by Donna Grant
Their connection had been instant, even if he had tried to ignore it for another week. But there was no disregarding a girl like Callie. Her presence pulled him to her like an unseen force. It wasn’t until he’d quit fighting it that he realized how good it felt.
She deserved the life that she wanted, the life that she’d worked so hard for. She deserved happiness and laughter.
And he was damned determined to see that she got it.
“They’re here,” he said.
There was no clarification needed. Callie understood that he referred to her family. She let out a breath, her shoulders slumping. “They’re not fighters. Beating them should be easy enough.”
He nodded, knowing she was right. As much as he hated the Reeds, he didn’t want her to look at him differently when he had to kill them—and he feared she would.
The frown deepened on Callie’s brow. “Ahmadi’s men are coming, as well. Aren’t they?”
“Yes.”
Natalie asked, “Who is Ahmadi?”
“A man who leads a terrorists group,” Maks explained.
Wyatt bent his knee and propped one sole against the wall behind him. “My team has been after them for years. They’ve had a bounty on my head for some time.”
“And now the Saints have given Wyatt to them,” Callie said.
Owen sighed loudly. “No doubt the Saints will come back with more numbers. So we’re looking at fifty or more attacking.”
“We need more men,” Callie said.
Natalie looked around the room. “But can we trust anyone to help?”
“That’s why we’re talking about this,” Owen said. “Everyone gets a vote.”
Callie scoffed at him. “This isn’t the time for democracy. This is war.”
Wyatt hid his smile and saw Maks doing the same.
“Callie, this is your blood,” Owen said.
She shook her head as he spoke. “No. My family is in this room. My family was murdered by the Saints in that house a few weeks ago. My family was kidnapped and run off the road. I may carry the last name of Reed, but I stopped thinking of them as my kin a long time ago. The Loughmans are my family.”
Wyatt stopped breathing when her gaze turned to him.
“They aren’t my family,” she repeated.
It was her way of telling him to do whatever he had to in order to remain alive. And he wouldn’t hesitate. The Reeds had had their chances with Callie over the years, but they continued to blow it.
Natalie threw up her hands in frustration. “So, what are we doing?”
Callie smiled at her. “You’re going to help me to my desk where I’m going to start monitoring the cameras on the perimeter. While I’m doing that, Wyatt, Owen, and Maks will determine who they think we can trust and call them in.”
“Are you in charge now?” Owen asked with a grin.
Callie shrugged, her gaze meeting Wyatt’s again. “That duty falls to someone else. Take it. It’s yours.”
Wyatt straightened and grabbed his rifle. She was all but daring him to assume command, and he found he was more than willing. “I’m bringing in my team,” he stated.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Callie did her best to hide the pain that moving caused. It was Wyatt who lifted her and carried her to the desk. She could only imagine how his wound must smart, but he didn’t so much as bat an eyelash.
“You shouldn’t be carrying me. You’re wounded.”
He cut her a disgruntled look. “My gun weighs more than you.”
She liked the feel of his heat against her. Beneath her arm slung across his shoulders, his muscles moved, reminding her of how he’d felt as they made love.
Unable to help herself, her eyes went to his mouth. Her fingers widened on his shoulder as she flattened her palm against him. Pure, unadulterated lust ripped through her with such force that it stole her breath.
She wanted to cry out when he set her in the chair and backed away. With his heat gone, she began to shake. Not even the blanket Natalie wrapped around her helped. Only Wyatt could.
Owen rolled the chair to the desk, shoving her stool aside as he did. She smiled her thanks up at him as she reached for her laptop—but it wasn’t there.
“I stashed it,” Wyatt said. “I’ll return shortly.”
Owen quickly followed him, saying, “I’m coming with you.”
Callie was actually glad for the time alone with Maks, and apparently, so was Natalie because she took the stool and faced him.
Maks gave a shake of his head as he chuckled. “They won’t be gone long, so whatever questions you have, ask them quickly.”
“How do you know Wyatt?” Callie asked.
His smile grew. “I knew you’d ask that first. I met Wyatt about ten years ago when I was added to his Delta Force team. He’s one of the best men I know.”
“Is that why you came to help?” Natalie asked.
He straddled another of the stools. “I came because I wanted to help and because I knew it’s what Wyatt would do in my place.”
“So he’s your friend?” Callie questioned.
“Wyatt is his own man, but he commands respect like I’ve seen few do. He’d give his life for any of his men, and that kind of dedication results in unflinching loyalty. If you ask Wyatt, he’ll tell you he doesn’t have any friends. But if you ask any of his team, they’d all say he’s their friend.”
That made Callie smile. “So he hasn’t changed all that much since leaving here.”
“I can’t answer that, ma’am,” Maks said. “What I do know is that Wyatt rarely shows emotion. He keeps it locked inside.”
Callie wrapped the blanket tighter around her. “Why did you leave Delta Force and join the CIA?”
“I thought I could do more good. Besides, growing up with a Russian father gave me an edge since I could speak the language. I didn’t know how big of a shit storm I’d walked into until I saw Orrin.”
Natalie said, “So I imagine there are Saints in the CIA.”
“I didn’t stick around to find out,” he replied.
Callie gave him a hard look. “They’ll be looking for me.”
“Let them,” he stated. “Now, let me ask you a question.”
She was shocked to find it directed at her. Callie glanced at Natalie before she said, “All right.”
“Was there something between you and Wyatt long ago?” Maks asked.
Callie could only stare at him. No one had ever actually come out and asked her. It felt odd to talk about what had been a private affair.
She licked her lips and said, “Yes. Briefly.”
“That’s what I suspected,” Maks said.
Natalie quirked a brow. “Why do you say that?”
“He’s protective of her.”
Nat smiled as she turned her head to Callie. “That he is.”
“He feels responsible, is all,” Callie said.
Maks shrugged. “I beg to differ.”
“What do you know that we don’t?” Natalie asked.
Callie didn’t like the turn the conversation had taken. She shook her head and said, “Enough. I don’t want to hear any more.”
“You don’t want to know if Wyatt cares for you?” Natalie asked in surprise.
Callie felt Maks’s gaze on her as she said, “I know where I stand with Wyatt. We had something once, but it’s over. We’ve partnered up again to find Orrin. That’s all.”
Flashes of their lovemaking replayed in her head, laying waste to her claim.
“Callie, you can’t be serious?” Nat declared in shock.
“I know what type of man Wyatt is. I know where he belongs, and it isn’t on this ranch.”
“You’re being nonsensical.”
Callie lifted her chin. “I’m being practical.”
“What are you being practical about?” Owen asked as he and Wyatt descended into the base.
Callie knew she had to speak before Natalie. “Programming the cameras for a wider angle to gi
ve us a better look.”
“Sounds good to me,” Owen stated.
It was the way Maks had silently watched her during her exchange with first Natalie and then Owen that made her uncomfortable. It was as if he knew that she and Wyatt had been together recently.
Wyatt handed Callie the laptop with a nod. She accepted it, her breath hitching when his hand brushed hers. That small contact sent heat skating through her seductively.
“We need to turn up the heat,” Maks said. “Callie hasn’t stopped shaking.”
Wyatt frowned as he looked her up and down. “You are shaking.”
Callie rolled her eyes. “Stop fussing. I’ll be fine.”
“It’s the blood loss,” Owen said.
She opened the computer and quickly went to her files to connect back to the cameras. Callie hoped by ignoring them that they would see she was only mildly chilled. Except her hands trembled as she typed, causing her to have to backspace and try several times to get the correct letters input.
A second blanket was put around her as she felt the heat kick on. But it was the steaming, giant mug of coffee that made her smile.
She looked up to thank the person responsible and found herself staring into gold eyes. “Thank you.”
“Are you hungry?” Wyatt asked.
Natalie jumped off the stool. “Lord, I can’t believe I didn’t even ask. Callie, I’ll make you anything you want. Say the word.”
“Some soup,” she said, thinking of the warm liquid in her belly.
Natalie gave her a wink. “I’ll be back soon.”
Callie pulled up the map of the ranch and motioned the three men to her. She pointed to where the red dots were blinking. “These are all the cameras that have been installed. Unfortunately that still leaves a lot of acres we can’t see. The Saints could be out there now.”
“I can fix that,” Maks said.
Owen asked, “How?”
Maks took out his phone and put it on speaker before dialing a number. It wasn’t long before a female voice answered.
“Hey, darling,” Maks said.
“Maks,” came the startled reply. “You know you’re not supposed to call me while I’m at work.”
He smiled at them. “Sally, do you remember that favor you owe me?”
She groaned aloud. “You’re not going to call it in now, are you?”
“Yep. I am.”
“I knew it,” she snapped. Then she let out a loud sigh. “Well, go on. What is it?”
Maks looked at Callie as he pointed to her screen. “I need satellite imagery over these coordinates.”
Callie hastily wrote them down and handed them to Maks, who read them to Sally.
“Where do I send these?” Sally questioned in a hard tone.
Once more, Callie scribbled, but this time, it was the secure email address.
After Maks read it off to Sally, he said, “If you do this, your debt is paid.”
“I could get fired for this,” Sally said.
They all waited as she determined what she would do. Finally, she said, “The satellite won’t be over that part of the globe for another hour. As soon as it is, I’ll send what we see.”
“Thank you,” Maks said and disconnected the call.
Callie gave him a thumbs up. “That was nice going. Thanks.”
“It won’t do us much good for another hour,” Owen said. “Why don’t we take a walk out there and see for ourselves?”
Wyatt shook his head. “We stay close to the base and house. What we do need is to move all the cattle and horses.”
“Where?” Callie asked.
Wyatt glanced at Maks. “As far from us as possible.”
“Ahmadi’s men will slaughter everything,” Maks explained.
Callie was appalled. “Over my dead body. I’ll kill all of the terrorists myself if they even think about it.”
“Maybe we should just let Callie loose on them,” Owen joked.
Everyone laughed but Wyatt.
Callie tucked her hair behind her ear. “There are several herds in the back pastures. We’ll never get to them in time.”
“Then we move the ones we can,” Wyatt said.
Callie pointed to a piece of land adjacent to Loughman Ranch. “There’s a small pasture there that belongs to the Deckers, but we use it sometimes.”
“I know the place,” Owen said. “I’ll start moving the animals.”
Maks said, “I’ll give you a hand. That way, I can see what you do on a ranch.”
Their laughter faded as they left her and Wyatt alone. He took the stool Natalie had vacated and held his phone in his hand. He stared at it as if he were unsure about something.
“What is it?” she pressed.
He looked up at her and lifted the cell phone. “If I call the team, they could very well save our bacon.”
“But you’re worried that they’re part of the Saints.”
“While I carried you here after I was injured, Maks told me how Orrin’s entire team was part of the Saints. That’s why Yuri killed them.”
Callie shook her head. “That’s not possible. I helped Orrin vet those men.”
“Maks seemed sure of it.”
Well, hell. No wonder Wyatt was hesitant. She leaned to the left to ease her right side some. “We agreed to follow our gut in this. What is yours saying?”
“Nothing. Not a fucking thing. If I call them and they’re Saints, I’ve killed us all. But if I don’t ask for their help, we’ll probably die anyway.”
The sight of Wyatt so conflicted caused a myriad of emotions within her, and none of them good.
“What do your instincts say?” he asked.
Their gazes held for a long minute before she said, “Call them.”
“Callie, I’ve known most of these men for years. I’ve been shot at for them, but I can’t guarantee that they’ll have our backs.”
She shrugged. “We can say that about anyone, really. If it turns out even one of them is a Saint, then we do what we do.”
“Fight.”
“We fight. I’m not going to let any of them find this base and the bioweapon.”
A soft smile tilted his lips. “You are vicious.”
“I protect what I love.”
The tension thickened as he rolled the stool to her. When he lowered his face near hers, he said, “I’m glad you’re on our side.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Washington DC
“No,” Orrin stated for the third time, but no one was listening to him. It was infuriating.
Mia rolled her eyes, while Yuri merely shook his head, smiling. Cullen didn’t look up from cleaning his guns.
Only Kate bothered to meet his gaze.
“We’ve been over this,” she said.
Orrin couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so frustrated. “It’s too damn dangerous.”
“I’m the only one Hewett doesn’t know.”
“No,” he said again.
Cullen finished with his rifle and stood. He turned his hazel gaze to Orrin. “You know it’s our best option.”
“She could die,” Orrin said.
Mia walked to him and put her hands on his arms crossed over his chest. “The four of us will be nearby. Your plan is solid.”
When he’d come up with it, he never intended for Kate to be a part of anything. Now it was out of his hands. Kate had already risked so much while Yuri held her captive, and she was doing it again.
Her strength and conviction surprised him. She hid her fear well, but he saw it in the depths of her fathomless, gray eyes. Kate had taken care of him, tending his wounds and offering comfort.
What was he doing? Shoving her right into the arms of their enemy, when he should be sending her somewhere safe.
“Here,” Yuri said as he handed Orrin a pistol.
Orrin took it, his gaze looking over Mia’s head to Kate, who finished putting on her coat. There was a fire inside Kate that matched her hair—and called to s
omething within him. It was something he hadn’t felt since Melanie.
“She’s very pretty,” Mia whispered conspiratorially.
He looked down at Mia and nodded. “Yes, she is.”
“Nothing will happen to her. We’re going to make sure of it.”
“I’m going to make sure of it,” he said.
Mia gave him a wink and walked to Cullen. When everyone had their weapons, they began to leave the office one by one until he was left with Kate.
“You can back out,” he told her.
She gave a soft laugh. “You know, I hate anything adventurous. Just looking at a roller coaster gives me hives. But I have to do this.”
“Why?”
She looked briefly at the floor before their eyes met once more. “You.”
“Me?” he asked, confused.
She took a step closer to him and offered up a halfhearted shrug. “I’ll never forget when Yuri brought me to that warehouse to tend to you. You were bleeding and unconscious with broken bones, but you kept fighting. You never gave up.”
“I have a stubborn streak.”
“Yes, but even when death was literally staring down at you, you never gave up. You inspired me.”
He rubbed a hand over his jaw, feeling the day-old whiskers beneath his palm. “I wish I hadn’t. I’d prefer you in the safety of your own home.”
“And I’m happy right here. With you.”
His arm dropped to his side. He hadn’t gone through the last twenty-some-odd years as a complete celibate, but it was a rare thing indeed when a woman caught his attention. Even rarer when he wanted to do something about it.
“I bring trouble wherever I go,” he warned her.
She tucked her fiery locks behind an ear. “You fight for what you believe in.”
“Death follows me.”
“You stand up for what is right.”
“I live a dangerous life.”
The corners of her lips tilted upward. “You are all those things, and it excites me. You excite me.”
He wasn’t sure what to say to such a comment. “Are you always so honest?”
“It’s a flaw.”
“It’s refreshing.” The way her eyes twinkled with pleasure made him want to kiss her.
Kate looked at her watch. “We should go.”
When she turned to go, he grabbed her arm and dragged her to him. Then he bent and placed his mouth over hers. Desire roared through him when her lips moved against his.
