Lucas
It takes several minutes before we get the all-clear to emerge from the underground hole where my girls were kept. When I think of it that way, the devastating coincidence hits me like a punch to the gut. The realization that, like me, they were held in an underground prison with nothing but darkness and fear for company is heart-wrenching. The thought that they might have endured even a fraction of the hell I went through in Afghanistan stabs at my heart, but as Mason calls for us to move forward, I shove those thoughts away, burying them down deep, back into the dark recesses of my mind to be dealt with later.
Right now, all my energy must be focused solely on them—the little girl trembling in my arms and the woman beside me taking unsteady steps. The paleness of her skin and the slow pace at which Embree walks speaks to how terrible she feels, but when she catches me looking at her, she gives me a subtle smile. Though not as full of life as her usual one, it's enough to let me know she's okay. Pulling her closer, I take great care to keep her steady, while I carry our traumatized little girl on my other arm.
When we reach the top of the cellar steps, I wince at the brightness of the flashing red and blue lights coming from the squad cars.
"Hold on a sec." Once I'm sure she's steady, I let Embree go so I can take off the night vision equipment.
"Here. Give it to me. I'll take Nero with me too, so you can tend to them."
"Thanks, man. For everything."
After handing off the equipment and Nero's leash to Mason, I put my arm back around Embree, guiding her toward the officer who then directs us to the back of a squad car. As I look over the hard plastic seat and the plexiglass partition separating the back from the front of the vehicle, my feet stop. Shaking my head, I scan the sea of bodies flooding the scene in search of Ben. When he sees me, he runs up to us, pulling Embree into a hug that's made awkward by the fact I refuse to let her go. Reaching up, he gently rubs Alyssa's back. With her face hidden in the crook of my neck, I doubt she can see him, but he still gives her a warm smile.
"My god, you two are a sight for sore eyes. You doing okay, hun?" He asks Embree, who attempts a half-grin as she nods. When his eyes find mine, I voice my objection to the situation.
"I am not putting them in the back of a police car. We ride to the hospital with you. Patrol cars can follow, but they are not to come near them until I say they're ready to talk."
A look of understanding passes between us, which is why his hesitation confuses me. Following his line of sight to the man standing in front of his SUV, it suddenly makes sense. Creed looks stricken as he stares at us. Even through the shadows of the night, there's no mistaking the emotions playing out on his face. Whether it's the guilt of what he's done or because it's his first time seeing his daughter in three years, I can't tell. Or maybe it's the sight of the family he abandoned now belonging to me.
If I were a different kind of man, I'd take the opportunity to rub it in his face, but he's just not worth it. And though I want nothing more than to keep him as far away from them as possible, the only thing that matters right now is getting Embree and Alyssa to the hospital.
"He sits up front. He's not to look at them or speak to them. Make it clear. He doesn't exist in their world unless I say so."
Ben nods in agreement before glancing at Embree. I know she saw him; I felt it in the way her body tensed when she realized he was watching us. Her reaction is all the confirmation I need—she doesn't want him here any more than I do.
"Understood."
I watch as Ben stops to talk to one of the police officers before pulling Creed aside to relay my message in a hushed tone. Desperate to get Embree off her feet, I lead her to Ben's Navigator—a carbon copy of the armored vehicle that saved James' and Tyler's lives. Opening the door, I guide her inside with a hand on the small of her back.
"Scoot to the other side, then I'll hand her off to you."
Once she's settled, I pass Alyssa to her and jump in next to them, making myself comfortable in the middle of the bench seat. After 36 hours of fear and uncertainty—wondering if I'd ever see them again—I have no intention of letting either of them go. Not yet anyway. So I reach for Alyssa, lifting her up and over me, and set her down in the empty seat next to me. After buckling her in, I turn to do the same for the woman I love. It's not until they're both safe and secure on either side of me that my lungs expand, allowing me to finally breathe.
Pulling them tightly under the protection of my arms, they both snuggle up against me. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart." I lean my face into Embree's hair, taking in her familiar scent before dropping a tender kiss on the top of her head. "Now isn't the time or the place, but I swear to you, I'm going to make things right."
"Mallory?" She looks up at me with tear-filled eyes.
"She's safe. We found her almost immediately after everything happened. She's with Jenny." As tears spring free from her eyes, she nods and then looks away.
For the next few minutes, we sit in silence, my anxiety growing with every second that passes. We need to get them out of here. That we didn't encounter any resistance while rescuing them doesn't mean they're not still in danger. Kessler knows where he left them and the longer we stay here, the greater the risk he'll come back to finish whatever he intended. Plus, I need to get them to the hospital to get checked out.
Having an ambulance on standby, just in case, is something we should have thought about, but in our haste, we didn't consider it. It's yet another piece of feedback to bring to the group for future operations. The US military's ability to conduct post-mortem reviews after missions is one of the reasons we're the best in the world. Assessing what could have been done differently, always looking for ways to improve and execute with perfect precision—that's why Ben was eager to hire former Spec Ops guys like Mason and me.
To my relief, Ben and Creed wrap up their conversation with Agent Hunt. Creed is the first to get in the car, and instantly my body coils with tension at his proximity to my girls. It's something Embree must notice because she cups the side of my face, gently forcing my gaze towards hers. She mouths the words I love you and it warms my heart, bringing a sting to my eyes. Leaning down, I press a slow, gentle kiss to her lips, hoping it conveys that their safety and happiness mean far more to me than any revenge against the man who nearly destroyed them.
When Ben joins us in the driver's seat, our eyes meet through the rearview mirror. There's a look of reassurance there—a reminder that he's got my back no matter what may come. It means a lot to me, given the tension circulating in the car thanks to the proverbial elephant in the room.
The ride to the hospital is quiet, no one daring to say a word—least of all the man in the front passenger seat, whose discomfort is visible even to me. I can feel it. He's desperate to reach out, to talk to them, maybe even apologize. But to make it clear he's not to cross me, my eyes burn a hole into the back of his head. Like a wild animal asserting dominance, it's as if I'm standing over him, daring him to try something just so I have a reason to end him. Lucky for him, he abides by my rules, and it's not until we arrive at the emergency room entrance of the hospital that Ben attempts to break up the tension.
"You," he points a finger at Creed, "stay in the car. Do not move, do not get out. Mason's behind us. He'll be taking my place and driving you back to the safe house. Lucas, you're not to get out of the car until Zeb and Dominick give the all-clear."
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Author's Note:
It's your turn to tell me what you think of this chapter. As you as frustrated as I am by the fact Creed rode along to the hospital with them?
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BROKEN COURAGE (Broken Redemption Book 3)
RomanceWhile tortured and held captive as a prisoner of war, she became my reason to keep breathing. The force that fueled my will to fight. To survive. When I woke after the rescue to discover the life I thought I was coming home to was but a figment of m...
