Page 7

STONE

Kendall is strong. She spent the last hour pacing my living room. At first, she couldn’t believe her brother showed up, spewed such nasty things, and asked her to come with him. Then she raged at his audacity and self-centeredness, only to try to explain it away as a result of his deep hurt.

I make another cup of tea for her and set it on the coffee table, then pull her down onto the couch beside me and into my arms. For a moment, she stiffens, then snuggles into my side.

“He’s wrong, Kendall. I’d lay down my life for you.

I’m not going to push you away in favor of something or someone else. ”

She’s silent for a long time. “I want more than your protection, Stone.”

“You have it.” The words come easily because I mean the promise behind them. She wants tomorrow with me? She has it. Forever? I’ll put a ring on her finger tomorrow to tell the world she’s mine. It’s that simple.

She relaxes against me, snuggling her head under my chin. “What happens now?”

“It will be dark in a couple of hours and the rain should let up soon. I don’t like waiting for something to happen, but there’s not much more we can do tonight.” I blow out a frustrated breath.

Ryan made his intent clear. He’s going to run.

Even if Ilya were to get his hands on Kendall—and he’d lose them if he tried—Ryan’s so angry with us right now, any attempt to use her as leverage would probably fail.

If that happened, Ilya would only have one use for her.

She’d be his plaything until he grew bored and got rid of her.

There’s only one way I can see out of this. “I’ll call a friend in New Orleans. He should be able to get me the money in a few hours.”

Kendall sits up. “You plan to pay the debt?”

“If that’s what it takes to keep you safe, then yeah.”

“No. That’s not right. Ryan made this mess.

He can’t keep blaming you for all his problems. You shouldn’t pay guilt money to fix it.

Even if you had stayed in the same unit or whatever, who’s to say he wouldn’t have continued to make bad choices and still end up here?

How many people would have died if you weren’t with your SEAL team to save them? ”

Too many.

“None of his actions are your fault, Stone. You can’t carry that guilt.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t have lost his friendship.”

Tears well in her eyes. She blinks them away and says, “He’s so twisted up inside. I think you probably still would have.”

I cup her cheek and place a soft kiss on her lips. “Maybe you’re right. But paying the debt is no longer about Ryan. It’s about you. If I have to drop Petrova’s ass in the middle of Fort Knox to keep him away from you, I’ll fucking do it.”

Kendall climbs into my lap and wraps her arms around my neck, holding me close. I feel the bonds between us growing deeper with every breath. Every confession. I will forever be indebted to Ryan for the friendship we had. Through it, I found Kendall. The woman I’m in love with.

The difference in our age doesn’t matter. All it means is that we can learn different things about each other. What matters is how I feel, and just the thought of losing her scares me like nothing ever has. I need her with me. Now and always.

“You don’t have to clean up after him, Kendall. I admire your loyalty and the love you have for him. But he has to learn to face his own actions. You heard him out there. He still believes all this is someone else’s fault. That he’s the victim.”

“I know he’s responsible for his choices.”

“Then you have to let him face the consequences, or he won’t change.”

“I’m so afraid to lose him, Stone. That he’ll go so far out on that limb, it will snap, and he’ll fall to his death.”

“I know, baby girl.” I can’t tell her not to worry.

Even if he does fall, he’ll have to catch himself for once.

Her brother has been her hero her whole life.

Seeing him fall without trying to help would break her.

“We’ll do what we can. At some point though, it’s up to him.

I won’t let you keep getting hurt every time he needs someone to mop up his mess. ”

She tangles her fingers with mine. “I’ll help you stop feeling guilty if you will help me stop trying to fix him.”

I bring her hand up to my lips for a soft kiss. “Deal.”

She smiles like the sun breaking through the dark storm clouds.

I pull her in for another, tender kiss, letting it linger.

Right as the heat begins to build, my radio crackles across the room.

...accident. ...on foot. Be advised of road blockage, and possible...

The hair prickles on the back of my neck, and my muscles tense. I set Kendall on the cushion beside me and shoot to my feet, grabbing the radio. “Hollow Point One, this is Colter. Please repeat.”

Kendall is by my side in seconds, barely breathing. The worry flashing through her eyes confirms she’s feeling this sense of foreboding too.

“Acknowledged Colter. This is Bishop. Two miles south of you, a truck slid into a tree and is blocking the road.”

Shit. Ryan tore out of here full of fire and fury, too angry to drive reasonably in the pouring rain. “The make?”

“Old Ford truck, probably from the ‘70s.”

Kendall’s hand covers her mouth.

“The driver?” I ask, jaw clenched.

“On foot. He and the other group are unaccounted for at this time. The storm is clearing. Hale will have the thermal drone up in the next few minutes.”

Hale is Hollow Point Rescue’s main tech guy. The thermal imaging cameras on his drones have located lost hikers faster than the search helicopters. He should be able to locate Ryan.

The radio crackles again. “Walker here. I spotted the boot prints of four men heading south prior to the storm. Might be some of your missing hikers.” Mason Walker works with Ezra and I on Solace Ridge. He’s also an expert tracker.

“Be advised the four may not be lost hikers. If so, the crash victim is their target,” I reply.

“Colter, next time you throw a party, make it pizza and beer—not hostage situations. I’ve got enough work to do,” Bishop grumbles. The radio clicks, and he adds, “Drone is up. Keep your radio nearby. We’ll call when we have something.”

A second later, my phone rings. It’s Mason.

“The weather is shit for tracking, but I know you don’t want to wait by the radio. Meet me at the crash site. We’ll go from there.”

“Thanks man.” I hang up and make another call.

“What?” Anson says on the fourth ring, when I’m about to hang up.

“I need your rifle.”

His voice is sharp when he asks, “Where?”

I fill him in on the situation. Maybe the four men are hikers, but my gut is screaming otherwise.

“I’ll be there.” Anson hangs up.

Kendall grips my forearm. “You’re going to rescue Ryan?”There’s a thread of uncertainty in her voice.

Probably because I threatened to bury him not two hours ago. But despite all that’s happened, all the hard feelings, he’s still Kendall’s brother and someone I care about. “Yeah, baby girl. He’s burned damn near every bridge, but you love him. I’ll try to bring him back in one piece.”

She presses a hard kiss to my lips. “I love you, Stone Colter.”

My heart flips over in my chest, then bangs against my ribs. Before I can bask in the warmth, she douses it with ice water.

“I’m going with you.”

“Oh hell, no. You’re staying right here. Lock the doors, draw the curtains, and sit tight.”

“Alone? Hell no. I’ve seen that horror movie. The bad guy always finds the woman alone in the cabin and kills her violently. You might as well say ‘Let’s split up’, before you leave!”

Horror movies aside, she raises a good point. If she’s here by herself, she’s unprotected, and I won’t be able to get to her in time if something happens. Yet taking her with me divides my concentration. I don’t have time to drop her at Mason’s place to stay with Bella.

“Alright, you can go. But if I say run, get your pretty ass out of there, got it?”

“Yes. I’ll do whatever you say. I won’t get in the way.” She draws a cross over her heart with her finger as she speaks.

Damned adorable.

If she’s with me, then I’m going to need one more person. I go back to the radio. “Bishop, you copy?”

“Copy,” the rescue leader replies.

“Kendall is with me. Her brother may be the accident victim. I’ve called in Mason and Anson. I need a third to keep her safe. Maybe Boone?”

“Me. I’m five minutes out.”

“Appreciate it.” That gives us just enough time to make it to the accident site.

I end the transmission and look down at Kendall. She’s already pulling on her boots, her hair in a bun, and her face tight with focus.

Fuck, I love her.

While she zips her jacket, I grab the extra gear bag and toss in a med kit, headlamp, and a blanket. I hesitate only a second before handing it to her.

She doesn’t blink. Just slides the strap over her shoulder and clicks it into place.

I tug her in for a quick, fierce kiss. “Stay close. If we’re separated, you hide and wait for me. ”

“Yes, sir,” she murmurs, so fierce, sweet, and totally mine.

As we head for the door, headlights slash across the drive. Anson’s truck. Right on time.

And thank God—because if this ends in a firefight, I want the guy with a long gun and short temper on my side.