Chapter Twenty-Four #2
I turn and run to the door, fling it open, and sprint across the lobby.
My heart is in my mouth. Kai would have known we wouldn’t have returned unless we were onto him. I don’t know what he’s planning; I only know he’s going to the second floor, and Aurelia is there.
Reaching the door to the stairs, I wrench it open, then start climbing the stairs, two at a time. As I round the first corner, I see Marcus behind me, following me up.
My heart bangs. I turn the second corner.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. I should have guessed it was Kai.
He was one of the agents who followed Aurelia before me, one of those she would have tried to give the slip.
Why didn’t I realize? He’s younger than me, shorter, surly, and kind of awkward, but he’s obviously a smart guy.
And he clearly has a thing about Aurelia.
I turn the third corner, heading up to the first-floor door. I’m fit as, but I’m climbing fast, and I’m starting to sweat.
“Luke?” Rick says in my ear. “He’s just exited the elevator on the second floor.”
I can’t answer because I’m too busy using the handrail to pull myself up faster, and I can’t reach my button. My thigh muscles start protesting, but I ignore the burn. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I turn the first corner. Marcus is starting to breathe heavily behind me.
I turn the second. I have to make it. A scene flashes before my eyes—me looking through the scope, watching the Taliban soldiers ambushing my friends.
Me cursing and trying to take them out, reloading, firing, reloading, firing.
The enemy dropping one by one, but not fast enough.
I want to ask Rick what’s happening, but I can’t afford to stop.
I’m going to be too late. Again.
Turning the third corner, I see the door ahead of me. It gives me a spurt of energy, and I leap up the final steps and wrench the door open.
“He’s at the boardroom,” Rick says in my ear. “Shit, he’s going inside.”
I assess the lobby quickly, not stopping as I cross it.
Carol is standing behind reception, on the phone, saying, “What should I do?” A couple of people walking to or from the offices have paused and are looking down toward the boardroom.
The glass walls reveal Caesar, Aurelia, and Edward inside, all looking at Kai.
He’s speaking and beckoning to her, backing toward the open door.
“Why?” I hear Aurelia say. “Luke didn’t call me.” She gets to her feet but doesn’t move toward him.
“Quickly,” Kai urges.
She frowns, then looks at her father as he moves in front of her.
Several things happen at once. Kai pushes Edward aside and reaches for Aurelia, closing his hand around her arm.
Caesar jumps to his feet and dashes around the table.
Aurelia looks past him and sees me running toward her.
Her eyebrows lift, and Kai turns to follow her gaze just as I get to the door.
I don’t give him time to speak. I barrel into him, and the two of us fall to the floor.
He’s not as tall as me, but he’s fit and trained, and he instantly bridges, shrimps back, and tries to flip me over.
Filled with fury, I roll and manage to get his arm behind his back. I wrap my other arm around his neck in a choke hold. He claws at it, coughing, then jabs his elbow back and catches me in the ribs.
I swear, and he takes the opportunity to almost break free.
But rage billows through me. I’m not letting him go.
I clamp my legs around him and twist so I’m beneath him, then tighten my grip around his neck.
My only thought is cutting off his oxygen until the fucker can’t breathe anymore.
My biceps bulge, and I use the other hand to pull on my fist to tighten the grip.
At that moment, something comes crashing down on his head. It’s a big glass vase, and Aurelia is clearly stronger than she looks, because it shatters, and Kai immediately goes limp.
“Jesus.” Caesar rushes over and drops down beside us. “Yeah, that’ll do it.” He puts a hand on my arm. “He’s out, Luke. Let go.”
I exhale in a rush and release my choke hold. Kai slumps onto the ground, out for the count.
Behind me, bodies suddenly fill the room—Marcus, other agents, and then Ella, who takes handcuffs out of her pocket and cuffs Kai as he stirs.
While she helps him to a sitting position, I get up and turn to Aurelia. “That was a glass act,” I joke weakly, picking shards of glass off my clothing.
She stares at me. Then she presses her hand to her mouth and bursts into tears.
“Aw…” Making sure I’m free of glass, I put my arms around her, and she cries into my shoulder. “It’s okay,” I murmur, stroking her back. “We’ve got him. It’s all over.”
I move her to the side of the room while the others get Kai to his feet. “The police are here,” Edward says, looking out of the window.
Ella nods. “We’ll keep him in the lobby until they get up here.”
“Wait.” Aurelia pushes back. Her face is red and her eyes are wet with tears, but she brushes them away and crosses to stand in front of Kai.
Blood is trailing down the side of his face and he’s split his lip, presumably having banged his head on the floor when she hit him. He coughs, his throat obviously bruised where I crushed it. But he looks at her as she approaches, and his brows draw together.
“Why?” she whispers. “I don’t understand. Was it because I gave you the slip? Were you punishing me?”
He turns and spits a glob of blood on the floor. Then he looks back at her. “He doesn’t deserve you,” he says, his voice hoarse. He flicks a gaze at me, then looks back at her. “He couldn’t keep you safe.”
“And you could… by stalking me?” She’s furious.
“You didn’t have protection. Anything could have happened to you. Now you do, thanks to me.” His eyes shine. He means every word.
“You crazy fuck,” Ella says, and she manhandles him toward the door. “With any luck you’ll spend the next ten years behind bars.”
“I just wanted to keep you safe!” he yells, but Ella forces him along the corridor, and the door swings shut.
“Jesus Christ.” Marcus has gone white. “He really thinks he was doing you a favor.”
“He’s gone,” I say firmly, as Aurelia turns back to me. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
To my surprise, she slides her arms around me. Marcus’s eyebrows rise, and he looks from her to me and back again.
“He’s in love with her,” Caesar says. “If that’s any help.”
I lower my head and kiss her hair, holding Marcus’s gaze. Aurelia nestles into my embrace, burying her face in my neck.
“She means everything to me,” I say simply, to her father and her brothers.
Marcus purses his lips. “I guess I can think of worse boyfriends for her to have than a bodyguard.” He gives a small smile.
Aurelia gives a small sob. “You came,” she whispers.
I look down at her, feeling close to tears myself.
I got there in time. I tighten my arms around her, while the knot that’s lived beneath my ribs for six weeks finally loosens.
Around me, the ghosts of Afghanistan are watching, but for once, they’re not as ominous as they usually are.
I’ve kept her safe. Everything’s going to be okay.