Chapter 30
Aspen
It has been an insane six hours since we left the cabin in Gatlinburg.
I've been introduced to more men than I could ever hope to keep straight, all of them with names like Jersey, Hound, Tug, and I think one's name was Snatch, which made me blush like a damned schoolgirl. Him, I can't forget. The man is covered in tattoos including his neck and some on his face. He seemed very nice, but not someone I'd like to meet on a dark street alone, not that he gave me any sort of creepy vibe. The snap judgment makes me realize either I have some bias with the way certain people look or I'm just afraid of every damn thing. Either way, it's not the best position to be in when facing life in general.
I wouldn't call them letting me be here as active participation but it's more than I could've asked for. I've watched several dozen men gear up with tactical clothing and weapons in preparation but watching them while wearing sweats and a sweater makes me feel helpless.
I'm not in any capacity capable of helping these men with the job they have to do next, but not having the skill set doesn't make sitting on the sidelines doing nothing any easier.
They've openly discussed what they know and what the possible scenarios are with their entry into this summer house.
They have intel that there has been increased activity on the property in the last couple of days, but they have no confirmation whether Eli is actually there.
We've gone back over the video, but the camera was zoomed in so closely on my son, that there were no distinguishable traits of the room they were in. Besides, it's been forever since I was at the property. Although I remember going there, I don't remember anything specific about the house, at least nothing that would be helpful. I was able to give them a broad layout of the floor plan, but before I could finish explaining it, one of the tech guys was able to pull the actual floor plans, making my information even more useless.
"This could be a trap," I whisper to Nolan.
I held my breath half an hour ago when he was arguing with Hemlock about making entry on the property with everyone else. He stayed back before because of his connection to the case, but he's not as easy to convince that it's in his best interest to stay back this time.
"We know," he answers before his lips form a flat line. "They know. They're good at what they do, Peach. It'll all work out."
I can't help but wonder if this is just like Damien setting me up to rummage through his office so he could hurt me. It's very likely the man is many steps ahead of us, but I also know that these men have to follow the leads they're given.
They aren't approaching this like they think Eli isn't there. They're hoping since it's only been nine hours after they discovered the video that they'll have an edge with the element of surprise, but I doubt they will.
Honestly, it's very possible that Damien is well aware we're all piled into one of the houses only a few short blocks away from the summer house.
He could have a team ready to take everyone out the second they step outside.
"What's wrong?" Nolan asks as his arm wraps around my shoulders. "You're trembling."
"I'm scared," I confess. "What if it goes wrong?"
He pulls me to his chest, and I don't hesitate to press my face into the warmth of his body. It brings a small level of comfort, but there's nothing other than holding my healthy son in my arms that will ease the worry altogether.
I pull back and look up at him. "If this goes badly, he'll hurt others. Anyone who he thinks failed him will pay for this."
"The goal is to not leave him alive," he says so simply, as if it's an everyday occurrence that people who once walked the earth are now dead. And maybe that is the case, considering what happened at the cabin just outside of Boston.
"What happens if one of our guys dies?" I whisper, looking around the room.
The men, despite being geared up like they're heading into a war zone, don't look the least amount worried. I don't know if that is ego or confidence in their skills, either of which could still fail them and end tragically.
"Every man here is trained. They do this all the time," he assures me. "They know the risk they're taking."
Despite this conversation, I'm not going to argue with the risks. It may make me as psychotic as Damien, but I need my son safe, no matter the cost. If they're willing to risk their lives to rescue him, then who am I to stand in their way?
"He's all that matters," I whisper, once again leaning on him for support.
"I know, Peach. I know."
His arms are around me as the guys make their final preparations. The compromise that Hemlock and Nolan came to was that he could be with the team that goes to the property, but he couldn't be on the entry team. None of it makes sense to me, and I'm so incredibly worried about his safety just leaving this house and going to the other location.
"If I could go back in time," I say, pulling my face from his shirt so he can look into my eyes. "I'd make so many different choices. I'd pick you a million times."
His hand is warm on my cheek as he looks down at me.
My pulse thrums in my neck as he leans down, and for a few blessed seconds, nothing else interferes.
His lips press to mine, and the other men surrounding us don't exist. The only sound is our combined breathing.
It feels like it did that first time all those years ago, when our futures held so many promises, when everything was perfect.
And that's how it all felt back then. We could sit and dream, make plans, and whisper our desires. In the weak light cast by the setting sun, we could let ourselves believe we had a shot at a life we wanted rather than being forced into lives we never would've chosen for ourselves.
His tongue traces mine, and I feel more alive at this moment than I have in a very long time. We aren't locked away, hidden from the outside world. His mouth is on mine in public, and he seems to have no problem with others witnessing this. He doesn't have to worry about showing his affection to me in front of these men. The way he looks at me isn't the death sentence it was years ago when he was working for my father. He isn't attempting to claim me and mark his territory in front of them the way Damien has done more than once with his men.
This kiss isn't a show of force or him asserting his power.
It's sweet and full of a promise I know he wants to make but he can't. He has no way of knowing how any of this will work out. There are too many unknowns where Damien is concerned, but I do know that he's willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that his son comes home.
"I need you back safely," I tell him when we break the kiss.
"Eli is what's most important," he says, and I can see the promise of that in his eyes.
It wouldn't be unheard of for Damien to insist on a trade, and although he loves to hurt me, he has to know just how bad it would hurt me for Nolan to be gone.
But as he presses one more soft kiss to my forehead, I don't argue.
Maybe knowing Nolan is willing to make that sacrifice for his son keeps me quiet. I don't think there's an argument I could make that would change his mind, but that isn't completely what keeps me silent.
As hard as it is to accept, I'd sacrifice every person on this earth to get my son back, and as horrific as it sounds, Nolan is on that list as well.
Those thoughts aren't coated in bitterness. They have nothing to do with the lies and him being gone this whole time.
I'm a mother. My only job on this earth is to make sure my son is safe, no matter the cost.
"See you soon, Peach," he says before walking away, and I do my best not to feel insulted when he leaves the house without looking back at me.
When they all drive away in their SUVs, I convince myself that he didn’t spare me a glance over his shoulder because it was just as hard to walk away from me as it was to watch him go, not knowing if he'll make it back.
I'm left in the house with Casper, the IT guy, and another guy by the name of Max. They both sit behind a huge setup of computers with headsets on, communicating with the team that is heading toward the house. The only other guy left behind looks like he wants to rip my head off just to see what my body looks like from the inside.
All I can do is try to ignore the hostility coming off that one guy and wait to see what the fallout will be.