Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
H ollis listened to the low rumble of Sawyer and Parker talking. She glanced out at them on the deck. It was clear that they were good friends.
She chewed her lip. She didn’t have close friends like that. She had Tavion, and she trusted him, but they didn’t hang out a lot because they were both so busy. He was as much of a workaholic as she was. She had plenty of acquaintances, some who would stab her in the back to get a role if they needed to.
Everything in her life was about work. The next movie, the next premiere, the next potential Oscar win.
Life had been whizzing past, and she hadn’t stopped to smell the roses. Hell, she hadn’t even stopped to smell a daisy.
This entire situation with Reuben had brought her life sharply into focus.
She looked back at the laptop screen and made herself concentrate. It wasn’t the time to have an almost-midlife crisis while she was being hunted by a hitman. Or hitmen.
Information popped up on the screen and she leaned forward. Her pulse spiked.
It couldn’t be.
She checked the photo again.
“Sawyer,” she called out.
He walked in from the deck, and looking at him distracted her for a second. She just loved the way he walked, so in control of that big, powerful body.
“What have you got?”
Parker entered silently, standing nearby like a dark shadow.
“There was this weird gap in Reuben’s early schooling record. He only started school in the fourth grade. So I did a bit more digging.”
“He went to another school?”
“If he did, I can’t find a record of it. But I did some searches of children’s groups in the town where he was born—sports teams, choirs, dance groups. Anything I could think of. I found a reference to a boy his age in a choir.” She tapped and a picture appeared with a bunch of smiling kids standing in two rows. She zoomed in on a dark-haired, dark-eyed boy with a long nose. He wasn’t smiling.
“Reuben,” Sawyer said.
“It doesn’t give a surname, but he’s listed as Mikhail in this picture.”
“Russian,” Sawyer breathed. “He’s Russian.”
Hollis tapped on the keyboard. “His parents names were Alex and Natalie Reuben.”
Sawyer frowned.
Excitement whipped through her as she kept tapping. “Strange thing is, there is no record of Alex and Natalie Reuben’s parents. There are names listed, but no history comes up for them. No addresses, no social security numbers.”
“Shit,” Park muttered.
“His parents were probably Russian sleeper agents,” Sawyer said. “Reuben was born here, but his parents weren’t. His allegiance is to Russia.”
Hollis gasped. “Sleeper agents? Really? That isn’t just something in spy movies?”
“No,” Sawyer replied.
“He’s moving shipments of something to or from Russia,” Park said. “Something important.”
Sawyer nodded and his brow creased. Then his cellphone dinged. “Vander wants a video call.”
Hollis reached out and tapped on the laptop screen. A second later, the call connected, and the face of a handsome, dark-haired man appeared. Even across the computer screen, an intensity radiated off him that made Parker seem chill.
“Hollis,” the man said.
“Vander,” she replied. “It’s nice to officially meet you.”
“One day, I hope it’s in person and under different circumstances.”
“Vander.” Sawyer leaned forward over her shoulder. “Hollis has been digging into Reuben’s background. He’s Russian. His name was Mikhail. We suspect he’s the son of sleeper agents.”
“That makes sense. We discovered what his shipments are.” Vander’s face sharpened. “Weapons. He’s smuggling high-tech, classified weapons back to Russia via the Port of Los Angeles. Hidden on cargo vessels.”
Sawyer cursed.
A muscle ticked in Vander’s jaw. “Some of it is experimental, military grade stuff. Drones, missiles, AI weapons technology.”
“He’s got to be stopped,” Sawyer clipped out.
“Oh, he will be. I’ve made some calls to friends of the federal kind. They’re working on arrest warrants now.”
“Warrants.” Hollis felt her chest hitch. “He’s going to go to jail? I’ll be safe?”
Vander’s dark gaze narrowed. “Eventually. The problem is the contract he’s put out on your life is still active. A lot of contract killers refuse to stop a job once they’re on it. To keep their reputation intact.”
Oh, God. It felt like this was never going to end . Sawyer’s hands landed on her shoulders.
“Ace has been combing security footage at Maui airport. He clocked these three.”
Pictures of three men flashed up on the screen.
They all looked like non-descript white men. One had a beard, one had a shaved head, and the other had dirty blonde hair.
“They’re a kill team,” Vander said. “They’re ex-Serbian military, and they work together. The one with the beard is the leader. Ivan Stankovic.” Vander’s gaze flicked to Sawyer. “And they’re known for making a mess. They don’t believe in subtle or stealthy.”
“Cowboys.” Park’s voice was filled with disdain.
“They’re likely the ones who shot up Mama’s,” Sawyer said.
Hollis pressed her fingers to her eyes. “So, I have an ice cold, experienced assassin after me, along with three crazy people who want me dead.”
“No one is dying here,” Sawyer growled.
“Ace is trying to track them,” Vander said. “I’m glad Parker is there now too, as these three might be cowboys, but they are good at tracking down their targets.”
Ice filled her veins.
“All of you, lay low and stay out of sight. We’ll find these guys, and you can eliminate them.”
Hollis swallowed. “Eliminate?”
Vander’s lips twitched. “That means we’ll have Sawyer’s sheriff friends arrest them.”
She released a breath. “Oh, right.”
Sawyer squeezed her shoulders. “Thanks, Vander.”
He nodded. “Hang in there. This will be all over soon.”
Hollis sure hoped so.
Sawyer was slowly moving inside Hollis.
They were locked in the bedroom, with Parker sleeping on the couch. They had to be quiet. Sawyer didn’t want his buddy hearing them.
She looked up at him, and God, the look on her face made his gut lock.
“Gorgeous,” he murmured. “So gorgeous.”
“ Sawyer .”
He hiked one of her legs higher, and felt her muscles clenching his cock. Damn, he wouldn’t last much longer.
Here . Right here was what he’d been searching for since he’d left the military. A sense of home, belonging, acceptance.
He picked up the pace of his thrusts, and Hollis got noisier. Her low moans filled the room. He pressed a palm over her mouth. “Quiet, baby.”
Her eyes flashed, and he could tell she liked it. Her tongue licked his palm, and she arched up into him.
On his next thrust, she started coming. Her teeth bit into his palm. He couldn’t hold back. Her release triggered his and he bit down on his bottom lip to stifle his groan as he poured himself inside her.
Rolling to the side, Sawyer tugged her limp body closer and spooned her.
“Mmm, this is the best way to go to sleep,” she murmured. “I sleep best with you, big and warm, beside me.”
At that sleepy murmur, she dropped off. Sawyer pressed his face to her hair. He liked knowing that she felt safe and happy with him in bed beside her.
He was falling for her.
He was falling in love with Hollis Stanton.
Closing his eyes, he pulled in a steadying breath. It had nothing to do with her acting skills or her fame. It was her confidence, her inner beauty, her quiet courage.
“I’ll keep you safe. No matter what.”
He dropped into a light sleep, but the vibration of his cellphone woke him. His internal body clock told him they’d only been in bed for an hour or so.
He grabbed the phone off the nightstand. Fuck . Someone had triggered the exterior cameras. On the screen, he saw two shadowy figures converging on the house in the darkness.
Fuck .
His mind focused instantly. He shook Hollis awake.
“What?” she mumbled sleepily.
“You need to get dressed.”
Since they’d come to this cottage, he’d made her leave clothes and shoes out ready in case they needed to make a quick escape.
At his words, she shook sleep off fast. “They’re here?”
“Someone’s here. Get dressed, stay down, and be ready to move.”
Sawyer quickly pulled his own clothes on, then opened the bedroom door. He let out a quiet whistle of a bird.
He saw Park move on the couch. Then his friend whistled back.
Sawyer grabbed his weapon and his small go bag packed with essentials. He pulled the backpack on.
Now, he needed to neutralize the threat and get Hollis to safety.
There was a sudden bang at the back of the house.
What the hell? He swiveled.
Park appeared. “They’ve set the house on fire.”
Hell . “They’re trying to flush us out.”
They’d be waiting at the exits for them, guns in hand. He hadn’t seen the third of Stankovic’s team, but he’d be out there.
It didn’t matter, because Sawyer was ready for them.
“Come on.”
The three of them moved together, with Hollis safely tucked between Sawyer and Park. He knew she was afraid, but she followed his orders without hesitation.
Keeping low, they headed for the hallway.
“Down,” Park said suddenly.
They dropped, and a flashlight beam shone through the windows. That was just like Park, sensing something just before it happened.
Sawyer watched the beam crisscross the room, but he was more focused on the crackle of flames at the back of the cottage.
They were caught in between them.
“Crawl.” He tugged Hollis with him. They crawled down the hall and reached the tiny laundry room. Inside, Sawyer flicked the mat on the floor back. There was a trapdoor set into the floor that led to the crawlspace under the cottage.
Suddenly, gunfire sprayed the living room and glass shattered. Hollis muffled a scream.
“Guess they got sick of waiting,” Park said.
“No patience,” Sawyer added.
He dropped down through the trapdoor. Thankfully, there was a fair bit of room under the cottage, so he could fit easily. There were plenty of spiderwebs, too. He batted some away. Hollis followed right behind him, with Park bringing up the rear. They crawled to the edge of the cottage where some bushes grew thickly. Sawyer paused and listened.
There were two weapons firing at the front.
And… There .
Through the leaves of the shrub, he spotted another set of legs waiting at the back of the house. Sawyer lifted his handgun, then pressed his mouth to Hollis’s ear. “Stay with Park.”
She grabbed his hand. “Be careful. Please.”
He nodded, and wished he had time to kiss her.
He stealthily moved out from under the house. Shadows were his old friends, and he used them to creep closer. All of his Ghost Ops training rushed back to him. How many missions had he been on like this? Creeping up on the enemy, his team at his side.
But now he had even more to fight for.
He advanced on the man. The guy was turned away from him, gaze focused on the house. The moonlight glinted off his bald head. Sawyer slid the gun away.
He’d do this quietly.
The man never saw or heard him.
Sawyer grabbed him from behind, pressing his forearm against the man’s throat. He yanked the guy back, cutting off his air.
The hitman gurgled, and kicked his feet in the dirt. Sawyer held tight. This man had been trying to kill Hollis.
There would be no forgiveness.
It took a minute, but the man finally went slack. Sawyer dragged the body to the bushes and dumped him in the middle of them.
Then he hurried back to the house and crouched. “Clear.”
Hollis scrambled out. Park followed her.
“Keep to the shadows under the trees,” Sawyer said. “We’re heading for the truck.”
They needed to get away.
The three of them moved quickly. He felt Hollis grip the back of his shirt. They hadn’t gone far when the assholes at the front of the cottage stopped firing.
Sawyer stopped, then tugged Hollis down. The three of them stayed crouched, and he scanned the area.
Two shadows stood at the front of the cottage. Dammit, they were standing between Sawyer and the truck.
“Branko, any sign of them?” one man yelled.
The fire broke through the roof with a loud noise. Sawyer felt Hollis jolt. Flames licked into the night sky.
“Branko?” the man called again.
“Shit, where is he?” the other man said with a heavy accent.
“Go and check.”
Parker shifted. “I’ll be back.”
He melted into the darkness, and Sawyer pulled Hollis close.
“Branko? Goran?” The man out front cursed.
Sawyer smiled. Parker had taken out the second man. Ivan Stankovic wasn’t a happy man.
As he watched, a shadow rose up behind the final hitman. Park wasted no time taking the man down.
There was a quick struggle, then it was over.
Park reappeared. “Let’s go.”