Chapter 4
The early morning sun cast long shadows across the dashboard, a reminder of the long day ahead.
He had hit the road before dawn, the rising sun blinding him as morning swallowed the night.
Pale gold spilled across the cracked highway, painting the windshield in a haze of warmth that didn’t quite reach his bones.
His phone had no signal. Typical.
Callen drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, slowing just enough to keep one eye on the bars flickering in the screen's corner. Still nothing.
So he let his thoughts wander, because really, what else was there to do?
It’d been years since he let any memory of Meaghan Harrington drift this close to the surface.
Always with scraped knees and defiant eyes, a ponytail swinging like a banner as she dared the world to catch up.
She’d been all elbows and spitfire then.
Smart-mouthed, too curious for her own good.
She always had her nose stuck in some mystery novel under her desk while the teacher droned on about colonial America.
She never asked for help, even when she needed it.
The sort of girl who could knock the wind out of a guy without even trying. He knew, because she had done it to him several times.
He remembered the last time he saw her before everything went sideways.
They were twenty. Bonfire night out at Parrish Lake.
He’d stolen a beer. She’d stolen his hoodie.
And somewhere between the second verse of an off-key country song and the warmth of her pressed into his side beneath the stars, he’d known—just known—he’d never stop thinking about her.
And then he left.
It broke his heart as much as it had hers, but there was no way he would force her into the life that had been laid out before him.
She deserved stability, something she could rely on, rather than the chaotic schedule of a military man.
He had argued with himself about what to do as soon as he hung up on the senator, doubt nagging at the back of his mind.
However, he simply didn’t trust politicians.
The phone rang several times before a familiar voice answered. “Callen, what’s the word, my friend?”
“The word is silence.” Callen shook his head. Blaze was young and full of too much energy and not enough caution. “I need a favor, and for now, I want you to keep this on the quiet side. Depending on what you find, will determine if I go to the others. It could be nothing.”
“All right, but you know how that went for me. Just be careful. Being on Dane’s bad side isn’t fun. Now, with that said, what do you need?”
“Don’t worry. Dane already knows something’s up.
” Callen filled him in on the situation, keeping the details, as well as his connection to Meaghan, vague, but emphasizing the urgency.
“So, I need you to dig into any threats made against Senator Harrington or his family. Anything you can find, no matter how small.”
“You got it. Want it text or email?”
“Email will be fine. Thanks. I owe you one.”
Blaze laughed. “Don’t we all kind of owe each other by now? Talk soon.”
The younger man wasn’t exactly wrong.
As the miles rolled by, Callen’s mind drifted to the past, to a night years ago that still haunted his dreams. Meaghan. Her name alone was enough to send a jolt through his system.
He could still see her as clearly as if it were yesterday.
The way the moonlight had played across her features, the softness of her skin beneath his calloused hands.
They had denied themselves for so long, dancing around the feelings that had simmered beneath the surface through high school and into college.
But that night, with his deployment looming, they had finally given in to the passion that had always existed between them.
His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he recalled the bittersweet morning after Meaghan had been willing to change everything for him, to put her dreams on hold and follow him wherever the military might send him.
But he couldn’t let her do that. He had seen the fire in her eyes when she talked about her aspirations, the potential for greatness that burned within her.
How could he ask her to dim that light for him?
So he had done the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.
He had walked away, leaving her with nothing but memories and what-ifs.
He told himself it was for the best, that she deserved more than the uncertain life of a military spouse.
But in the quiet moments, in the dark of night, he wondered if he had made the biggest mistake of his life.
Now, over a decade later, he was racing back into her life.
He harbored no illusions about the reception he would receive.
Meaghan had every right to hate him for how things had ended.
However, a possible threat against her meant he would be damned if he let anything happen to her, regardless of how she felt about him.
As he approached the school where Meaghan worked, his heart rate quickened.
He parked across the street, scanning the area for any signs of danger.
Her father assured him the threat was real, but he failed to say how immediate it was.
The afternoon sun beat down on the pavement as he watched students file out of the building, their excited chatter filling the air. Enjoy it while you can, kids.
And then he saw her.
Meaghan stood in the car loop, efficiently directing students to their waiting parents.
Time seemed to stand still as he drank in the sight of her.
She was even more beautiful than he remembered, her chestnut hair swept back in a neat ponytail, her face animated as she spoke to the children waving to the parents as she opened the car doors.
His breath caught in his throat as he watched her bend down to help a young boy with his backpack. The simple act of kindness was so quintessentially Meaghan that it made his chest ache with longing and regret.
Sucking in a deep breath, he stepped out of his car and made his way across the street.
As he approached, Meaghan’s head snapped up, her eyes widening in recognition, and then narrowing as she must have realized why he was there and who sent him.
When he finally reached her, she remained silent, glaring at him. It was about what he expected.
“Hello, Meaghan.” He stopped a few feet away from her, resisting the urge to close the distance between them, to pull her into his arms and never let go. “It’s been a long time.”
Her eyes narrowed a little more, and Callen could see the walls going up. “What are you doing here? As if I need to ask.” Her tone was clipped. Professional. Icy.
He glanced around, acutely aware of the curious stares from nearby parents and students, even the faculty who had noticed him approach. “Is there somewhere we can talk privately?”
She shook her head. “I’m working. Sorry. I can’t simply abandon my post.”
Pressing his lips into a thin line, he gave a curt nod, understanding her reluctance. “You probably can guess why I’m here. After your father called you last night, he called me. He’s worried about you.”
A flash of irritation crossed Meaghan’s face. “Of course he did. Let me guess, he wants you to whisk me away to some safe house in D.C.”
Callen slipped his hands into his pockets, hoping to appear less… Well, just less. “He did. He feels he can arrange proper security for you there. Apparently, he’s taking this threat fairly seriously.”
“I’m sure he believes that.” She cocked her head slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest. “And he just had to call you? With all of the triple letter agencies at his fingertips, and you’re the one he decides to send?”
The words stung, but Callen kept his face neutral. “Meaghan, he believes the threats against your family are serious. He just wants to protect you.”
“He just wants to control me, you mean.” A low growl rumbled out of her. “I’m not bowing to his political paranoia, Callen. I have a life here. Responsibilities. I can’t just drop everything because he got spooked by some random threat.”
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Look, I know your father isn’t always the most…
forthcoming… of people, but if there’s even the slightest chance that these threats are real, you need to take them seriously.
Let me get you to D.C. for a few days, and then come back. Think of it as a quick vacation.”
Meaghan’s eyes flashed with anger. “You lost the the right to tell me what to do or even make suggestions a long time ago. I’m not going with you, so tell dear ol’ Dad nice try but no dice.”
The finality in her voice was like a physical blow. He opened his mouth to argue further, but movement over Meaghan’s shoulder caught his eye. A glint of metal in the afternoon sun, barely visible between two parked cars.
Time seemed to slowdown as Callen’s training kicked in.
He lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Meaghan and pulled her to the ground just as a shot rang out.
The sound of shattering glass filled the air, followed by screams of panic.
Meaghan’s remaining students rushed to her side, huddling against her, all shouting and covering their ears.
“Stay down!” he yelled, covering Meaghan’s body with his own as he scanned the area for the shooter. His heart pounded in his ears, adrenalin coursing through his veins.
Meaghan struggled beneath him, her voice muffled against his chest. “Callen, what—?”
“Shooter,” he said, his tone clipped, terse as he did a frantic search for the gunman.
“We need to get to cover.” He glanced around, assessing their options.
People scurried in all directions, teachers grabbing kids and rushing them back inside.
However, Meaghan and he—and three little kids—were exposed in the open car loop, but a row of hedges about twenty feet away held hope for cover.
“When I say go, we’re going to make a run for those bushes.” He pointed to where he needed her to go. “Stay low and don’t stop until you’re behind them. Understood?”
“Callen, the kids…”
He gave her a curt nod, gesturing to one of the boys. “Take him with you. I’ll grab the other two.” He then turned to the kindergarteners huddled around Meaghan’s side. “All right, kids. I know you’re scared, but I need you to hang tight. We’re going to get you out of here.”
He swept the young girl and small boy, holding them tight against him as he gave Meaghan a curt nod.
Callen tightened his grip on the kids in his care, steeling himself for what was to come.
He had to trust Meaghan to get herself and the boy in her care to the bushes.
And if she was anything like the Meaghan he remembered, he knew he had nothing to worry about.
That didn’t stop him from worrying, however.
“Now!” he shouted, leaping to his feet and pulling the little boy behind him.
They sprinted across the pavement, the girl in his arms pressing her face into his shoulder as she clutched to his shirt. He knew he practically dragged the little boy behind him, but there wasn’t much choice. They were too exposed.
Another shot rang out, the bullet whistling past them and embedding itself in a nearby car. Callen hunkered lower to the ground, willing Meaghan to keep up with him.
Just as they reached the hedges, a third shot echoed through the air, too close for comfort. They dove behind the bushes, Callen setting the little girl back on the ground, and putting himself between the kids and the gunman.
“Everyone all right?” he asked, an urgency to his tone as he scanned everyone quickly for injuries.
Meaghan nodded as she slid her hands over the kids, making sure they were all right. “I think so.” She turned to him, grimacing. “Looks like my father was right. I’ll never hear the end of this, you know.”
Callen peered through the foliage, trying to locate the shooter, but to no avail.
The car loop had descended into chaos, with parents, teachers, and children running for cover.
Two vehicles had crashed into each other, and another had almost ran up on the sidewalk.
In the distance, he could hear the wail of approaching sirens, but he knew he couldn’t wait for them to get here. He needed to get Meaghan out of there.
He turned back to Meaghan, his mind already streaming through next steps. “We need to move. Now. My vehicle’s across the street. If we can make it there, we can get out of here.”
Meaghan’s face was pale, but her jaw was set with determination. “Fine. You get Sophie and Willie. I’ll manage with Lucas.” She gave a curt nod. “Lead the way.”
He stared at her for a moment, ready to argue with her. He was there to get her the hell out of there before whoever threatened her father carried out that threat.
She must have known what he was about to say, because she narrowed her eyes as she leaned closer to him. “I am not leaving without the children. Not an option.”
He sucked in a breath, nodding. Well, he had been right. She hadn’t changed.