by Vaughn, Ann
"Come, let us get you seated. Five of you?"
"Si," Mike replied.
They followed Antonio toward the back of the room, to a round corner booth that had all the guys shaking their heads at once. Mike spoke low to Antonio in Italian, and he immediately shifted them to a booth on the wall so that none of the men had their backs to the door. Antonio introduced himself to the rest of the guys and then left, yelling for Talia, the woman from the hostess station, to take their drink orders.
"How are you related to Antonio?" she asked Mike when Antonio and Talia had left.
"He's my father's cousin." Whit was looking around for a menu, Mike just shook his head. "Don't bother. Just like every other locally owned place around here, he'll bring you what he thinks you want. So if you have any food allergies, speak now."
As the dishes started arriving, Lainey's eyes got bigger and bigger. There were bowls of every kind of pasta imaginable.
"He does realize it's only lunch time right?" she asked when the fifth large bowl was placed on the table.
"Who cares?" Colt said, digging in.
She watched the others dig in as well. Why it surprised her, she didn't know; she'd seen how much this crew could eat. She started to reach for a spoon but Mike took it before she could and fixed her plate for her. She smiled and leaned into his side a little. He kissed the side of her head and winked at her when she looked up at him.
"So, the guys being here aside, this is like our first date," she said softly, making him chuckle.
"Just what I always wanted, a date with three of my men tagging along."
She laughed and reached up to place her hand on his cheek to bring him down for a kiss.
"It's perfect. It's us," she said, kissing him again.
He kissed her brow. "That it is."
Talia came by several times just to touch Mike's shoulder, kiss his cheek, make small talk. Lainey was encouraged by the fact that Mike seemed more relaxed with this extended part of his family than he was to his immediate family. Antonio and Talia were like the stereotypical Italians they always showed on the movies. Fun-loving, always hugging and kissing everyone's cheeks. Talia was drawn to Colt, Coop and Whit, doting on them the way an aunt would. And they were, of course, eating it up, especially Colt, who Lainey was beginning to see was a bit of a ham, just like Trevor.
She could see how Colt and Riley had a love/hate relationship. Riley and Trevor definitely had a love/hate relationship as well. Riley was the quintessential big brother and Trevor was the incorrigible little brother and they clashed, a lot. Riley was hard on Trevor on a lot of things, but she knew he loved him...and she could see why he'd been drawn to Colt because of the similarities to Trevor.
"Hey," Mike said, softly, drawing her attention back to him, "you OK?"
She nodded, laying her head on his shoulder. "I'm fine. Just thinking about Riley and Trevor, and Riley and Colt."
"What about me?" Colt asked.
She smiled across at him, seeing his warm eyes shining with humor. The more she was around Colt, the more she liked him. He had a way about him that made people feel at ease, despite his impressive size.
"That I can see why you and Riley have the relationship that you do. You are a lot like Trevor."
Colt chuckled. "So I've heard. How was he, by the way?" he asked, since he and the others stayed outside of Trevor's room, keeping guard.
"In pain but getting better. How is Sarah?"
"She's feeling better, and when she's nauseous, the acupressure stuff you showed me works. Her mother flew down on Friday to be with her while I'm here."
"I hate that you're all having to spend so much time away from your families."
"We've been through this before," Coop said, "Don't worry about it."
"I know, but still."
"Melissa and Petey will be here tomorrow," Whit announced.
"That's great," Lainey said.
"It's more than great," Mike said, "I can finally be free of all that damn paperwork."
"Michael," Lainey said, pretending outrage, "we're excited for Whit to have Melissa here, not so she can be your secretary."
"Oh, Melissa won't be a secretary. She's the office CO, make no mistakes about that," Mike chuckled.
"Really?"
"You met her. Melissa doesn't take shit from anyone," Colt said. "Including all of us."
"Yes, I noticed," her eyes shifted to Whit. "Are you ready to have her here, full-time?"
"Absolutely," Whit said, smiling.
"Good."
After promising Antonio and Talia that they would be back soon, they loaded up and headed back to the loft, this time Colt driving. Lainey snuggled against Mike's side, wrapping both of her arms around his arm, holding his upper arm against her chest, his hand on her knee. She loved moments like these, where she could be close to him and touch him. Her phone rang again, drawing her attention. This time it said it was her mother. Mike still took it and answered himself, just in case, then handed it to her when it was indeed her mother.
"Hi, Mom," she answered.
"He's answering your phone now?"
"I asked him to. What's up?"
"I'm sitting with Trevor. Paige was running late and Riley said he needed to go...but Riley said things are heating up between you and Mike. Is that true?"
Lainey sighed. "Yes."
"And you couldn't tell me? I had to hear it from Riley?"
"I thought you got a pretty good idea during all the preparations at Kacee's house."
Lisa sighed heavily into the phone, making Lainey roll her eyes. "Well, that's true, but still! A Casiano. That's a pretty big deal, Lainey."
"He's just Mike," she replied, looking up into Mike's pale eyes, squeezing his hand.
"Just Mike," Lisa repeated. "I see. Well, I want you to bring Just Mike to dinner tonight."
"Oh, Mom, no, not tonight. We just ate a huge lunch. I don't think I'll be hungry again until tomorrow."
"Fine. Tomorrow night then."
"Mom," Lainey began but she cut her off.
"No arguments, Lainey. Bring Mike to dinner tomorrow night. 6:00."
"I'll have to check with him. You know that he and the guys have been going out to try to find Charles Conroy."
"Make it work. I want to see the two of you together."
Lainey closed her eyes, realizing defeat.
"OK. You win. Tomorrow night. 6:00."
"Thank you, sweetheart."
She ended the call and dropped her phone down in her purse with a small frustrated scream. Mike chuckled, kissing the side of her head.
"Dinner summons tomorrow at 6:00?"
"Yes. I'm going to kill Riley," she said as Colt pulled into the garage at the warehouse.
"I'd gladly help with that," Colt said when they got out and headed to the elevator.
"We're going to do a perimeter check, Boss," Coop said, indicating himself and Whit.
"OK, thanks," Mike said as the elevator doors closed.
"I could rough Malibu Ken up a bit, soften him up for you to go in for the kill," Colt continued with Lainey. "It could be fun."
Lainey busted out laughing, and even Mike was chuckling as the elevator doors opened.
"You are so bad, Colt," she said, looking up at him.
Colt was looking back over his shoulder at her, laughing as he stepped out of the elevator first. Lainey was thinking, not for the first time, how warm and friendly his eyes were. Colt was just one of those people who, in spite of his size, drew you in and made you feel safe and comfortable with him right from the start. He'd just taken one step forward when suddenly she saw him jerk and something warm and wet sprayed across her face. In absolute horror, she watched Colt's body drop to the floor in a pool of blood and she realized as she looked in shock at him that what she had felt had been his blood splattering on her.
At the same instant, Mike grabbed her and slammed them both to the ground, using his body to cover her. The elevator had already closed when they'd s
tepped out so their only option was the floor. She was frantically glancing around the loft, looking for Conroy, trying not to completely lose control at the sight of Colt and the ever-increasing pool of blood beneath him. All she could think was that he was going to be a father soon and she tried to free herself from Mike's protective hold to go to Colt to somehow stop the bleeding, but Mike wouldn't let her go.
"Be still," he hissed, but she fought against his hold.
"I have to get to Colt!" she cried, "I have to stop the bleeding!"
"Listen to me!" Mike growled in her ear. "We can't help him now. I don't know where Conroy is, we can't-"
"He'll bleed out!" she cried, "Mike! He's going to be a father, we can't let him die!"
"Yes, Casiano, by all means, let her go," she raspy voice of Charles Conroy said.
They looked up to see Charles slowly coming down the stairs, a slight limp to his walk from his tangle with Colt a few days before. He was wearing full Combat fatigues and had a Kevlar vest and helmet on.
"Charles, please!" Lainey cried, "Don't do this!"
"Toss your gun over here, Casiano," Charles growled. "Do it now or I swear I'll put a bullet in you."
"You won't risk hitting Lainey," Mike challenged him.
"How did he get around the security system?" she whispered to him.
"I don't know, cara," he replied.
"Riley?" she whispered, then showed him that she had her phone in her hand.
He nodded slightly, eyes back on Conroy.
Lainey wished she had Coop or Whit's phone number, since they were just right outside, but had to make do with calling Riley and leaving the line open.
"Toss your gun and stand up. Now!!" Charles barked. "You know what I did in the Marines. You know I won't miss."
"If I stand up, he'll shoot me," Mike told her, keeping his voice low. "Look at his eyes, he's unstable."
Lainey nodded. She could hear Riley's voice on the open line but couldn't hear what he was saying.
"I'll stand with you," she said.
Mike cursed but nodded, tossing his gun and with his arm around Lainey's waist, they slowly stood together.
"Miss Lainey, now, you step away from him. Go see to the big man if you want, but you step clear of Casiano."
"I'm not moving, Charles. If you want to shoot him you'll have to figure out how to do it around me."
Mike's hand on her waist flexed, fingers digging in but she ignored him. There was no way she was going to leave his side.
"He's kept you locked up like a caged animal for weeks! How can you defend him?"
"You locked me up, Charles! He's been keeping me safe from you!"
"I would never hurt you, Miss Lainey!"
"No, of course not," she snapped. "Your preferred method is to terrorize me and hurt all those around me. Tessa. Mike. Now Colt. You know nothing about me if you think for a minute that what you've done hasn't hurt me, Charles. Look what you've done to the children I help! Because of you, I can't counsel those who need me like you needed me. It's time to end this once and for all, Charles."
"This ends when you leave here with me! I can make you happy, Phoebe, don't you see?"
Lainey held her breath. Phoebe was his ex-wife. He was even farther gone than she thought.
"Look at me, Charles. I am not Phoebe. I'm Dr. Riley, remember? Miss Lainey?"
"No!!" Charles cried, waving the gun at her. "No, no, no!!"
"Look at me!!!" she demanded. "I know that Phoebe hurt you, Charles, but I am not her. I am Lainey."
"Lainey," he repeated, his eyes filling with tears.
"Yes, Charles, Lainey. Please, put the gun down. You don't want to hurt anyone else. You are a Marine. You are supposed to protect those around you."
"You made the voices stop," he said desperately, "when no one else could, you made the voices go away. But then they took you away from me and they came back. You're the only one who could ever make them stop."
Lainey's heart was breaking for him, but at the same time, she was so angry, and scared for Colt. He hadn't moved and the blood pool was getting bigger by the second. She couldn't tell where he'd been hit, but it appeared to be his head, which scared her even more.
"Keep him talking," Mike whispered low.
"I can make the voices go away again, Charles, but you have to let me. You have to put your gun down and let me help you."
"I can't go back to jail, Miss Lainey, not even for you."
"You would go to a hospital facility, not a jail," she said, though she wasn't entirely sure that was true, but he didn't have to know that.
"I won't be locked up again!" he cried.
"What do you hope to accomplish here?" she asked.
"I want you to come with me. I love you. I want to be with you."
"Charles, you don't love me. What you feel is gratitude, but that's not love."
"I do love you!! We could be happy together."
Lainey's heart raced when she saw Whit outside one of the windows behind Charles' line-of-sight, suspended by a harness. She immediately drew her eyes away and focused on Charles, not wanting to do anything to tip him off.
"What would you expect me to do, Charles? Live my life on the run? Out in the woods with you, wherever you've been hiding? What about my kids? They need me, too."
"I need you!" he cried.
"Whit doesn't have a clear shot," Mike whispered low to her. He'd been so quiet, had it not been for his body heat behind her she would have forgotten he was there.
"You stop talking to her, Casiano!" Charles yelled.
Lainey felt a slight change in the air around her, feeling Mike's anger. She reached behind her to touch her hand to his hip, trying to get him to calm down.
"Charles, please. Let's end this. Put your gun down and let us help you."
Mike spoke for the first time, his voice steady and calm.
"I understand what you're feeling. You were hurt serving your country. You've come home and it's hard to relate to everything in the civilian world now. I get it...but there are ways to deal with it if you just let someone help."
"You don't talk to me! I know your type. Officers all think you're high and mighty, so much better than the rest of us. Send us out to do your dirty work."
"I was an officer, but I was right there with my men. I still have nightmares of the things that I saw and did. The things that were done to me. I know all about the voices. They talk to me often. You look around in a public place and see that these people don't have a clue what we've done for them. They don't know the cost of their own freedom. But we do, don't we?"
"Stop trying to act like you know what I'm going through! You were a damn officer. You don't know shit!"
Lainey squeezed his hip. "He's not going to listen. He's too far gone," she told him softly.
What happened next came to Lainey so clearly, it was almost as if someone had hit pause on a DVD and were going through the scene slowly, frame-by-frame. She saw Charles' eyes narrow when he saw her hand on Mike. She felt Mike tense and felt his body slide under her hand as he stepped slightly to her side, his clutch piece in his hand. She saw Charles' eyes shift, saw his gun track Mike's movement and she knew she was about to lose the one person who meant more to her than anyone else in the world; and she knew she couldn't let that happen. Turning, she threw herself against Mike's chest at the same time Charles and Mike both fired at the other...
Chapter Thirty-Four
Riley headed toward the warehouse, doing his best to look at the situation as a professional and not as Lainey's cousin. It was hard to admit that what they were doing was right when it involved someone he cared about. Ultimately, though, he did know that Lainey couldn't keep living the way she was. She needed this situation to be handled so she could go back to her life. Didn't mean he had to be happy about it, but he was sure Mike was even less happy about it.
His phone rang, drawing his attention to the dash, that displayed that was Lainey calling. Taking a deep breath, he hit a
ccept on the call.
"I'll be there in just a minute, Tink, we can talk about it then," he said, then waited for her to reply. "Hello? Lainey?"
What he heard next had his blood running cold.
"Toss your gun and stand up. Now!!...You know what I did in the Marines. You know I won't miss."
He heard whispering and things being shuffled around. He heard Lainey's voice and an occasional word from Mike but couldn't make out what they were saying.
"Miss Lainey, now, you step away from him. Go see to the big man if you want, but you step clear of Casiano."
"I'm not moving, Charles. If you want to shoot him, you'll have to figure out how to do it around me."
RIley cursed viciously and stepped on the gas. He made it to the warehouse and saw Coop and Whit rounding the corner, alarmed when he came to a screeching halt in front of the garage door.
"Hey, Stanton, where's the -" Coop began but he cut him off.
"Conroy is up there. He's got a gun on Mike and Lainey and it sounds like he took Colt out."
Coop and Whit began cursing and ran into the garage to the elevator.
"It's locked," Coop said. Whit ran around to the stairwell and found that the door was chained shut from inside the stairwell.
"Here," Riley said, handing his phone to Coop. "Monitor that. Let me have your phone so I can call my uncle."
Within moments, the police had swarmed in, silent as per Riley's instructions. Whit was the best shot of the group, so it was agreed that he would be lowered from the roof to a window in hopes of getting a clear shot at Conroy. Riley stayed on the ground level with his uncle as they worked to override the lock on the elevator. This is where Riley knew he needed Colt or Melissa. He wasn't good with this electronic shit like they were.
"How the hell did this guy get through all these elaborate security system fail-safes?" his uncle growled. "I thought your guy Colt was the best at all of this."
"He is," Riley replied, trying to concentrate.
"Then how the hell did this happen?"
"I don't know."
"Riley," Whit said, sounding in Riley's earpiece.
"Go ahead."
"Conroy is on the stairs. I don't have a clear shot. Colt is on the floor by the elevator. There's a lot of blood. He isn't moving. Mike and Lainey are just to the left of Colt. Standing, hands up. Lainey is talking. Her voice is too soft. Can't hear what she's saying. Mike's standing to her left, slightly behind her."
