Chapter 5
Wyatt waited until he was far from the cabin with the sun just coming over the horizon before he dialed a number and put his cell phone to his ear as it began to ring.
When the call connected, there was nothing but silence on the other end of the secure line.
He quickly stated his team designation. “Apollo, checking in.”
“Hold the line,” came the terse, female reply.
He didn’t have to wait long before a gruff voice quickly asked, “Wyatt? What the hell happened?”
“I wish I could tell you, Bobby.” Wyatt blew out a breath. “Suffice it to say that I’m all right.”
Bobby, another Texan, snorted loudly. “I know that voice. I’ve been friends with you and fighting beside you long enough to know that the shit has hit the fan.”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“It must be important for you not to share with me.”
Wyatt grimaced. He and Bobby had been to Hell and back together. There wasn’t much Bobby didn’t know. Wyatt considered him a friend—not something he did often—but he wasn’t sure who was a Saint and who wasn’t.
“Well, fuck me,” Bobby grumbled as the silence lengthened. “Are you returning to the unit?”
Wyatt glanced at the house where Callie was already back at work on her computer. “I plan on it.”
“That’s good enough for me. But you didn’t call on the secure line to shoot the shit. What can I do for you?”
It was on the tip of Wyatt’s tongue to ask Bobby to locate Orrin. It would ease Callie’s mind and allow her to focus on other things, but there was another pressing matter that had him contacting Bobby.
“This call is twofold,” Wyatt said.
“I’ll do what I can. You know that. I owe you.”
That was Bobby’s normal response ever since Wyatt had pulled him from a Humvee that had been hit by an IED. That improvised explosive device had killed two other men. “That debt has been paid.”
“Never, my friend,” Bobby argued.
Wyatt might be stubborn at times, but Bobby took it to the next level as he well knew. “Melvin Reed.”
“The Reeds again, huh?” Bobby asked.
“I know he’s in Austin. I need to know his exact whereabouts.”
“I’m searching his cell phone. Got it, now getting the coordinates and sending to your secure email. That was easy. What’s next?”
Wyatt closed his eyes, debating with himself some more about whether to let Bobby and the others know about the terrorist. Their unit had collided with the them many times, but they’d yet to eradicate the terrorists from this world.
“Wyatt?” Bobby pressed.
Releasing a long breath, he said, “I can’t go into detail on the how or the why, but I was warned that I’m being targeted. By our favorite bad guys.”
“Where are you?” Bobby demanded furiously.
“No.”
Bobby kept talking. “I know you’re in Texas somewhere. I can have our entire unit there in twelve hours.”
“No,” Wyatt said again.
“Why the fuck not?” Bobby challenged. “It might take a while since you aren’t on your usual cell, but I can keep you talking and get a trace on you. I don’t want you fighting these sons of bitches alone.”
Wyatt squeezed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “Bobby, please.”
“There has to be a reas—. Holy shit. You don’t trust me.”
Wyatt knew his friend would come to that conclusion. They were too good at their jobs not to. “If I could explain it, you’d understand. I can’t trust anyone.”
“Yet you called in.”
“I’m off the grid. I have no other choice.”
“Not far enough if Ahmadi and his group can find you,” Bobby pointed out.
Wyatt dropped his arm. “I told you about Ahmadi so you and the others are warned in case they come for any of you.”
“You don’t believe that. You think they’re targeting you specifically,” Bobby said.
“I do.”
“This all points back to you being yanked from our mission. I can’t get anyone to tell me anything, and now that I have you on the phone, you won’t fill me in either.”
“I wish I could. I really do.”
Bobby blew out a breath. “And I want to help. I’m not liking this conundrum, Wyatt.”
“Me either.”
“Ahmadi and his men will come at you hard. They’ll take out anyone near you.”
“I know.”
“I’ll be here if you change your mind,” Bobby said.
Wyatt knew he was blessed to have such a friend. And he hoped Bobby had nothing to do with the Saints, because he’d really hate to have to kill his friend. “Thanks.”
He disconnected the call and logged into his email through his phone to see the coordinates for Melvin Reed. It was time he had a little talk with Callie’s cousin.
When Wyatt entered the cabin, his gaze went straight to the table were Callie sat. She twirled a long strand of hair around her finger as she read something on the computer.
“I’m going to drive around the area,” he said.
Her head turned to him, her blue eyes pinning him. “Looking for something in particular?”
“I just want a look.”
“Okay.”
He snagged the keys to her car and headed outside. Once inside the Challenger, he started the engine and drove away. Every so often, he’d look at his phone and the coordinates on the map to see how close he was getting to Reed.
Usually, when he was in this type of situation, his vehicle wouldn’t stand out as the red did. Everyone noticed the color, which made it difficult to remain concealed. The only positive was that in a city the size of Austin, it made hiding easier.
When Wyatt finally reached the coordinates—a questionable bar—he pulled off to the side of the road and shut off the engine. Then he sat behind the tinted windows and watched the area, taking note of the comings and goings of those around him.
It didn’t take long for his gaze to land on Melvin. The tall blond had perfect features and the blue eyes that were a Reed trait. He stood talking to two women while flashing his wide smile.
Wyatt fisted his hands. The urge to smash them into Melvin’s too handsome face was overwhelming. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that Reed remained off to the side of the building where there didn’t appear to be any cameras. That made it easier for Wyatt since he didn’t want to be seen either.
He exited the car and walked the opposite direction, only to swing back around behind the bar to sneak up on Melvin. Wyatt waited at the side of the building and listened as Reed attempted to get both of the women to go back to his hotel with him.
When the girls finally got into their car and drove away, Melvin turned to walk toward him. Wyatt moved back a few steps and waited. As soon as he was within reach, Wyatt grabbed Melvin, slamming him against the brick.
“Son of a—” Melvin’s voice stopped abruptly when he saw Wyatt.
Anger churned in his gut. Wyatt raised a brow. “Nothing to say?”
“What do you want?” he asked with a sneer. “I’ve not done anything.”
“Really? So approaching Callie yesterday was nothing?”
Melvin’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously. “I just wanted to talk.”
“Bullshit.” Wyatt took a menacing step toward him, balling up his fist. “The truth.”
Melvin lifted his chin deviantly. “Kiss my ass, soldier boy.”
Wyatt smiled at the punk. “I could kill you with one hand and not leave a mark on your body. I found you in a city of two million. Those are just some of the things this ‘soldier boy’ can do. Do you really want to piss me off any more than I already am?”
“Callie belongs with her family,” Melvin said after a brief hesitation.
“She gets to decide what she wants—as I told your father, her father, and all of the other lowlife, alcoholic criminals in your family. She wants nothing to do with any of you. Respect her wishes.”
Melvin’s blue eyes flashed in fury. “Or what?”
“Do I really need to spell it out for you?”
“Beat me up or threaten me some more. You won’t do more than that,” he said with a sneer.
Wyatt smiled coldly. “Are you so sure of that?”
Some of his bluster faded. Melvin glanced to the side toward a new, white Cadillac Escalade. “I can’t go back without her.”
“You’re not going anywhere near Callie again. This is the only warning you’re going to get. Next time, you won’t even see me coming.”
“She’s my family!” Reed shouted. “You can’t tell me what to do with my own blood.”
Melvin grew bolder and pushed at Wyatt’s chest, attempting to shove him back. Wyatt didn’t budge. He glared at the imbecile. “Callie is my family. We Loughmans protect what’s ours to the death.”
“This isn’t over.”
“It is if you want to remain alive.”
Wyatt started to walk away. Years of honed instincts and nasty situations around the world had his senses more attuned. He heard the sound of Melvin palming the handgun and drawing it from the waist of his jeans.
Before the gun could be pointed at him, Wyatt turned and grabbed hold of Melvin’s wrist, twisting and squeezing until Reed had no choice but to release the weapon or have his bones snapped.
“Okay, okay,” Melvin said hurriedly as Wyatt added more pressure.
Reed went down on his knees, his face contorting in pain. Wyatt could feel the bones beneath his hand. It would take just a little more force to shatter them.
He didn’t hide his rage. Every time he looked at any of the Reeds, he saw Callie lying unconscious, bloodied and broken in the woods.
He recalled how she’d looked so lifeless in his arms. He remembered how small and vulnerable she’d appeared as he held her.
How there had been tear streaks in the dirt and blood on her face.
“Please,” Melvin whimpered.
If it were up to Wyatt, he’d do more than break Reed’s wrist, but Callie had never wanted to hurt her family. She just wanted them to leave her alone and allow her to make her own decisions.
Reluctantly, Wyatt released Melvin. Then he picked up the gun and tucked it in the back of his jeans, pulling his shirt down to cover it. He didn’t look Reed’s way again as he strode to the Challenger.
Once back at the cabin, Wyatt walked to the rear of the house to put the gun with some of his other weapons. He came to a halt when he saw Callie standing in the morning sun, hanging up some clothes to dry on the line.
The way the sun shone its golden rays around her gave her an ethereal look. The ends of her long, chestnut locks stirred in the breeze.
He fought the urge to walk up behind her and kiss her neck right below her ear on the spot that made her moan. He longed to wrap that long hair of hers around his hand and hold her head steady as he kissed her with all the pent-up desire he’d held inside for the last fifteen years.
“Hey,” she said as she turned around and saw him. “How’d it go?”
Much to his frustration, it took him a second to remember where he’d been. Anger mixed with his desire, making it difficult for him to keep the emotions in check. “Fine.”
She laughed and started toward the house. “I was beginning to wonder if you were going answer. You were gone longer than I anticipated.”
“I think we should head into town tonight.”
Callie came to a sudden halt and looked at him strangely. “Did you hit your head?”
“No.” He frowned at her. “Why?”
“We’re supposed to stay hidden, remember. Why do you want us out there to be found?”
He gave her a flat look. “Give me more credit than that. We’re going to be holed up here for a while, so we should get enough groceries to sustain us. While we’re out, we can get something to eat.”
“Now that sounds more like the Wyatt I know,” she said with a shake of her head and continued toward the door. “When you first mentioned it, you made it sound like a date.”
Her laughter followed her inside the house. Wyatt remained outside while coming to grips with the fact that he did want to take Callie out on a date.
“I’m in a shit storm of trouble,” he mumbled to himself, thankful no one was around to see his predicament—especially his brothers, who would take great enjoyment in his suffering.