The Last Man Standing: The Surgeon and The Mechanic

by Clark, T. C.

  “Yuuto…” she warned. Rhea closed the blinds and turned to address him. He was pulling clothes out of his bag and laying them on the bed neatly. He still unpacked his clothes like a psychopath. She always felt like a sloppy mess whenever she shared a room with him.

  He sighed and looked at her. She ignored how her heart reacted to him. Their time together was over. It didn’t matter that he regretted how they ended, she couldn’t go down that road again.

  “There was an APV put out on your truck. I, ahh, borrowed that old station wagon outside. I left your truck back in Tennessee. I stripped it clean, though. I have all of your stuff in a bag outside. I saw that you’d changed the VIN already. Nice trick.”

  She sighed. She’d loved that truck. But she’d known that would be a possibility.

  “I get that, but a station wagon…really, Yuuto?”

  “Rhea, it’s old, so it doesn’t have an electronic system that could be tracked, and I followed your most important rule.”

  “And what rule is that?”

  “It has an ice cold air conditioner,” Yuuto said with a smirk. The man did know her well. She’d never cared what a car looked like, but a non-working air conditioner was an absolute deal breaker for her.

  “Okay, so you do know me.”

  “I want us to rest for a few hours and then head straight to Miami. I don’t think we should contact your sister until we get there and have a chance to do a little recon. I want to make sure no one is waiting for us down there.”

  “I agree with you. But how in the hell did I sleep through all of that? Did you drug me?” she asked suspiciously. She’d never been that out of it before.

  “No, I wouldn’t risk endangering our child. I think you slept well because you felt safe with me.”

  “You think so?” Rhea’s eyes narrowed. How in the hell did he come up with that?

  “Rhea, I know I messed up…before. But I promise you I would never hurt you.”

  “You’ve already hurt me, so don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

  “Rhea…”

  “I don’t want to argue with you, Yuuto. We are stuck together for the foreseeable future. We don’t have the luxury of getting angry and walking away, so I would appreciate it if you would stop pretending like everything is okay with us, because it’s not. I don’t trust you like that anymore.”

  “I know. ” Yuuto ran a hand through his jet black hair and sighed. “That’s on me. But it doesn’t change the fact that I will protect you over anything else.”

  “So now that you believe you are the father of my child, you want to protect me? Thank you, my prince.”

  “Rhea, even when I thought someone else got you pregnant, I protected you. I may be an ass, but don’t question my loyalty to you.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “It doesn’t matter now. I don’t want to fight. It gets us nowhere. I’m not leaving your side, not ever. We will find a way to work through our problems. I’m not a man that gives up.” He straightened his bed and pulled back the comforter. “Do you mind if I shower first?”

  Rhea knew he was trying to tactfully avoid an argument. She shook her head. She wanted to ask him more questions but now was not the time. As much as she’d hated him for leaving her, she knew in her heart he was right.

  He was a man who felt deeply. She’d never once thought even in his darkest anger that he would do anything to hurt her.

  “Go ahead. I’m going to do some research on the last location of the Linguist. He’s a creature of habit. You shower and rest. I won’t be loud.” His hawk-like eyes followed her movements through the room.

  He was an intense man. His brain was always working. She knew he was trying to figure out how to deal with her. “Thank you, Rhea,” he said softly. He was tense and obviously tired. She needed him to rest up before they started down this road. She knew he would always push her to take it easy. He was old school. He was a man who would prefer any risk be laid on him in place of any female on a mission.

  When he’d joined the Sanctuary, they hadn’t initially gotten along. He was from the Tanaka clan, a large criminal syndicate in Japan. His family was known for how violently they enforced their rules and their ability to escape arrest.

  She had been one of the agents assigned to take the Tanaka clan down. Once their crime syndicate had started working internationally the CIA had made it their top priority to shut them down as quickly as possible. The U.S. government had heard about the Tanaka’s hold over Tokyo, and they didn’t want the same thing to happen in the states. Despite their efforts, Yuuto’s family had found their way in.

  Once his clan had arrived in America, they had promptly taken over the major drugs and weapons scene in New York. Their men were effective and worked as a unit. The local gangs hadn’t stood a chance against their sophisticated savagery.

  She’d spent almost a year tracking their movements. She’d almost captured Yuuto’s father, but the old man was good. He always did his deals by proxy. To this day, she was certain he’d never stepped foot in America. He had his sons do all of his dirty work.

  His behavior had always been odd to her. He’d been willing to sacrifice his family for his own will. As much as she’d fought with her father, she’d always known how much he loved her. She wondered how Yuuto was treated as a child. For a second, she let her mind ponder that question. What was Yuuto like as a child? How could a child survive with a monster and come out unscathed?

  When the bathroom door closed, she jumped. She didn’t have time to wonder about Yuuto’s past. They had enough to worry about right now. She pulled out the laptop her sister sent her. Rhea knew it would be safe to use. Kara was good at that sort of stuff.

  She inserted the USB and opened one of the sodas Yuuto brought her. She would work for a while and then shower after Yuuto. They were safe enough here. She noticed how he’d positioned himself at the front of the room. She looked at the closed door and sighed.

  The anger she’d wrapped around herself after their last confrontation was starting to fade. Maybe it was because they were trapped together, or maybe it was because of the chance of death. But she was slowly starting to see Yuuto as something more than just her enemy.

  She needed to remember the last time they were together so she could rebuild the wall around her heart. She didn’t want to let him back in. His rejection had destroyed something special. She couldn’t go back down that road again. As much as she hated to admit it, Yuuto had a lot of power over her. It had taken all of her resolve to pull herself back together when he’d walked out.

  She gritted her teeth as she forced herself to relive their last meeting one more time…

  * * *

  Exactly two months and three days ago…

  Rhea twisted her fingers under the table. She was too old to be this nervous, but it couldn’t be helped. It wasn’t every day a woman told a man she was having his baby. Well, the situation probably happened every day, but it was the first time it had ever happened to her.

  She and Yuuto had been dating for almost two years. Before him, she’d been the definition of a lone wolf. No man had ever lasted more than a few months in her company. It wasn’t that she was difficult. In fact, she was typically the opposite. It was her remoteness that bothered them most.

  Rhea was a woman who liked her own company. She never asked anyone for any form of help. The alpha men she’d chosen to share her bed with weren’t used to that kind of attitude, and eventually, they issued their ultimatums and she told them to kick rocks.

  Then she’d met Yuuto. He was different. A wolf always recognizes its own kind. Their attraction to each other was the thing legends are made of. Even now, sitting across from him with the biggest butterflies in her belly, she still wanted him. She knew that with the right look, he would put down his food and take her back to the bedroom.

  He was eating the dinner she’d ordered from the local burger restaurant. It was one of their favorite places. She’d neve
r been one for cooking. When he’d arrived a few hours ago, he’d rushed her right to bed. It was always like that with them. Whenever they were apart for even a few days, they always reacted as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. After all of their time together as a couple, she’d assumed their chemistry would lessen, but it remained strong.

  She’d invited him to her apartment because she wanted to give him this news in private. She didn’t know how he would take it. They hadn’t talked about children before. Hell, she still wasn’t sure exactly how she felt about it. All she knew for certain was that she wanted her baby.

  She took a deep breath as Yuuto finally finished the massive burger and started on the fries.“That was good,” he said. He frowned when he looked at her plate. She hadn’t touched her burger or fries. She’d been too busy obsessing about her news.

  “Yeah, Burger Hut was on point tonight.” Rhea took a sip of her water and waited for Yuuto to ask the question she could see in his eyes.

  “Why aren’t you eating?” Yuuto asked.

  “Because my stomach won’t let me?”

  “What do you mean?” He wiped his hands on his napkin and stood up. He walked over to her side of the table and placed a cool hand on her head. “Are you feeling bad?”

  “No, I just…I have something I need to tell you.”

  “And this news has soured your stomach. My Rhea, there is no news that you could give me that should do that. You know I will help you with anything you need. Just tell me.” Yuuto sat down on the edge of the table and picked up her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed the inside of her palm.

  She let herself have that moment and then she stood up. Reluctantly, he released her and she walked over to the other side of the room. It was now or never. She couldn’t hide it any longer. The morning sickness was starting to turn into all-day sickness. He was going to find out sooner or later.

  “I’m pregnant,” she blurted out. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small zip-lock bag that contained five positive pregnancy tests from varying manufacturers. She’d also been to two different doctors. She hadn’t believed the tests at first. After all of her tests, she now knew for certain that it was true.

  “What?” Yuuto’s voice was strained. She looked up and was shocked to see how pale he’d gotten. So this was going to be difficult. She’d hoped he would react better than she initially did.

  She placed the bag on the table next to where he was sitting. He was watching her with blank eyes. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He picked up the bag and looked at the tests.

  She watched as rage replaced the emptiness. He threw the bag against the wall so hard that a framed picture fell to the ground. Rhea didn’t react to his rage. She was trained to remain calm under duress.

  She ignored the adrenaline rushing through her body and focused on him.

  “Yuuto, what the hell was that?” Rhea walked over to the bag and picked it up.

  “How could you do this to me? I expected betrayal from other people but I thought you would be different. You were supposed to be different.” Yuuto moved away from the table.

  “How could I do this to you?” Rhea looked at him in confusion. What was he talking about? They were both at fault for this. They should have been careful.

  “God, my father told me all women are alike. Natural-born liars. Did you think I would be fine with this? After everything we’ve been through you think you can throw this in my face and I’ll take it?”

  “I had no idea what you would think. But I’m starting to believe that I misjudged the kind of man you are,” Rhea admitted. She closed her eyes and took some deep breaths. She could feel herself starting to freak out.

  “Who is the father?” Yuuto asked. He turned and punched the wall. A small trickle of blood ran down his raw fist. She recognized the rage in his eyes and instinctively took a step back.

  “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

  “I’m serious, Rhea. I want his name.” Right now Yuuto was the Surgeon. There was coldness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

  “I can’t believe you are acting like this. I expected anger and disbelief, but not this. Who do you think the father is?”

  “I don’t know who the unlucky bastard is. But I hope he knows what he’s getting himself into with a woman like you. I can’t believe I thought I loved you. You aren’t worth much to me now,” he sneered.

  “Get out, Yuuto. Get out before you say something else you’ll regret and I do something that will land me in jail.” She whispered the threat through clenched teeth. She ignored her upset stomach. She needed him to leave now. She would not shed a tear in front of him.

  “I thought you were better than this. I thought…I loved you. But I deserve better than this…better than you. Call me when you figure out who the father is, Rhea. I would love to find out. But know that I’m not going to let you pretend that it’s me.” Yuuto walked out of the living room and collected his things, and, within seconds, he was gone.

  Rhea locked her front door and leaned her head against it. Pain tore at her heart and nearly brought her to her knees. How could she have misjudged him? Her instincts were usually spot on when it came to people.

  She’d let that man into her mind and body. What the fuck was happening? She pushed away from the door and walked back to her bedroom. She didn’t bother to put anything away. In the privacy of her apartment, she didn’t have to be strong. She didn’t need to pretend that he hadn’t ripped her heart clean from her body.

  It hurt so much because she’d actually loved his dumb ass. It hadn’t been an easy love, it had been one born over time. She crawled under the covers and braced herself as the tears started to fall. She’d never imagined herself in a situation like this before.

  How could he act like that? He hadn’t just been angry, he’d denied the baby entirely. She would never forget the cruel look in his eyes when he’d asked who the father was. She forced herself to breathe through the gut-wrenching sobs.

  She wouldn’t let him break her. Her father was overprotective but he had raised his girls to be tough. She would give herself one night to wallow in the pain. One night to mourn what they could have been and then she would pick herself up and start again. Women didn’t have the luxury of wallowing. This baby was going to need its mama.

  She rolled over onto the pillow he always used and inhaled. She didn’t stop the tears this time. She needed to feel this pain and never forget this moment. With pain came strength, she’d learned that lesson the hard way a long time ago.

  * * *

  Present day

  Rhea shook her head as the tears threatened to start again. It still pissed her off that Yuuto had the power to take over her mind. She could hear the water running in the bathroom. He was just on the other side of the door. Her fresh rage nearly forced her to her feet.

  She took a deep breath as the painful memory brought her feelings back to life. She leaned forward and placed her head on the desk. Why was he back? What revelation had prompted his return? Rhea closed her eyes and counted to ten. She forced her mind to relax. She wasn’t like happy Lily or focused Willow. Whenever she felt something deeply, it burned itself into her soul.

  The Linguist was going to require all of her brain power. She lifted her head and pulled herself together. She’d rested enough on the drive. It was time to find that son of a bitch and get this mission over with; mooning over Yuuto wasn’t on the agenda.

  * * *

  Yuuto stepped into the hot shower and hissed as the water hit his skin. It was taking everything he had to stay focused on the mission. Rhea was actually calmer than he’d anticipated. He knew how much he hurt her.

  When she’d told him she was pregnant, his mind brought him back to his life with his ex-wife. He forgot who Rhea was and what she valued. If he’d been in his right mind, he would have known better than to lump Rhea in with Yuni.

  Yuni was the living image of her father. She was very different f
rom logical, level-headed Rhea. She was going to be a great mother. He imagined her big with his child and his heart stopped.

  For the last few years of his life, he’d only had to protect himself. Even when he’d first gotten involved with Rhea, she’d made it clear that her job was her top priority. She wanted to save the world, and she would do so one contract at a time. He’d been impressed by her drive and skill.

  Over the last year, he’d become more protective of her. He’d stopped seeing her as another agent and started seeing her as his woman. He’d worked hard to keep his views to himself, but his possessiveness had reared its head more than once over the last year.

  Knowing that she was pregnant was making everything worse. He wanted to keep her away from all this chaos. But he knew he couldn’t do this alone, and also there wasn’t a room around that the Mechanic couldn’t explode her way out of.

  It was hard to keep someone like her in one place. He’d seen her create a bomb out of two batteries and a broken light bulb. No, he needed to keep her by his side. How was he going to keep them safe? His father would never stop coming after them.

  His past had blinded him to the truth. He’d walked away from the only woman who’d ever loved him. He frowned when his body reacted to her name. He still craved her, and he knew now he probably always would.

  Even when he’d thought she’d been with someone else, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his head. They’d spent two years living and working together. He knew every inch of her body. He’d spent hours loving it.

  He’d been surprised at how well matched they were in the bedroom. Rhea liked for him to take control. God, he missed that woman. He missed her smile; shit, he missed her trust. She used to look at him as if he was the only man that mattered in her world. He hadn’t known how much he needed that until it was gone.

  His mind brought back the image of her body. Her dark brown skin was supple and soft. Her curves still had the power to stop him in his tracks. He’d been too long without her. His body hardened, and he groaned.