Page 33 of Edinburgh Escape (Brotherhood Protectors International #5)

When Callum was far enough away from the firestorm, he slowed to a halt, backed the forklift away from the rear of the vehicle and shut down the engine.

Sirens sounded nearby, growing louder.

With Ramsey and Dax providing cover, Callum dropped down from the machine and ran toward the back of the van.

The rear door was smashed in enough that he couldn’t open it.

He pounded his fist against the metal. “Maggie! Bryce! Please tell me you’re in there.

” He leaned his forehead against the cool metal and prayed.

“Callum?” Maggie’s muffled voice sounded through the door. “Callum? Oh God, Callum. I knew you’d come. I knew it.”

“I want to go home,” Bryce called out.

“The door is smashed. I’ll need something to pry it open.”

“Are you safe?” Maggie asked. “We heard gunfire. Some of the bullets came through the sides of the van.”

Callum’s breath caught. “Were you hit?”

“No,” Maggie said.

Fearghas, Jack and Ewan arrived. They tried opening the door with all of them pulling hard with their hands. It didn’t budge. A minute later, Ace showed up with a tire iron in his hand.

Callum wedged it in between the doors and pulled hard, leaning all of his weight into the metal bar. The door burst open, and Maggie fell into Callum’s arms.

He dropped the tire iron to the ground and gathered Maggie close to him. Ewan swept Bryce up in his arms and held him close as the boy buried his face against his brother’s chest. “I was scared, but I tried to be brave,” he said with a catch in his voice.

Maggie leaned over and touched Bryce’s arm. “You were very brave. You broke my zip tie. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“We were brave together,” Bryce reached for her hand, “because we’re family.”

As he stared at the three redheads holding each other, Callum’s heart swelled. “Like family,” he whispered, a family he’d love to be a part of. Though Douglas Drummond had been a bloody bastard, his children had turned out all right despite him.

“What about Rory?” Ewan asked. “Did you see my cousin in there?”

Callum placed a hand on Ewan’s shoulder. “I’m pretty sure he was the guy who opened the overhead door.” He shook his head. “He didn’t make it.”

“I’m sure we’ll get the call later this evening.” Ewan hugged Bryce closer. “As angry as I was that he put our family in danger, I didn’t wish for him to die that way.”

“He got us out of the warehouse,” Callum said. In his eyes, the man had redeemed himself at a heavy cost—his life.

“As well-meaning as the rescue effort was,” Ace said, “I’m not sure the Scottish police will look the other way at the weapons we brought into the country.”

Behind them, the truck that had brought the Donchenko Bratva to the warehouse spun in the middle of the road and took off in the opposite direction. No one else emerged from the building.

Callum looped his arm around Maggie’s waist and hurried her to where they’d parked the cars. They tossed the weapons into the trunks, climbed in and took off down a back alley, not emerging onto the main road until they were well past the incoming police cars.

Maggie sat in the front seat, holding Callum’s hand all the way back to Drummond estate.

When they arrived at the manor, Bryce was reunited with Fiona, who cried as she held her little boy.

They gathered in the kitchen where Cook had prepared food for all of them. After Fiona took Bryce up to his bed, the others stayed up late, talking about the mission until the adrenaline waned and they wandered up to the bedrooms Mrs. Jones had prepared for the additional guests.

Callum walked Maggie to the door of the bedroom they shared.

“You’re staying,” Maggie said.

He pulled her close and kissed her gently. “I thought I’d lost you, and it nearly broke me.”

“I thought I’d never see you again. Bryce and I were working on finding our way out when the bullets started flying. I didn’t think you’d find us in time. All I could think about was that I wanted to be with you.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “But I can’t. I don’t trust myself.”

“We can make love and then sleep in different beds. You’ll be close, but far enough away you won’t hurt me.”

“I can’t ask you to live like that.”

“You don’t have to ask me.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m telling you it’s what I want.”

“You deserve a better life. A better man. One who doesn’t try to kill you in his sleep.”

“Do I get a say in this?” she asked.

He kissed the tip of her nose. “No.” Callum knew what he had to do. He had to walk away, though every fiber of his being wanted to stay. “I’ll sleep on one of those fancy sofas in the sitting room downstairs. I’m leaving with Ace and his crew tomorrow.”

Maggie’s eyes widened. “That’s it? You’re going to leave?”

He nodded. “I have no choice. I’m not fit for a relationship with anyone.”

“I get it.” Maggie backed away. “You aren’t as into me as I’m into you, but you can’t just come out and say it.

” She squared her shoulders. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. You did your job. Making love with me was probably just a perk, or worse...a responsibility to keep the client happy. Either way, you’re off the hook.

I won’t bother you anymore. You can go on with your life, and I’ll go back to Montana. ”

Maggie stepped into the room Callum had shared with her and made the sweetest love with her. She met his gaze. “Goodnight and goodbye.” Then she closed the door.