She went completely limp in al Fareed’s arms, ducking her head and trusting her life in Ten’s shot. She heard the ping and then she was falling. Before she could hit the grass, Jesse was there. He lifted her into his arms and then fell to his knees, but not before he pulled her free of al Fareed’s body. The guard dropped beside them. He’d never had a chance once Simon had him in his sights.
“Erin’s with the boat and I’m coming in,” Hutch said cheerfully as if he hadn’t just witnessed a bloody battle. “Simon, I’m going to need that chopper. Could you hurry? He’s going to try to take off.”
Simon moved in and there was the sound of another shot.
She looked in horror at Jesse’s back as she scrambled to her knees. It was a mass of welts and cuts. He was bleeding from his shoulder. “Oh, baby.”
He stared at al Fareed’s body, but the minute she spoke, he turned and reached for her. “It’s over now. Phoebe, we can go home.”
As gently as she could, she wrapped her arms around him. “My home is wherever you are.”
He held her tight. “Good, because the minute I can, I’m putting you over my knee.”
Suddenly Ten stood above them. “Murdoch, you all right?”
Jesse took the hand Ten held out, letting his future brother-in-law help him up before doing the same for Phoebe. “I’ve never been better. You gave up a lot to come after me.”
“I owed you, brother. I’m sorry I had to kill him. That was your right.”
Jesse shook his head. “No. I didn’t need to kill him. I already beat him. I beat him when I survived and I beat him again when I thrived.” His hand found hers and he threaded their fingers together. “And now we’ll move on and have a family. I wouldn’t have Phoebe without him. I won’t say I’m grateful to him, but I would go through it all over again to find my wife.”
She squeezed his hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
He nodded and started for the docks. Theo and Erin were already at the boat and she could see Kamdar hadn’t pawned the job off. He’d told her he would get off on the adrenaline. Simon waved at Hutch, who stepped over the pilot’s body as he got into the cab of the chopper. Hutch was taking the helicopter?
She looked back and her brother wasn’t behind her. Ten stood by the chopper as Hutch fired it up.
He looked so alone standing there. He nodded her way and held up a hand. His mouth moved, but she couldn’t hear him over the helicopter blades. She could see what he said.
I love you.
He hopped in, gave Hutch the thumbs-up, and the chopper lifted into the air.
“It’s okay,” Jesse said. “We’ll meet up in Loa Mali.”
He tugged on her hand and she followed, but she knew the truth. Her brother was gone. He was in the wind, disavowed and alone.
And very likely looking for revenge.
Still, even as she prayed for Ten, she followed Jesse because he was her future, her gift.
Two Months Later
Dallas, TX
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Big Tag asked the question in an exaggerated whisper. “Because we can still get you out of here. I’ve got an extraction team standing by.”
It took all Jesse had not to roll his eyes. Even in a situation like this, his boss was sarcastic. “I think the extraction team is all here.”
“That’s what I meant. We can get you out in a heartbeat. This is insane. No one does this willingly.”
“Oh and Charlotte had to drag you down the aisle?” After all, Tag was trying to save him from his wedding.
The big guy shrugged in his tux. “We eloped so it was all sex and a British Elvis impersonator. None of this fancy shit. That’s the way to go. I got married in a T-shirt and jeans.”
Alex McKay shook his head and passed Jesse a drink. Rum and Coke. He couldn’t stand that Scotch stuff. “Don’t believe him. I’ve seen the pictures. He was wearing a nice pair of slacks and she even got him into a tie. And Ian, I heard Charlotte tell Eve that she thinks you two should have a recommitment ceremony after the babies are born.”
Ian went a little pale. It was good to know one little sonogram could shake his boss. Charlotte Taggart was pregnant with twins. Big Tag didn’t half ass anything. “She’s high if she thinks she’s getting me in a monkey suit.”
Sean looked up from his phone. “Dude, you’re in a monkey suit now.”
“Yeah, but Murdoch here’s paying me.”
“No, I’m not.” He was enjoying the camaraderie of his brothers. Just the night before they’d arranged a bachelor party for him. Poker and pi?a coladas. It had been perfect.
“See, that’s what you think, but there’s always a price,” Tag replied.
The door opened and Simon walked in. Naturally his tux was perfect and custom made. No rentals for the Brit. “Theo and Case are here. They send their regards from the rest of the team.”
Ten’s team had reported to Langley, even Hutch, who had showed up a day late and claimed to have absolutely no knowledge of where their former boss was. Hutch claimed Ten had ditched him in Oman. Theo had told him and Phoebe that Ten wanted them to remain at the Agency. He hadn’t wanted a single one to sacrifice for him.