The Legend

by Donna Grant

  When Wyatt entered the cabin, his gaze went straight to the table were Callie sat. She twirled a long strand of hair around her finger as she read something on the computer.

  “I’m going to drive around the area,” he said.

  Her head turned to him, her blue eyes pinning him. “Looking for something in particular?”

  “I just want a look.”

  “Okay.”

  He snagged the keys to her car and headed outside. Once inside the Challenger, he started the engine and drove away. Every so often, he’d look at his phone and the coordinates on the map to see how close he was getting to Reed.

  Usually, when he was in this type of situation, his vehicle wouldn’t stand out as the red did. Everyone noticed the color, which made it difficult to remain concealed. The only positive was that in a city the size of Austin, it made hiding easier.

  When Wyatt finally reached the coordinates—a questionable bar—he pulled off to the side of the road and shut off the engine. Then he sat behind the tinted windows and watched the area, taking note of the comings and goings of those around him.

  It didn’t take long for his gaze to land on Melvin. The tall blond had perfect features and the blue eyes that were a Reed trait. He stood talking to two women while flashing his wide smile.

  Wyatt fisted his hands. The urge to smash them into Melvin’s too handsome face was overwhelming. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that Reed remained off to the side of the building where there didn’t appear to be any cameras. That made it easier for Wyatt since he didn’t want to be seen either.

  He exited the car and walked the opposite direction, only to swing back around behind the bar to sneak up on Melvin. Wyatt waited at the side of the building and listened as Reed attempted to get both of the women to go back to his hotel with him.

  When the girls finally got into their car and drove away, Melvin turned to walk toward him. Wyatt moved back a few steps and waited. As soon as he was within reach, Wyatt grabbed Melvin, slamming him against the brick.

  “Son of a—” Melvin’s voice stopped abruptly when he saw Wyatt.

  Anger churned in his gut. Wyatt raised a brow. “Nothing to say?”

  “What do you want?” he asked with a sneer. “I’ve not done anything.”

  “Really? So approaching Callie yesterday was nothing?”

  Melvin’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously. “I just wanted to talk.”

  “Bullshit.” Wyatt took a menacing step toward him, balling up his fist. “The truth.”

  Melvin lifted his chin defiantly. “Kiss my ass, soldier boy.”

  Wyatt smiled at the punk. “I could kill you with one hand and not leave a mark on your body. I found you in a city of two million. Those are just some of the things this ‘soldier boy’ can do. Do you really want to piss me off any more than I already am?”

  “Callie belongs with her family,” Melvin said after a brief hesitation.

  “She gets to decide what she wants—as I told your father, her father, and all of the other lowlife, alcoholic criminals in your family. She wants nothing to do with any of you. Respect her wishes.”

  Melvin’s blue eyes flashed in fury. “Or what?”

  “Do I really need to spell it out for you?”

  “Beat me up or threaten me some more. You won’t do more than that,” he said with a sneer.

  Wyatt smiled coldly. “Are you so sure of that?”

  Some of his bluster faded. Melvin glanced to the side toward a new, white Cadillac Escalade. “I can’t go back without her.”

  “You’re not going anywhere near Callie again. This is the only warning you’re going to get. Next time, you won’t even see me coming.”

  “She’s my family!” Reed shouted. “You can’t tell me what to do with my own blood.”

  Melvin grew bolder and pushed at Wyatt’s chest, attempting to shove him back. Wyatt didn’t budge. He glared at the imbecile. “Callie is my family. We Loughmans protect what’s ours to the death.”

  “This isn’t over.”

  “It is if you want to remain alive.”

  Wyatt started to walk away. Years of honed instincts and nasty situations around the world had his senses more attuned. He heard the sound of Melvin palming the handgun and drawing it from the waist of his jeans.

  Before the gun could be pointed at him, Wyatt turned and grabbed hold of Melvin’s wrist, twisting and squeezing until Reed had no choice but to release the weapon or have his bones snapped.

  “Okay, okay,” Melvin said hurriedly as Wyatt added more pressure.

  Reed went down on his knees, his face contorting in pain. Wyatt could feel the bones beneath his hand. It would take just a little more force to shatter them.

  He didn’t hide his rage. Every time he looked at any of the Reeds, he saw Callie lying unconscious, bloodied and broken in the woods. He recalled how she’d looked so lifeless in his arms. He remembered how small and vulnerable she’d appeared as he held her. How there had been tear streaks in the dirt and blood on her face.

  “Please,” Melvin whimpered.

  If it were up to Wyatt, he’d do more than break Reed’s wrist, but Callie had never wanted to hurt her family. She just wanted them to leave her alone and allow her to make her own decisions.

  Reluctantly, Wyatt released Melvin. Then he picked up the gun and tucked it in the back of his jeans, pulling his shirt down to cover it. He didn’t look Reed’s way again as he strode to the Challenger.

  Once back at the cabin, Wyatt walked to the rear of the house to put the gun with some of his other weapons. He came to a halt when he saw Callie standing in the morning sun, hanging up some clothes to dry on the line.

  The way the sun shone its golden rays around her gave her an ethereal look. The ends of her long, chestnut locks stirred in the breeze.

  He fought the urge to walk up behind her and kiss her neck right below her ear on the spot that made her moan. He longed to wrap that long hair of hers around his hand and hold her head steady as he kissed her with all the pent-up desire he’d held inside for the last fifteen years.

  “Hey,” she said as she turned around and saw him. “How’d it go?”

  Much to his frustration, it took him a second to remember where he’d been. Anger mixed with his desire, making it difficult for him to keep the emotions in check. “Fine.”

  She laughed and started toward the house. “I was beginning to wonder if you were going answer. You were gone longer than I anticipated.”

  “I think we should head into town tonight.”

  Callie came to a sudden halt and looked at him strangely. “Did you hit your head?”

  “No.” He frowned at her. “Why?”

  “We’re supposed to stay hidden, remember. Why do you want us out there to be found?”

  He gave her a flat look. “Give me more credit than that. We’re going to be holed up here for a while, so we should get enough groceries to sustain us. While we’re out, we can get something to eat.”

  “Now that sounds more like the Wyatt I know,” she said with a shake of her head and continued toward the door. “When you first mentioned it, you made it sound like a date.”

  Her laughter followed her inside the house. Wyatt remained outside while coming to grips with the fact that he did want to take Callie out on a date.

  “I’m in a shit storm of trouble,” he mumbled to himself, thankful no one was around to see his predicament—especially his brothers, who would take great enjoyment in his suffering.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Callie was all too ready to get out of the house that evening. It was rare that she became frustrated while working, but that’s exactly what had happened today.

  No matter how hard she tried, she had yet to discover where the hack on her laptop had originated.

  To make matters worse, she couldn’t shake off the lingering indignation with Wyatt that he hadn’t been asking her out earlier. The flutter of excitement and delight when she thought they
were going out to dinner as a couple had been swiftly smashed to smithereens.

  She looked in the bedroom mirror and grimaced. She should’ve known better. In the brief time she and Wyatt had been together there hadn’t been a date. She hadn’t been upset about it then. Who would want to be seen out in their hometown with her?

  But now? Well, now was different. Now, she wanted to be taken out to dinner, to be treated as if he were more interested in her than anything else in the world.

  “Get over yourself,” she said to her reflection. “We’re running for our lives. There isn’t time for dating. Besides,” she added. “You don’t want anything to do with him. He’s cold, callous, and only cares about himself.”

  She gave a firm nod to herself. But deep in her heart, the pep talk had no effect. She hated herself for how she couldn’t seem to get over Wyatt.

  Orrin had pretended not to notice when she would hungrily search the reports that came in for anything having to do with Wyatt. There had even been a few years when she’d broken free of Wyatt’s hold on her.

  Then he’d returned to the ranch—shattering all her walls with a single look.

  God, she was pathetic. Callie turned away, unable to face her reflection. She’d fallen fast and hard for Wyatt and loved him fiercely. None of that had done any good. It seemed the harder she’d tried to hold onto him, the more he’d pushed her away.

  Callie walked from the bedroom. A quick look inside the cabin confirmed that Wyatt was nowhere to be seen. She searched outside and found him leaning back against her car with one ankle over the other, and his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were closed, but she knew he wasn’t sleeping.

  He wore dark jeans and a simple T-shirt, but there was nothing simple about him.

  She walked out of the cabin, locking the door behind her. “Are you sure about both of us going?”

  “Yep.” His eyes opened and landed on her.

  She stared into the golden irises and tried to ignore the thumping of her heart. “Then let’s go.”

  He climbed into the driver’s side and started the engine. Once she was seated, he backed Mercy up before driving away. Normally, she hated when others drove when she was there, but right then, she couldn’t find the strength to care.

  “You’re quiet,” he said.

  She shrugged, keeping her gaze out the window. “I’m just thinking.”

  “About?”

  Since when did he care what was on her mind? Callie turned her head to him and frowned. “Let’s see. I have so much to choose from. How about locating Orrin. I’d love to talk to him to learn what happened and see if he has information that could help us. Then there are the Saints and everything that involves them. And let’s not forget the guys who are coming after you.”

  “I’ll take care of them.”

  “I have no doubt, but you forget that we’re paired up. That means what comes for you, comes for me and vice versa.”

  “I’m well aware of that.”

  She held back a snort of skepticism and turned her head back toward her window. The landscape was nothing but a blur as her unfocused gaze turned inward.

  Wyatt might be a heartless asshole, but he’d become a legend for ignoring risks to his own life in an effort to save others. She knew that he would look out for her when they were cornered, whether it was by the Saints or other terrorists.

  It wasn’t until the car came to a halt that she blinked and looked around. They were in front of a restaurant called Sophia’s. Since she’d expected some kind of diner where they could be in and out quickly, she was more than confused.

  “What’s this?” she asked.

  Wyatt opened his door as he said, “A restaurant.”

  Now he wanted to be a smartass. She got out of the car and walked beside him to the entrance. The hostess took them through the establishment with its vibrant teal seats and dark, tufted leather booths. The walls, columns, and archways were all brick, which tied in nicely with the wood floors and wooden ceiling.

  She slid into one of the half-moon shaped booths, still unsure what was going on. This restaurant wasn’t Wyatt. There were cameras everywhere, which meant the Saints could find them easily. Hell, for all she knew, there were Saints dining right alongside them.

  “Relax,” Wyatt told her.

  She shot him a hard look. “Did you get baked in the sun? What are we doing here?”

  “Eating. I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I sat down at a restaurant.”

  “We’re on display because of your craving?” she asked incredulously.

  He looked at her over his menu. “Don’t be so dramatic. Besides, tell me you weren’t hungry for something you didn’t have to fix yourself.”

  She was about to admit just that when she saw his lips twitch. Then he raised the menu higher. But she was sure he’d been about to smile.

  One look at the Italian-American cuisine items on the menu, and her stomach rumbled. Everything looked positively delicious. Her mouth watered for all of it. Then she got a glimpse of the desserts and nearly groaned when she spotted the tiramisu.

  “There’s no telling when we’ll be able to dine like this again,” Wyatt said. “How about a bottle of wine?”

  “You don’t ever need to ask if I want wine. The answer will always be yes,” she said, glancing up at him from the menu.

  After the waiter left with the wine order, Wyatt said, “I remember when you used to sneak some of Orrin’s beer. I’d never have pegged you for a wine girl until you bought a bottle recently.”

  “I still have the occasional beer, but my preference is wine. White or red. But I truly love champagne.”

  He raised a dark brow. “Really?”

  “Pink champagne is my favorite. I don’t know why, but it is.” She had no idea why she shared such personal information with him. It wasn’t like he cared—or would even remember.

  He sat back when the waiter returned with a bottle of pinot noir. Once the glasses were filled, Wyatt turned his glass around and around. “You’ve changed.”

  “People tend to do that.”

  “You’ve changed a lot.”

  She met his gold gaze. “It’s been several years. When you left, I was still a kid. I’m a woman now.”

  “You were never a kid, Callie.”

  He had a point there. The Reeds hadn’t let her be a child. They’d forced her to grow up and see the harshness of life at a very early age.

  She folded her menu and set it aside. “No. I don’t suppose I was.”

  “Do you enjoy working with Orrin?”

  “Very much,” she replied. “I have a purpose. Then there’s Orrin himself. He took me in and made me feel a part of things. Your aunt and uncle became my family as well.”

  Wyatt took a drink of the wine. “I know what it’s like to walk in and find someone murdered. I’m sorry you had to find Virgil and Charlotte that way.”

  At first, she didn’t know what to say. Wyatt never spoke of his mother—ever. So for him to mention even a kernel of something was a big deal.

  “I can’t walk into that house now without seeing.…” She trailed off, unable to finish.

  His hand covered hers. “I know.”

  She blinked back tears. If anyone could truly know what it had been like to walk into the house and find family murdered, it was Wyatt.

  “It’s one of the reasons I left,” he confessed. “I can’t look at the house without seeing my mother’s body. So living there those years afterward was pure hell.”

  “The ranch is my home. I don’t live in that house, but I don’t know how I’ll be able to go back.”

  Wyatt’s lips parted, but before he could speak, the waiter arrived to take their orders. His hand dropped from hers, and she missed the warmth and simple affection it had provided her.

  After the waiter departed, she expected Wyatt to continue with their conversation, but the mood had been broken. Callie was saddened by it because she’d felt a true connection to him
. Something she’d only glimpsed while they’d been lovers.

  “I think we should buy several more prepaid phones while we’re out,” he said.

  She added it to the list she kept on her cell phone. “There’s a man who lives near here who makes ammunition. Orrin uses him often. His name is Carl Turner.”

  “Can you contact him?” Wyatt asked.

  Callie smiled as she said, “Already did this afternoon. I gave him a list of our weapons and the ammo that we had. He’ll have what we need.”

  “You trust him?”

  “I did. Now I don’t trust anyone.”

  Wyatt leaned his forearms on the table. “Not even me?”

  “I don’t have a choice but to trust you.”

  “Does that mean you’d rather not?”

  “It means I don’t have a choice.”

  Wyatt shook his head. “So you don’t.”

  “I know you don’t want to be here with me any more than I want to be with you. You could’ve gone to Dover in Cullen’s place to look around the Air Force base,” she stated.

  “I could’ve, yes,” Wyatt said.

  Now that got her curious. “Why didn’t you?”

  “I know how important you are to Orrin.”

  She rolled her eyes at his statement. “That’s the best you could come up with?”

  “Either of my brothers could’ve guarded you, but I can do it better.”

  There was one thing Wyatt had never lacked, and that was confidence. He had it in spades. The worst part about it was that he was right. Cullen and Owen were experts at what they did.

  But Wyatt was a master.

  “So you decided to pair up with me for Orrin?” she asked.

  Wyatt lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “That’s part of it.”

  “And the other part?”

  “Just know that I get the job done.”

  She pushed aside her wine glass to cross her arm over the other on the table. “Oh, no. You’re the one who made the statement about it being part of the reason. You say something like that, then you have to be prepared to answer the resulting question.”

  “Does it really matter?”