me enough courage to stand tall.
The jerk shot me a smile again. Slow, deliberate, and full of satisfaction. “Your husband.” His blood-smeared teeth flashed. “Mitch Langston. He’s alive.”