Page 118 of Oathbreaker

Flying into one of the armpits of hell means a long, uncomfortable ride on a military cargo plane. It’s loud, cold, and…unyielding.

My thoughts are unyielding as well.

I broke my promise to the two girls I love most in the world.

Hell, I broke my promise to myself.

When I was in Siberia, I promised myself, fate, and all the gods in every religion that if I got out of there—if I got another chance to be with Briar—I would never leave her again. That my need for her far outweighs my need to right the wrongs in the world.

Yet here I am.

On this fucking plane heading to a remote outstation in the wilderness of Finland, where we can hike to where we believe they’re holding Igor. If we’re wrong, and there’s a trap waiting for us, we’re all dead. If we’re right and they outgun us, we’re all dead. If we’re wrong and there's no one there, I’m going to wish I was dead because I know Igor can’t last much longer.

“You okay?” Landon “Grim” Grimshaw studies my face carefully.

We served together when I was first deployed. He was my commanding officer then, a big, stand-up guy with a moral code that matches my own and fighting skills like no one I’ve ever seen. Not even me. When people joke about being able to kill someone twenty-seven ways with one hand tied behind their back? That’s Grim.

He’s six feet four inches of solid muscle, with a short, scruffy beard and piercing dark eyes. Men give him a wide berth, women swarm to him like bees to honey, and bad guys are terrified.

He’s out of the military, working private security for a firm in Vegas, but if anyone could help me get Igor out, it’s Grim.

And just like Dash has always been my sidekick, Elliott “Rage” Rageis is his. I don’t know exactly how long they’ve been friends but even though I’d never met him until today, Grim talked about him enough to make me feel like we’re already friends. Kind of the way I talked about my brothers.

Rage doesn’t truly know me either, but he came because Grim asked. So, I have mad respect for him. I’m also aware of his martial arts training. He’s not a killer so much as a fighter. I watched a video of an MMA fight where he fought and he’s beautiful to watch.

And now the three of us, along with a small group of Navy SEALs, are going in to get Igor.

“Colt?” Grim is still staring at me. “You are definitely not in a good head space. What’s going on?”

“Sorry. I left things a mess back home.”

“How come?”

“I finally got my girl back, found out we had a kid while I was in training, and just bought a ring. I promised her I was done.”

“She understands this is a one-off, doesn’t she?”

“I don’t…” I shake my head. “She does but I promised her I’d never leave her and Frankie again. And yet, I just did.”

There’s a strange, momentary haunted look in Grim’s eyes, as if he’s experienced something similar. Then it’s gone, and he shrugs. “If there’s something more important than this mission, why are you here?”

“I owe him my life. If he hadn’t risked his to get me out of that prison, I’d be dead and I wouldn’t have gotten back to my girl and my kid.”

“That’s fair, but you have to get your head in the game or you’re no good to any of us. Igor needs you focused, and so do the rest of us. You’re the team leader here, Colt. You have to lead.”

“I will!” I snap. Then I close my eyes and take a breath. “Sorry. But I’ve got this. I just—the look in her eyes when I left. She said she wouldn’t give me a third chance. And if I ruined things with us over this, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“You’ll figure it out. Lots of people co-parent without being together.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Then tell me.”

“She’s my life—my family. Her and Frankie and the boys.”

“You’re talking about Dash and the guys you went to college with.”

“Yeah. And that includes Igor. I mean, he wasn’t as close to us as the others—he barely spoke English then, or at least, he pretended not to. But I recognized a fellow soldier, so I knew there was more to him than met the eye. Now I owe him my life.”