Chapter 18
Brett
Brett rubbed gritty eyes because blinking no longer worked to clear his vision.
He’d been staring at the same report for the past half an hour, and it still made no sense.
Once he’d decided Felix might still be alive, they had the video checked out further by several experts, and one in particular had said it looked more like the camera had switched halfway through the broadcast. They couldn’t prove it because it appeared of such poor quality, but it was the piece of hope Brett needed to keep going.
So, everyone went through everything all over again.
This time to figure out proof that Felix was alive.
His phone rang, and he answered it without looking to see who it was. “Brett Cage.”
“Boss! A car is racing towards Windsor Castle along the Long Walk! I’ve already sent some men towards it.”
Brett jumped out of his seat and raced out of the room, calling for guards to come with him. “On my way!” he said and ended the call. He ran for his life, even as he called Dominic to warn him of a possible attack on the royal family.
When he finally got to the door to the outside, the start of the Long Walk from the castle side, he lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the sun as he watched a plume of dust come closer and closer. He called back the guard who’d initially called him.
“Do you have eyes on them?”
“Yes, sir. Two cars. I can’t see how many occupants, but they’re coming in at speed. I honestly don’t know if they plan to stop.”
“Put guards and snipers everywhere you can. We will make them stop if they don’t seem to want to do it themselves.”
“Yes, boss.”
Brett hung up and sent orders to the guards who had followed him. Then stood, gun in hand, waiting for the cars to get nearer. As they began the last stretch of the path that would lead them to the castle, his phone rang.
“What?” he barked, eyes still on the approaching cars.
“You—you’re not going to believe this,” the guard from earlier said. “It’s…Felix.”
Brett’s heart jumped. “What?”
“The first car. Felix is driving it.”
Brett didn’t want to get his hopes up too high. “And the second car?”
“Looks like four occupants, all have guns and look mighty pissed off.”
“Is Felix alone in the first car?”
“Looks like it.”
“Then tell everyone to focus on the second car. Shoot the occupants and shoot out the tyres.”
“Yes, sir.”
Brett hung up, eyes feasting on the first car that was gaining on them.
If Felix was in that car, he’d better make it.
The occupants of the second car were in for a world of hurt if they had anything to do with Felix’s kidnapping.
He shouted the news to the guards surrounding him, seeing as he hadn’t had time to grab radios for everyone, and told half of them to move forward, which would allow Felix to drive behind them before they started shooting at the second car.
The cars drew nearer, and Brett pulled up his gun, ready to fire if he needed to.
They were still going far too fast, and Brett truly wondered if they were going to stop.
But as he thought that, guns started firing, and the second car began to weave out of control.
More gunshots, and the car flipped and rolled, taking the occupants on their last ride before coming to a halt upside down.
Brett focused on the first car as it slowed to a stop right in front of him.
There was so much dust that, to begin with, he couldn’t see anything, and then the door clicked open, and Felix climbed out.
Brett’s heart missed several beats before starting a rapid tattoo when Felix met his gaze.
Felix started towards him, and Brett dropped his arms, taking a lungful of air to see his man heading his way.
He couldn’t wait. He stepped closer, and when they stood toe to toe, Brett grabbed him and kissed him.
Felix’s lips were warm and soft, but a little dry, and he responded as much as Brett had ever wanted him to.
Their arms held tightly to each other as their lips feasted.
Tongues licked, lips sipped, and Brett couldn’t get enough.
But then Felix cupped his face and gentled the kiss until they paused for breath.
Foreheads touching, they just inhaled each other for a moment, and then Brett opened his eyes to see Felix’s smile.
“I missed you, too,” Felix said.
“Don’t ever leave me like that again,” Brett whispered fiercely. “I won’t survive.”
“Neither will I.” Felix stroked his fingers along Brett’s jaw. “As much as I want to stay like this forever, we need to get moving before they clean up where I was being held.”
Brett shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now.”
“It does matter. There will be clues. I’m positive.”
Brett nodded and inhaled. “Okay.” He dropped another kiss on Felix’s mouth before stepping back but keeping hold of his hand because he couldn’t find the courage to let him go just yet.
Another car had joined them, and the occupants were dealing with the overturned second car. Guards surrounded them, but two held guns towards the car, heading for the backseat, and Brett frowned. Felix followed his gaze.
“No!” Felix tore his hand away and stepped in front of the guard, pushing his gun aside. “He’s already dead,” Felix said quietly and opened the back door, staring into the space. “He saved my life. He didn’t make it, but I made a promise to him. I intend to see it through.”
“A promise?” Brett said.
“He had a wife. He doesn’t want his colleagues to get to her. I told him I’d protect her.”
Brett nodded and slid a hand to his shoulder. “We will.” He glanced around. “Okay, everyone. Gear up. We’re going hunting.”
As much as he didn’t want to let go of Felix, he squeezed his shoulder one last time before getting on his phone to organise guards for the royal family and a hunting party.
It took less than an hour before they were heading back to the location Felix had been kept at.
On the journey, Felix gave them all the information he could about the layout and the people Rico—the guy who had helped him—had told him about.
Felix didn’t know which of the people were the ones he’d shot in his escape, so they assumed they were still alive.
The house was still standing when they arrived, and there didn’t seem to be any additional cars in front of it, so Felix said, so they carefully entered the building and checked every room for anyone alive.
No one was, just the five Felix said were killed, not including Rico.
Once they were sure everything was clear, they let the forensics team get inside, and they both walked through the house, looking at anything they could find.
But it was as Brett looked at the faces of the dead men that he paused.
“I recognise him,” he murmured, crouching beside him and scanning his brain to connect the dots. When he did, he growled, “Malcolm.” He went to the next guy, cursing. All in all, of the five men, he recognised three of them as being Malcolm’s men.
Felix stared at him. “There is also something else,” he muttered, glancing around him before indicating for them to leave the house and move to the side, away from everyone else.
“Rico gave me the names of some people who weren’t there.
Names he’d overheard.” Felix met his gaze. “You’re not going to like it.”
Brett dropped his head and shook it before meeting his gaze again.
“I don’t like any of this anyway. Who?” When Felix told him, he turned to stone.
Another voice carried on the air, and he turned to it.
He started towards it, and before he could stop himself, he had his arm around the man’s neck, pulling him backwards and throwing him to the ground.
The man rolled before coming to a stop on his back, staring up at him in shock.
At least to begin with. Then he began laughing, not bothering to get up.
“Come on, Brett. You’ve got to admit, it was getting boring. We needed some excitement around here.”
With heat burning in every part of his body, Brett kicked out, catching Maddox’s jaw and sending blood arching across the gravel. “Boring?”
Maddox laughed again. “You were moping and couldn’t figure out which way was up. Jesus, Brett. I never expected you to be like that. And when you didn’t snap out of it when Felix ‘died,’ it got bor—”
His voice cut off when Felix pressed his foot against his windpipe. “I’m not going to kill you, Maddox, but I’m going to make life very difficult for you. You don’t know who I am.”
Maddox grinned, despite the pain he must’ve been in. “I do,” he grated.
Felix’s eyes twitched, and he let go, allowing Maddox to breathe freely, and Brett wished he could put his own foot there without stopping. However, the traitor had information they needed.
“God, you are all so easy,” Maddox rasped. “I know exactly who you are, Felix.”
“Bet you didn’t expect me to escape, though, did you?” Felix said.
Maddox paused, staring up at him with something akin to worship in his eyes. “No, I didn’t.”
Brett’s heart expanded as he smirked. “You don’t know him well enough to know what he’s capable of.
” He met Felix’s gaze. “If anyone could get free, it would be him. And look at that. He did.” He glared at Maddox.
“Now, if you don’t mind, you will be escorted back to Windsor, where you will tell us everything.
Especially about the one behind this all. ”
Maddox snorted. “Not a chance.”
Brett chuckled. “I bet you’ll be seeing it my way soon enough.” He glanced at Sam, Nina and Eric. “Take him.”
They didn’t respond, just grabbed Maddox by the arms and dragged him to a car. Within seconds, they were on their way back to Windsor, leaving the rest of them behind.
“Goddamn it,” Brett shouted, kicking up dust as he booted a stone away, and rested his hands on his hips. Felix stopped beside him.
“I’m sorry.”