Chapter 41 #2
They moved out of earshot of the medic, and Natasha placed the call on speakerphone.
“I guess our game is not over yet,” Balan said.
“I could have killed you. Many times over the years. But it looks like that girl, Gwen, has given me a reason to live. If it were not for her handiwork back in the auditorium, those other hackers would never have decrypted my program. I think I would like to challenge her, see how good she really is. Give you a chance to hunt . . .” Static interrupted his words.
Sirens wailed in the background.
Pops of gunfire as if shots were pinging the frame of his car.
Metal hitting metal. A crash?
Shouting and then more gunshots.
Then the line went dead.
Natasha’s gaze lifted to Wyatt’s, her face going pale. “You think he’s dead?”
“I don’t know.” And as much as Wyatt knew they needed Balan’s intel, part of him really hoped he was gone for good.
Wyatt caught sight of Charlotte running toward them as Natasha sputtered, “This time, I need to see his body.”
“What are you going to do now that Balan is dead for real this time?” Wyatt held Natasha tight to his side a block from the convention center, far enough away from the police and the scattered onlookers curious about what had happened over an hour ago.
Natasha looked up at him. “Go get my ass chewed out by Headquarters. Hope I still have a job after.”
The Agency had already called Natasha three times since the explosion, and Alexander Balan had been declared dead by the Canadian authorities, but she hadn’t answered yet.
SWAT had AMF’d Balan—aka Adios, motherfucker. If Balan was going to die, Wyatt wished his people could have done it, but Natasha had been right, his team would risk exposure by engaging in a gun battle in the middle of Montreal while the streets were swarming with police and civilians.
Balan’s men had refused to pull over during the police chase, so SWAT forced them to engage once they got them just outside the city and away from any innocent bystanders. The drivers had resisted arrest, and a gun battle had ensued. All three had died.
Wyatt had managed to get Natasha as close to the crime scene as possible without drawing eyes from the authorities, and she’d sobbed into his chest—tears of relief, tears for the lives lost, and possibly even tears for the evidence they may have lost because he died.
But maybe with Balan finally dead, and Natasha’s chase for him over, they could be together?
They still had to address one issue: her father was about to be appointed Secretary of Defense, and Wyatt would report to him. But if Knox could work for his father, the president, then surely Wyatt could date the admiral’s daughter.
Date? Was he really thinking about dating at a time like this?
He hadn’t thought it would ever be possible to marry and settle down, but maybe this was exactly what he should be thinking about. His head was finally out of his arse.
“You know, I do have an in with the president. Also, CIA Director Spenser. I could put in a word so you avoid that arse chewing.” He cleared his throat. “Then there’s your dad. Surely he won’t let anything happen to your job.”
“I don’t want favoritism, especially because of Dad.” Natasha’s green eyes lifted to the sky.
She was stubborn, and damn did he like it.
“My people will need to get the hell out of here and soon. We’ve already shown our faces far too much for our liking.
” His guys couldn’t stick around to give their side of the story to the authorities.
They weren’t even technically there. MI6 had disappeared quickly, too, but the agency would probably have the Canadians send Jasper back to London soon.
“I hadn’t planned on staying, but since I had to pull out my credentials, I’ll need to do some ass kissing and begging of forgiveness from the Canadians since I operated here without permission.”
“I think stopping that bomb and saving everyone today should earn you a pass,” he said with a reassuring smile.
Her lips pressed into a tight line, worry crossing her face. “Everything is going to be okay, though, right?”
“Yes.” He planted his hands on her biceps. “It’s going to be more than okay.”
Her eyes cast to the ground between them.
“Five years of chasing him. It’s just hard to believe he’s gone.
” She pulled her focus to his face. “But, um, I would’ve chosen Gwen, you know.
” Her lip wobbled, and she covered her mouth as tears sprung to her eyes.
“If I really had to make a choice back there when you were at the mill—you or Gwen.” Her entire body trembled beneath his touch now.
“I would never have been able to live with myself, but I also know you’d never be able to handle living with me choosing you over her.
” She broke into a sob, and he pulled her against his chest, holding the sides of her head tight as she cried.
Tears pricked his own eyes. He expelled a deep breath, trying to find his voice. “Thank you for caring about me enough to kill me.”
She half cried and half laughed at his choice of words. “I just never want to have to make a choice like that again. And then with the car bomb and—”
“Shhh.” Still cupping the sides of her head, he pulled her back so she could see his eyes. “We’re all okay. And we won’t let anything like this happen again. No having to choose who to save.”
“So, don’t fall in love, then, and we don’t risk it?” She arched a brow.
“It’s too late, I’m already falling,” he whispered, the intense emotions nearly suffocating his ability to get the words out.
“We just need to continue being badasses to prevent such a choice from ever having to be made.” He pressed his mouth to hers and stole a kiss before the sound of someone clearing their throat had him stilling.
A deep, Asher-like throat clear. “Go away,” Wyatt grumbled.
“I have bad news.”
Wyatt dropped his forehead to Natasha’s, not prepared to hear whatever Asher planned on saying.
“Word is, the Feds won’t be able to hold the Wards in jail for more than forty-eight hours.
And Jasper’s claiming Balan forced him to lie and hold the gun, and that he’d been in severe distress.
His family being held hostage adds some credibility to his statement, too,” Asher said, his voice low and bitter.
“He’s not fessing up. Similar story with the Wards. ”
“This is bullshit,” Natasha hissed, and Wyatt took a step back and let go of her. Both Asher and A.J. were standing off to his side, grim looks on their faces despite the big win they had today. “We needed Jasper. With Balan dead, we have to have him. He’s the smoking gun in all of this.”
“We’ll just have to get Jasper to talk,” Wyatt said with a firm nod.
“And have Jasper get off with some deal?” Natasha shook her head.
“No, there has to be another way. And surely, Balan wouldn’t go down without ensuring the Wards and Jasper got what’s coming to them, right?
” Her eyes were red from crying. “His laptop got tossed during the blast, but I’m sure the Feds can recover something of value from it. ”
“We won’t let Kate and Jasper get away with this.” Wyatt squeezed her arm. “Where’s the rest of the team?”
“Doing damage control to make sure our handsome mugs don’t end up on the six o’clock news.
” A.J. scratched his beard, then angled his head to the side, and Wyatt followed his gaze to see Gwen on approach alongside her mum.
He wasn’t sure how Gwen had even found him since he’d thought he was safely tucked out of sight of the convention building.
Maybe they just had a natural connection?
“We’ll, uh, be over there somewhere doing something.” A.J. jerked a thumb over his shoulder.
Natasha started to turn as if she were going to leave, too, but Wyatt grabbed her wrist. “Stay. Please.”
“Yeah, okay,” she whispered.
Gwen had a firefighter’s jacket draped around her shoulders, and she fidgeted with the zipper as she neared Wyatt.
“Thank you for keeping her safe,” Charlotte said once they were in front of him.
Gwen lifted her eyes to his face. “Mum and I decided it’d be best if I go back to London. Withdraw from school this semester.”
“We’re leaving tonight.” Charlotte added a firm nod, a silent request not to stand in the way of the decision.
He threaded his hand through his hair before covering his mouth, trying to find the right words. He hadn’t prepared for this moment, the goodbye.
“Glad to see you got fixed up.” Gwen smiled, her eyes lingering on the bandage above his brow. “But, um, listen.” She took a closer step forward. “I need some time to process everything.”
Now wasn’t the time to drop the truth on her that he didn’t abandon her as a baby, but when would be the right time?
“Maybe you can come visit me in London,” Gwen offered in a small voice.
Wyatt closed his eyes and took a breath. He’d been through the emotional wringer lately. “I’d like that,” he said after gulping and opening his eyes.
“Good.” She chewed on her bottom lip, her nerves showing.
“Glad you’re okay, and, um, thanks for nearly walking through fire to try and get to me.
” A smile crossed her lips. “See you around.” Once Gwen turned her back, Charlotte nodded her thanks, and damn did it feel so fucking horrible for this to end with her walking away.
But Gwen was alive, and she was prepared to give him a chance, so it wasn’t really the end, was it? Waiting for her call would be brutal, though.
“Wyatt?” Gwen turned and faced him, hugging the jacket closer to her body.
He cocked his head and studied her, doing his best to keep his arms at his sides and not reach out to stop her from leaving. “Yeah?”
“Try not to die. Okay?”
He swallowed and worked the words loose around the knot in his throat, “I’ll do my best.”
“She needs to know,” Natasha said once Gwen was gone. “She deserves the truth.”
“I know, but first, she needs time.” He tucked his hands into his pockets, and Natasha’s phone began ringing.
“Langley. Again.” She pursed her lips together. “I don’t know how long this whole mess will take to wrap up. But after it’s over, can I see you? Will you visit me in Virginia?”
He smiled. “Nothing in the world could stop me from coming for you.”
“Not even my father?” She smirked, and her smile erased some of the pain in his chest.
“No, not the admiral. Or your brother.” He lifted his hands from his pockets and pulled her into his arms when her phone stopped ringing. “Not even the president himself could keep me from you.”
“Is that a promise, sailor?” Her light green eyes gleamed as he leaned in closer.
“SEAL’s honor,” he said with a smile and met her lips with a kiss they both needed.
“Ahem.”
Wyatt cursed under his breath. “What now?” He forced his lips away from Natasha to see Asher and A.J. standing there again. “You guys, always with the interrupting.”
“Now you know how I feel whenever I’m with Jessica, and Luke shows up,” Asher grumbled before his lips tilted into an apologetic smile. “Boss Lady called while you were talking to Gwen. She’s ordering us out of here. The jet is being prepped. We gotta go, brother.”
“But the—”
“I’m sure Natasha can handle everything,” Asher cut off Wyatt.
“POTUS called,” A.J. added. “He needs the best of the best—aka Echo Team—in Venezuela. It’s urgent.”
“Best my ass.” Asher rolled his eyes. “Bravo Team all day. Any day.”
“Is it always like this with you guys?” Natasha asked when Wyatt faced her again.
“The comedy show?” Wyatt stared into her eyes, a bit worried now. “Or the ops?”
“The constant spinning up,” she answered as Asher and A.J. continued their back-and-forth on which team was superior.
“Yeah, it is.” He gulped. “Is that okay?”
“You mean, am I okay with falling for a hero?” She hooked her arms around his neck. “Yeah, I think I can handle that,” she said before her lips brushed against his.