Scarred Sunrise: A Fortis Security Novel Book 10 (Fortis Security Series)

by Maddie Wade

  “Wow, that’s so surreal, seeing them together.”

  “They look happy.”

  “Yes, they do, which makes it even harder to understand. If he loved my mum like it seems he does in this picture, then why leave?”

  “They say it’s possible to be in love with two people at the same time.”

  Ty said nothing but kept looking at the picture before peering closer. “Is that the black opal ring that Rhea wears now?”

  Liz looked closer, zooming in on the grainy image. “Yes, it looks like it.”

  “I guess it’s crazy to think that Rhea wouldn’t have paid my mum a visit at some stage. She would’ve wanted to warn her off in some way, probably took that when she did.”

  Liz fought a yawn and failed. “Sorry.”

  “No, I should take you home. It’s been a long day and us exhausting ourselves past sense won’t help.”

  Will stretched and stood, hooking an arm around Aubrey. “We should get some sleep too.”

  “Do you want to sleep here or go home?” Ty asked as they made it to the hallway.

  “Home, I want to check in with Mateo and Dad.”

  “No problem, let’s go.”

  They were quiet in the car as he drove her home, pulling up to the house that she loved, the treehouse she’d played in still in the back garden. “You want to stay here? Save you going home.”

  Ty looked surprised at her request. “Are you sure? What about Mateo?”

  “We can get up before he does, so he doesn’t have the shock of seeing us in bed together.”

  “If you’re sure, I’d love that.”

  She linked her fingers with his as they walked to the front door. She let them in, turning off the alarm before relocking the door. The living room light was on which wasn’t a surprise; her father was an awful insomniac.

  He was sitting in his favourite chair watching a boxing match repeat but looked up when they entered. “Hey, princess.”

  She walked over and dropped a kiss to his stubbled cheek. “Hey, Dad.”

  Her father looked behind her and nodded at Ty. He was taking it easy on him but she knew her father still had reservations about whether or not Ty was in it for the long haul or would bail on her.

  Her own doubts were almost gone, but the ones that remained were more about someone taking him away from her not him running. The sense of impending doom since the night Harlow was born had not disappeared but remained a low bubbling simmer in the back of her mind. Her sisters felt it too, but nobody could see the exact reason or direction it came from. She knew it was all linked to Winslow, how could it not be with the blade she dangled over the unsuspecting world.

  “Is Mateo okay?”

  Her father gave her a tired but indulgent smile. “Yes, he’s fine. Did his homework, we watched some celebrity thing about a jungle, and then he went to bed.”

  “We’re headed to bed too, but I’ll get up and make us pancakes in the morning.”

  He rubbed her hand. “Okay, princess.”

  “Are you okay to have him again tomorrow or do you want me to drop him with Lauren?”

  “I’m happy to have him but see what the boy wants.”

  “Okay, Dad. Goodnight.”

  “Night, Colin.”

  “Goodnight, son.”

  Liz felt her heart clench at the endearment her father had given Ty. It was his sign that he accepted him, and it meant the world to her. She could tell by the twitch on Ty’s face it meant a lot to him as well.

  Finally, exhaustion got the better of her, and she took Ty’s hand and led him upstairs. In her room, she didn’t bother with much apart from brushing her teeth and brushing out her hair. She went to take her shirt off, but Ty stopped her.

  “Let me.”

  Her body sparked in response to the desire she saw in his eyes as he watched her do normal things. Letting her hands fall to her sides, she let him undress her until she was naked save for her underwear. He kissed her legs and belly as he helped her out of those, and she shivered with need. Finally, he stood and drew his shirt over his head, revealing the sexy muscles with a sprinkling of dark hair that made her weak for him.

  Instead of removing his jeans straight away, he slid his shirt over her head, letting it fall to her thighs. “Get into bed, Liz, before I forget how tired you are.”

  She felt a little put out that he was teasing her like that, but as she hit the bed, she knew her body needed sleep. Moments later the light shut off and he slid in behind her, pulling her body over his so her thigh was draped over his waist.

  She felt the cotton of his boxers against her centre, the ridge of his erection teasing her body, making her wriggle.

  “Keep still, Liz.”

  “I can’t, you got me all worked up.” She sounded bitchy, and she knew it.

  Finding herself on her back with the man she loved looming over her, his features hard and beautiful in the moonlight, had her smiling, a sense of contentment filtering through her.

  “If you ignore it, it goes away.”

  Liz stroked her fingers up the sides of his ribs, making him groan as he dipped his mouth to her neck. “Does it?”

  “No, but I’m trying to be the sensible one for a change.”

  “I don’t want sensible, Ty. I want whatever Ty you want to be.”

  “Hmm, that sounds dangerous.” He trailed his hand under the tee she wore, flicking her nipple with this thumb, causing her back to arch in pleasure. “Lose the shirt, Liz.”

  Lifting, she yanked the tee over her head, throwing it to the floor as he removed his boxers, kicking them down his legs. She felt his erection at her centre as he ground his cock against her clit, her nails digging into his shoulder at the exquisite sensation.

  “You want me to grab a condom, baby?”

  Liz shook her head. “I’m clean.”

  “I’ve been tested too, but are you on contraception?” His words were raspy with desire as he moved again, so his cock hit her clit, almost sending her over the edge.

  “Yes.”

  “That’s good, baby, ’cos when I put a baby in your belly, I want it to be something we talked about first.”

  “It won’t be that easy. I’m an old woman as far as having babies is concerned.”

  “Fuck that, you’re damn perfect.”

  She had no chance to respond to all the beauty in that sentence before he pushed inside her. The pinch of pleasure and pain made her move to get closer to him before he stroked into her again, his pelvis brushing her clit each time.

  His lips found hers, and he kissed her as if it were the only thing in the world he ever wanted to do. The slow, languorous way he made love to her had tears forming in her eyes as her climax built slowly until it crashed over her in a wave of pleasure as she felt him swell and find his own release with a shudder of breath.

  Ty leaned up and kissed her gently before pulling from her body and moving to the en-suite to get a warm, damp cloth and cleaning her body of his seed. Again, she felt on the cusp of tears at the way this hard man was so gentle with her. She’d fallen in love with the boy, but she stayed in love with the man.

  Gathering her close, he held her. “Liz?”

  “Yes, honey?”

  “I don’t believe that, about loving two people.”

  “Oh?”

  “No, because there’s no way on earth I could feel the love I have for you for anyone else. You’re my entire world and nothing and nobody could even come close to you for me.”

  Her tears ran down her face then as the words she’d waited for so many years hit her ears. “I agree. I love you the same way. Like we were made for one another.”

  “Do you want more children, Liz?”

  “Yes, if it’s possible, but I don’t know if it is.”

  “Maybe when this is over, we can talk about that.”

  “I’d love that.”

  “Liz?”

  “Yes, Ty?

  “Go to sleep, babe.”

  She
grinned at him. “Okay, Ty.”

  Chapter 21

  He woke around six, a warm body draped over him like a blanket, which was just as well because she’d stolen the quilt. He smiled as he slid from beneath her tempting form and used the bathroom before he dressed in his clothes from yesterday. His t-shirt, which she hadn’t put back on, had her scent on it and he inhaled it like a junkie sniffing crack.

  Making his way downstairs, he was surprised to see Colin sipping a cup of tea at the table. He hesitated a second wondering if he should leave the other man to his morning routine in peace.

  “Come in, lad.” Smithy moved into the room. “Make yourself a cup. I’m too old to be running around after ya.”

  “Can I make you a fresh one?”

  Colin drained his cup and held it out to Smithy, who took it and refilled it. Once they both had a cup, Smithy sat opposite Colin savouring that first sip and the silence and beauty of the morning. “I love this time of day. Always full of so many opportunities at this time. The day is young and can go in any direction.”

  Colin regarded him over his cup. “I’m an old man, but I know what love is, and I see you love my daughter, but that don’t mean I trust you not to run.”

  Smithy respected Colin. He’d been through hell with his family, and he knew he’d earned his distrust, but it didn’t mean he liked it. His hand tightened on the cup he held, and he took a second, sipping to form a response that would convince Colin how he felt. “I understand your feelings towards me, sir, and I can’t rightly say what’s different except to say that I’m different now. I love Liz. I always have, but now I’m learning that I have worth and I never knew that before.”

  Colin nodded. “Out of all my kids my Lizzie is outwardly the strongest, but she carries the weight of this family as her own. When we lost her mum, she tried to step into that role, trying to be both sister and parent to Dane and Lucy. I knew when she met you, and I was glad for it. She became a teenager again, which is what I wanted for her.”

  “I won’t hurt her again, Colin. I promise you if it’s in my power to do so I’ll never hurt her again.”

  “Good because Lizzie is strong, but she isn’t unbreakable.”

  “I understand.”

  Colin dipped his head. “Now how about we get a fry up on the go?”

  Smithy worked beside Colin until Lizzie came down and shooed them out of the way.

  “I thought I was cooking breakfast?”

  Smithy snagged her waist and kissed her soundly before grinning. “You needed the sleep.”

  “I was tired, but I feel energised now.”

  A set of brown eyes the image of his mother’s peered around the corner before Mateo walked in the door and stopped suddenly. Smithy was still angry about what the boy’s father had said, filling the kid’s head with doubt when he’d already been through so much.

  “Hey, Mateo.”

  Lizzie glanced at the kitchen door and then held her hand out to her son. “Hey, buddy, come sit down.” Mateo went to his mum and hugged her but kept his eyes on Smithy. “Go sit with grandpa. You know Ty, don’t you?”

  The kid nodded and moved to sit beside his grandpa.

  Smithy felt so awkward it was unreal as the child assessed him, and he waited to see if he passed the test or not.

  “Did you sleep over?” Mateo asked him as he sipped the orange juice his mum handed him.

  “I did, yes.” He was opting for honesty and hoping if it got too sticky Liz would save him.

  “Did you sleep in Mum’s bed?”

  Smithy almost choked on his tea, inhaling the hot liquid into his lungs, coughing and spluttering as Liz hid her smile behind a tea towel and Colin looked to be enjoying every second of his discomfort.

  Finally, Liz pulled herself together long enough to pull his ass out the fire. “Now, Mateo, we talked about this. Ty is my boyfriend and sometimes boyfriends have sleepovers.”

  Smithy almost groaned at the term boyfriend. It didn’t in any way project the way he felt about Lizzie, and just as soon as was humanly possible and socially acceptable, he was going to fix that. “Mateo, do you like computers?”

  The child focused on him and nodded. “Yeah, I can code.”

  “Wow, that’s impressive. If your mum doesn’t mind, I could do with some help today at Fortis with a problem I’m having.”

  “Really?”

  “If it’s okay with your mum.”

  Smithy had taken a chance asking without checking first, and he’d make sure it didn’t happen again, but he needed for Mateo not to see him as the man taking his mother away.

  He and Mateo looked at Lizzie for an answer.

  “Yes, if you need help, then Mateo is your boy.”

  “Yes!” Mateo pumped his fist in the air and went to move away.

  “Hey, hang on, buddy. We need to eat first.”

  They ate, and Colin lifted his cup in salute. “Well played, son.”

  Smithy tried not to let the words affect him but couldn’t help feeling proud and touched by the fact Colin seemed impressed.

  When they had eaten and were dressed, Smithy drove them to Fortis. Mateo was chatting up a storm by then and treating Smithy like his new best friend. He’d never given much thought to kids, knowing the only woman he’d ever want them with was married then out of his league. She was, and would always be, out of his league, but now he’d learned that sometimes not every choice was his alone to make.

  He placed a hand on Mateo’s shoulder as he led him into the Tech room, having sent a text to Will to let him know. His friend had quickly written some code that Mateo could ‘fix’ for him.

  “Will, I’ve brought us some help.”

  “Hey, mate, I’m glad you’re here. I have a tonne of things to get done, and Smithy can’t help me.”

  “I know Python.”

  “That’s great. Sit yourself up here and let’s see.”

  Liz rested her chin on his shoulder. “You made his day.”

  “Yeah, well, I had to improvise after you hung me out to dry.”

  “But you did great.”

  “Hmm, I should still tan your ass for it.”

  “That a threat or a promise?”

  “Woman, unless you want to make good on that, I suggest you quit it.”

  Lizzie’s laughter was still ringing in his ears an hour later as he worked his way through the files. So far, he’d learned nothing of any importance.

  Zin put his head around the door a little later and nodded towards the hallway. Smithy stood and dropped a kiss on Lizzie’s bare shoulder under the watchful, but not hostile, stare of her son.

  He closed the door behind him. “What’s up?”

  “The scientist wants to speak to you.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “He remembers you from the Isle of Man.”

  Smithy shrugged. “Fine.”

  He followed Zin towards the interrogation room where the taller of the two men was seated with a plastic bottle of water in front of him. His collar undone, tie removed, and hands cuffed in front of him, he looked rattled. His bald head and round rimless glasses did little to make him look any less flustered.

  Smithy sat opposite the man trying to remember him and having the barest of memories that were just out of his grasp. “You wanted to talk to me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well?” Smithy sat back, waiting to hear what he had to say.

  “You’re the one who was different.”

  Smithy shook his head impatiently. “Different how?”

  “You only had the drug.”

  “The mind control drug?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about the others? What did they have if not the drug?”

  “They had the implant after the first soldiers began to die from too many side-effects.”

  Smithy glanced towards Zin, who he knew was listening behind the smoked glass. “Tell me about the implant.”

  “It releases a low but steady amount of the d
rug over a longer period, but you were given higher doses.”

  “How did I fight it and they can’t?”

  “Because the implant not only releases the drug, it’s controlled by a frequency.”

  “Like a radio frequency?”

  “More like a microwave frequency. Microwave devices use pulse regulated microwaves at an intensity of 450MHz that pass through the skull into the brain. In conjunction with the drug, it turns the person into a submissive zombie, controlling their behaviour. Microwave transmitters are the perfect tool for transmitting ELF signals to control the soldiers.”

  “Are these the same implants that are in the UK military?”

  The man hung his head in shame and Smithy almost felt sorry for him; he’d been duped like so many others. “Yes.”

  “Why was I different?”

  “She’d never tell us.”

  “What do you know about her plans to release the annihilation drug?”

  “She didn’t tell us the details of her plans, but you need to stop her. The drug sticks to the protein in the DNA of the person who inhales it. If they have the protein linked to their ability it’s harmless. But if that protein isn’t found, the drug destroys the immune system in an attempt to survive, much as a virus does.”

  “Why are you telling me this? Why not tell one of the others?”

  “The Divine One knows you’re coming. She knew you’d come to the island, that’s why she left.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I heard her on the phone.”

  “Who to?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Did you ever see her husband?”

  “No.”

  “Can you tell me anything else about the plan at all?”

  “Just that where she releases it, she’ll need access to power.”