Page 9

9

Lyon

I paced the waiting room, my frustration mounting with every second. Tomorrow, I was supposed to leave for a mission, but now, out of nowhere, Niki had been rushed into emergency surgery. They couldn’t get her fever down—something I’d been telling them for days.

The sound of footsteps near the door made me look up. Max and his parents stood there, their expressions a mix of surprise and concern.

“Lyon? What are you doing here?” Max asked.

“I’m here because Niki is. They just took her in for surgery again, but they won’t tell me why because I’m not family.”

Raeann's face tightened. “I just spoke to the doctors. Apparently, they missed another bullet the first time around. Do you know why she didn’t call us?”

I exhaled sharply. “Because you, Nick, and Max have been through hell. She didn’t want to put more on your shoulders.” I hesitated. “How did you find out she was here?”

“My neighbor saw it on the news,” Raeann said. “I called Joseph, and he admitted Niki told him not to say anything. She’s getting an earful from me when she wakes up.”

Max chuckled. “Mom, you’re starting to sound just like Grandma when she worried about you working for the FBI.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll shut up,” Raeann muttered, already marching toward the nurse’s station. “I want answers. Why was my daughter taken back into surgery?”

“Are you Niki’s mother?” the nurse asked.

“Yes, that’s what I just said.”

The nurse sighed. “Her fever kept spiking, so the doctor ordered a CAT scan. That’s when they found another bullet hidden behind her kidney. She’s in surgery now.”

I clenched my fists, my pulse hammering. “How the hell did they miss that the first time? That could’ve caused an infection—could’ve killed her!”

“Sir, the doctor ordered the scan because he was concerned about Miss Bannon’s fever,” the nurse replied calmly.

I inhaled sharply, willing myself not to lose it. Without another word, I turned and stormed outside, counting to a thousand to cool down. I took Brutus to use the bathroom.

By the time I returned, Niki’s family was gathered in the waiting room.

“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice rough. “I was just—angry. I knew something was wrong, and they waited three damn days to do anything about it.”

Nick Bannon studied me for a moment. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Didn’t you and Niki just meet when you both went to Afghanistan?”

I hesitated. “No. We met when I was fifteen. Some guys jumped me in an alley. Niki saved my ass. Max was there, too.”

Max’s brows lifted. “Wait—you were that kid? I remember that. Niki dragged us to the rough part of town without telling Grandma. She was hell-bent on helping people.”

Nick crossed his arms. “So, is something going on between you two?”

“Not yet,” I admitted. "But when she gets out of here, we’re going to dinner."

Before Nick could respond, a doctor entered.

“Are you Niki’s family?”

“Yes,” Nick said, stepping forward.

The doctor nodded. “She’s going to be fine. We located the bullet behind her kidney and removed it without complications. She’s lucky we caught it in time.” His gaze flicked to me. “You were right. I’m sorry I didn’t listen sooner.”

Relief flooded my chest. “I appreciate that.”

I turned to Raeann. “I have to leave for a mission tomorrow. Can I give you my number?”

She handed me her phone, and I quickly typed it in before heading out.

Later that night, I stood on my deck, staring out at the ocean. From here, I could see the entire valley, sprawling and untouched. When I first found this land, I knew it was where I’d build my home. Others preferred to live on the beach, but I liked the open space. It reminded me of how far I’d come—from growing up in poverty, watching my mom work three jobs just to move us into a mobile home park. That we loved, it was the first time we owned our own place.

She still lived there. No matter how many times I’d offered to move her in with me, she refused. It was her home.

With a sigh, I grabbed my bag and headed to the Golden Team’s headquarters. In my office, I printed out my mission briefing. Two Navy SEALs had gone missing in Iran while searching for a friend. No one knew if they’d found him—no one even knew if they were still alive.

At the briefing, I scanned the room. “Who’s going with me?”

“Cyclone and Raven,” River answered.

I nodded. “We get in and out, fast. Iran isn’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat, and I’d rather not end up in one of their prisons. We’re looking for two SEALs, possibly three if they found their friend. With any luck, they’re still breathing.”

Cage leaned forward. “How’s Niki?”

I exhaled. "Remember how I kept saying her fever wouldn’t go down? Turns out there was another bullet. I told the doctors three days ago something was wrong, but they wouldn’t listen."

"At least her family’s with her now," Raven said. Then he smirked. "By the way, you said we’d freak when we found out who she is. So? Who is she?"

I hesitated, then grinned. "My Niki."

Gideon blinked. "Your what?"

I ran a hand through my hair. "She took off the wig. She’s got red hair. Green eyes. When I saw her, I almost passed out. I knew right away. I’ve had a crush on her since I was fifteen."

Raven snorted. "So, fate, huh?"

"Fate," Gideon echoed. "Like it was meant to be."

Raven rolled his eyes. "You sound like Laney and Haley."

"What else would you call it?" Gideon challenged.

Raven shrugged. "Alright, fine. Since you saved my sister and niece, maybe fate is real."

I smirked. "So, you’re saying fate didn’t bring me and Niki together?"

"Wait—you guys are together?"

"Not yet," I admitted. "But we will be. We have a date as soon as she’s out of the hospital. And I did kiss her once. She kissed me back." I grinned. "So yeah—fate had a hand in that. Plus, I didn’t even know she was my Niki then. She was still in disguise."

Raven crossed his arms. "And what do you think she’d say if she heard you calling her ‘my Niki’?"

I smirked. "I think she’d like it."

Cyclone chuckled. "Alright, Romeo. Are we going, or are we standing around talking about destiny all morning?"

I grabbed my gear. "Let’s move out."