Chapter 43
They have gone over the plan so many times, Liz could run it in her sleep.
Riley jumped into commander mode the second Tyler called him that morning.
He didn’t find Scott, but he did see shipping containers being brought into a remote base, a line of blacked-out SUVs following close behind.
If she had to guess, she would say their missing general is in one of those cars.
Each member of the team was sent to confirm they will have everything they need when it is time to leave.
Liz tags along, bouncing from person to person, helping in any way she can.
The plane is secure. Neil and Liam had overseen the gear being loaded.
Maya and Lauren made sure every weapon requested was brought to the cargo hold.
Gathered in Langford’s private conference room, Riley goes over the plan again, drilling every detail into their heads.
All the weeks of running, of fighting, has led them here.
In a matter of days the tides could turn, their names cleared and the threat finally eliminated.
Everyone needs to be in top form for what’s to come.
If they’re not, it puts the whole team at risk.
Liz watches, filled with admiration as he tells them what to do should anything go wrong.
Team or not, he gives them direct orders to get out.
If they can quickly and safely help one of their teammates flee, great, if not, they are to get to safety.
One person getting out alive is better than everyone dying.
Most of the team reluctantly agrees, although, no one looks like they will actually go through with leaving someone behind. Liz wouldn’t doubt it one bit if that’s the order every single one of them disobeys.
Riley leans over the sprawling map that takes up most of the table, going over their plan one last time.
He makes each and every one of them recite the part they play in their mission.
Only when they state the backup plan, and their agreement to flee should anything go wrong, does he move on to the next person.
Confident in his team’s abilities, he dismisses them, insisting they all get a good night’s rest before leaving in the morning.
Liz says her goodbyes to each member as they walk out, flopping back into one of the plush office chairs when the last person is gone.
There is something mischievous in the way Riley keeps peering at her while laying out his full report, hoping it will be enough to make General Langford change his mind.
“C’mon, princess, time for us to go too.” Riley says, pulling her from the chair she’s been curled up in. His arm tightly coils around her waist, pulling her against him. Liz leans into it, resting her head against his hard chest, trying not to shiver in the cold fall air.
She looks up, watching the stars as she is pulled through the empty base.
Liz can’t help but wonder if this is the last moment of peace she and Riley will have.
In just a few hours she will be on a plane, flying halfway across the world, to a nearly impossible fight.
Tonight very well may be their last night together.
Every thought rushes from her head when she steps into their room.
Instead of Mikey and Matt arguing, she walks into candles dotted around the small space.
Fresh Italian food wafts from the kitchenette, making her salivate.
A large bouquet of deep red peonies sits in the center of the perfectly set table, drawing a small gasp from Liz when her eyes land on them.
“You planned all this?” she asks with a shaky voice, trying to fight back the tears threatening to break free. She lets him pull her to the table, sliding into the chair, in awe of the man before her. A large plate of her favorite pasta is placed in front of her before he speaks.
“I know I’ve said it a million times, but you deserve so much more than this. I don’t know what is going to happen after tomorrow and I wanted to make sure we got one last night to forget all the problems outside of that door and just be a happy, semi-normal couple.”
“It’s perfect, Ry. Thank you,” she says, smiling sweetly at him. “How did you manage to get peonies so late in the year? And how did you know they are my favorite?”
“I pulled some strings and had them shipped up from the south. Did you think I wouldn’t know they are your favorite as soon as I saw that tattoo you got while I was gone?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Honestly, I forgot all about that. I can’t believe you figured it out from something so small.”
“That’s not small. I knew exactly why you got that tattoo, it’s the same reason I got mine. That’s why I never mentioned it.”
The night speeds by, laughing and talking as if the next few days aren’t going to take everything from them.
Liz only wishes she had done more for him like he has for her.
Every step of the way he has given her precious moments together, pulling her from the outside world and existing as nothing more than two people in love.
She looks around the small room, realizing she will never be able to repay him for everything he has done for her.
He gave her a home, a family, and a second chance at life.
She will be damned if she lets some small man with an over inflated ego take that from her.
Dinner turns into slow dancing in the living room. Less dancing and more swaying back and forth, tightly wrapped in each other’s arms, as if even an inch of space between them is too much.
Riley trails his fingers up her spine, leaving hidden goosebumps in their wake. Liz arches under his touch, pressing even further into him. A small groan escapes him. He leans down, bringing his forehead to hers. Her lips brush his in a single, delicate kiss.
Liz squeals as she is effortlessly hauled into the air, legs wrapping tightly around Riley’s waist. His lips crash into hers.
He kisses her with so much hunger and passion, Liz fears her legs will give out the moment he sets her back down.
Lucky for her, he has no intention in doing that.
She is carried into the bedroom, their kiss only breaking to pull his shirt over his head before removing her own.
Her breath hitches when the warm skin of his chest meets hers.
Riley tosses her onto the bed, watching her with hungry eyes as she scrambles out of her remaining clothes. Drinking in every detail of her bare body, he walks toward where she waits, removing his belt with one hand.
She watches each fluid movement, practically drooling.
The ache between her legs becomes almost painful.
Her breathing picks up, and Riley lowers himself on top of her.
His eyes dart to her lips, then lower, right to where their bodies meet.
Liz’s heart beats in her ears, every nerve in her body on fire.
She brings her mouth to his, wiggling under the weight of his body in an attempt to get what she so desperately wants.
A hand works its way into her hair, gripping tightly against her scalp.
The tinge of pain sends a fresh wave of heat coursing through her body.
He wastes no time plunging himself into her, savoring the scream she lets out.
His free arm snakes around her neck, lowering his entire body to rest against hers.
He backs off, just to slam himself back into her.
Nails rake down his back, enticing a sharp hiss.
His deep groan rumbles through her whole chest.
Riley doesn’t let up. Every muscle in her body starts to tighten, vision going blurry as she climbs closer and closer to release.
He releases his grip, kissing her softly.
His pace slows, as if he is savoring every moment like it could be their last. The switch from ravishing to tender sends Liz flying over the edge.
She can no longer hold back the scream that had been building in her throat.
Every muscle in her body tightens, sending Riley spiraling with her.
Liz writhes underneath him, riding out the waves of ecstasy as they come together.
Riley rolls off Liz, pulling her into his arms as they fight to catch their breath, a thin layer of sweat coating their bodies.
Listening to the rapid thump of his heart, Liz traces each hard line of his abdomen with her finger.
He picks up her hand, interlocking their fingers with a deep sigh that sends Liz’s thoughts racing.
“We need to talk, love.”
“Okay,” she squeaks, hoping he doesn’t hear the underlying panic in her voice, but knowing he will.
He always does.
“Breathe,” he orders. “Whatever thoughts are running through that pretty little head are wrong… Look, there is so much that can go wrong over the next few days. I gave an order to get out if the mission goes to shit. That goes for you too.”
“No,” she states, leaving no room for Riley to argue. “You can’t ask me to leave you behind when you wouldn’t do the same.”
“That’s different. I have spent my whole life doing this, you haven’t. I need to know you will get out safely, whether I do or not,” he says softly.
“If you go, I go. If you die, I die next to you. I told you, I already lost one love, I won’t do it again,” she says with a shaky tone.
“Together then. If anything goes wrong, we will meet at the rendezvous point. They have their orders, and I trust that they will manage. I offered up the bunker to anyone who can get there. But, if we don’t come out on top, we will all be on the run again.
Everyone knows to get somewhere safe and lay low for as long as they can, but we may not be able to do the same. ”
“Or we go back to my house. We fix it up and leave all this behind,” she whispers.
“Could you really do that? Leave everyone behind knowing that Scott and Dmitri are hunting not only us, but the rest of the team? I can, but I think it will haunt you,” Riley asks.
“You know I can’t. And I don’t think you really can either. I love them all too much to not finish this, no matter how long it takes. But a girl can dream, right? We could fix the house up, clean up the garden, maybe get a cow—”
“Oh, really? A cow? What happened to the dog?” Riley remarks, kissing the top of her head. She can hear the smile in his voice, sending her heart racing again.
“Don’t worry, we will still have a dog. The three of us can tend to the garden and play with the cow, and every night we can have dinner like a normal family before we curl up on the couch to watch all the trash tv you secretly love,” Liz lets out a happy little groan, picturing the future they could have.
She pushes past the guilt of knowing that future comes from tragedy.
“I’m sold. If shit hits the fan, we find each other and go home.
We can hide out for years and re-group. But speaking of our future,” Riley says.
He pulls his hand from hers, twisting to pluck something from his bag resting on the floor.
When he returns, Liz wastes no time cementing herself to him once more.
Suspicion grows as she peers down at his large hand gripping something she can’t see.
His hand trembles ever so slightly. Tears flood her eyes when a tiny green box appears.
Riley pushes the top up with his thumb, revealing one of the most stunning rings she has ever laid eyes on.
An oval cut diamond rests on a white gold band with two small marquise diamonds on either side, coming together to nearly form a heart, a small round diamond sitting at the bottom of them.
“I hope this is enough. You already had the big, grand declaration from the love of your life, and I didn’t want to replace that.
I just… I couldn’t leave tomorrow knowing I might never get the chance to ask.
So… will you finally make my life complete and do me the incredible honor of being my wife? ”
She is stunned into silence. Liz knew he would ask someday if they made it out alive.
Never in her wildest dreams did she think he would do it a second before Scott and Dmitri are found.
She wants so badly to say yes, to say anything, but she is frozen, blinking back tears before they get the chance to fall.
“You don’t have to say yes. Whether you want to get married or not, I am in this forever, Liz,” he says, a sadness in his voice.
She opens her mouth to speak but no words come out. How is she supposed to tell him how much she loves him, and how much the gesture of keeping it simple means to her? Liz does the only thing she can, she lifts her hand slightly, holding it out to allow Riley to slide the ring on.
He lets out a breath and sits up, leaving Liz missing the warmth of his body.
Following his lead, she wraps the blanket tightly around her chest, pushing herself up on shaky arms. Her hand can’t stop quivering as she lifts it back up for him.
The moment he plucks it from the box something catches her eye.
“What are those letters?” she asks, her voice cracking. Leaning it to get a better look at the engraving on the inside of the band, Riley twists it between his fingers, letting her see the J&M carved into the ring. The tears she fought so hard to hold back now flow freely down her face as he talks.
“I wanted to make sure they are always with you. You never have to choose between the life you lost and the one we’re building,”
She doesn’t let him put the ring on her before she throws herself into his arms, violent sobs wracking her body. He rubs her back, letting her get everything out that she needs to. “Should I take this as a yes?” Riley teases when her tears slow.
“Yes. Of course it’s a yes. It has always been yes,” she says as she reluctantly peels herself away from him.
Riley finds the ring hidden in the blanket and slides it onto her finger. Liz lets him pull her back down onto the bed. If this is their last night before the biggest mission of her life, she is determined to spend it tangled in her fiancé’s arms.