Chapter Forty-Six
White Ravens
Scar
During the Browns’ briefing, Scar reclined in the executive office chair, listening with one ear while his mind kept circling back to the same thing since he’d left the villa.
Gage saying yes.
Gage wearing his ring.
Gage’s mouth on his—
The command PA came on loud enough to cut through his erotic daydream.
“Raven Shield Protocol activated. Facility lockdown. All sectors hold position. Security sweep in progress.”
The alert cut off a second before the door flew open and an army of men and women in tactical uniforms poured inside. SECURITY was etched in bold letters on their armored vests, and each one held an assault rifle resting against their chests.
They surrounded him—Ex, Meridian, Grace, Mirage, and Valor—with the disciplined calm of soldiers trained to protect lethal assets.
Jo stood so fast her chair flipped over. “What the hell is going on?”
The officer—whom Scar assumed was their sergeant—spoke up clearly and to the point. “We’ve had an attack on a Raven within headquarters.”
Scar’s heart lurched, a tight knot rising in his throat.
Meridian didn’t move or raise his voice. “Who?”
The only Ravens weren’t in the room were Gage and Zorion.
Scar didn’t need anyone to say the name. His heart already knew.
The officer said two words that made his stomach sink to his feet.
“The Saint.”
Scar tried to break through the wall of soldiers, but their unyielding barrier stopped him.
“We can’t allow you to leave until the building is secure, sir,” an officer commanded.
Scar saw red.
The thought of the only person in the world who’d ever said he loved him being hurt, hit him like a hollow point to the stomach, almost folding him over.
He had to get to him, but these armed guards wouldn’t get out his way. He looked back at his mentor, unable to form words through the panic.
Do something!
Meridian stepped forward, close enough that the officer’s posture changed. His voice dropped low, threatening and final.
“Move.”
They hurried out of the way as if a raging bull was about to charge.
Jo was already at the door. “Where is he?”
“Security wing,” someone answered.
“Do we have eyes on Zorion?” she asked next.
“Yes, ma’am. He’s in his quarters and secured,” the lead officer responded.
Jo broke into a jog with her crew following behind her.
It still wasn’t fast enough for him.
He barged through the security wing’s double doors like a wrecking ball. The sub-department was called Overwatch Operations.
It wasn’t security. It was the eyes behind security. The sector that watched the watchers.
Eighteen specialists sat in staggered rows, each with a wall of feeds, audio channels, maps, badge logs, and a fuck load of other technical stuff Scar didn’t care about.
He hollered out the moment he crossed the threshold.
“Gage!”
Staff flattened themselves against the wall to clear his path.
He found Gage in the largest room, sitting beside Roz in an oversized white robe with his head buried in his hands.
He ran towards him, gripped his shoulders and dragged his hands up and down his body checking for injuries.
Gage stopped his inspection, releasing a tired sigh. “I’m all right.”
“What happened?” Jo asked gently.
Gage turned his head toward her. “Adrian and I were having a disagreement when he tripped, hit his head, and fell in the pool. I had to pull him out.”
Scar frowned. So did everyone else.
Gage’s tone sharpened. “It was a heated conversation. He tripped, and I had to help him. Now can I go to my apartment? It’s late, and I’m exhausted.”
Roz shook his head and pointed at Gage’s back before he mouthed, “He’s lying.”
Gage whipped around and grabbed Roz’s wrist, shoving it away with enough force to almost throw him from his chair.
He got in Roz’s face and spoke in a voice Scar didn’t know he possessed.
“Don’t you ever do that again. Just because I can’t see, doesn’t mean I can’t fuckin’ see.”
The room went dead quiet.
Gage dropped back into the chair and buried his head in his hands again.
No one had ever heard him curse before. Scar wasn’t sure if Gage had heard himself curse.
That’s when he knew something was wrong.
Jo’s assistant stepped in, tablet up. “Jo, Adrian was terminated at sixteen fifteen today, there’s no images of him leaving the building.”
A wave of unease ran through the security personnel as if they knew they’d dropped the ball.
While Jo was shooting daggers at the security’s lead officer, her voice stayed warm as she spoke to Gage.
“Saint, how long were you in the pool?”
Gage’s shoulders rose and fell. “About two hours.”
Jo turned toward the row of overwatch specialists. “Pull up footage of the pool.”
Gage’s head snapped up, jaw tight, teeth clenched.
Screens flickered, and the feed changed to the aquatics center.
No one spoke, barely breathed as they watched the video.
Gage looked as if he was in the zone. His form was perfect, every stroke clean and powerful, his back muscles rippling.
It wasn’t long before Adrian slipped in through the side door and crept around the pool deck while Gage swam his laps.
He was watching him like a starving lion stalking a gazelle.
Adrian reached inside his pants, adjusting himself, and Scar’s temper flared, but he held himself in check.
He frowned as Adrian started repositioning the lounge chairs and tables as if creating a maze. He took Gage’s things to the other side of the room, then blocked all the doors.
When Adrian stripped off his clothes, the entire room radiated with anger and disbelief.
Scar leaned forward without realizing it, his fists clenched tight as Adrian got in the water in Gage’s lane.
He could’t stop scowling as he watched Gage fight Adrian under water, then sprint for the edge. After Gage fell over a chair that hadn’t been there before, Scar thought he was going to lose his mind, the rage was burning so hot inside him.
They all watched it through to the end.
The struggle. The skull impact. The splash. Gage diving back in. Him administering CPR. Roz barreling in. The medics.
An overwatch specialist cut the footage at Jo’s command.
Scar turned slowly and glared at Meridian.
He wanted retribution. He wanted Adrian tortured to excruciating pain.
“Where is he?” he demanded. “If he isn’t dead, he sure as fuck better be in the next five minutes.”
“That’s not what we do?” Jo glared.
Scar threw his hands out, gesturing at his brothers.
“What the fuck do you mean? We’re in a room full of goddamn assassins!”
Gage leapt up. “No. Absolutely not. I’ve already handled it.”
“Fuck that!” Scar barked. “It’s not even remotely handled, until that motherfucker’s no longer breathing.”
“I said no,” Gage bit back, his voice snapping like a whip. “I don’t need my big bad fiancé to fight for me, and I damn sure can defend my own honor. As you saw on the tape, I handled it.”
“Gage.” He reached for him.
Gage’s brows drew down, his lips pressed thin. “I’m your damn partner, Scar…your equal partner…not your child.”
Gage got up and stormed out, having to use his cane in the unfamiliar room, leaving the rest of them stunned to silence.
Scar stood there, split down the middle.
He wanted to find Adrian and end him for what he’d just seen, but he also wanted his fiancé in his arms.
Gage was right. He didn’t need him to protect or defend him, and Adrian had never stood a chance because Gage was a force all by himself.
“You’d better go after him before you’re left standing alone at the altar in three days,” Roz muttered.
Meridian’s gaze cut to him, dark and serious. “Go,” he said. “I’ll handle it.”
He and Meridian held each other’s stare for a moment, the silent language of Ravens—the code of assassins—passing between them.
Scar’s place was with Gage, and Adrian’s fate now belonged to Meridian.
God rest his soul.
He turned and chased after his heart.