Page 17 of Declan

One hundred and three untouched.

But the others I was too late to save.

Chapter 6

The room had gone electric and not because we didn’t know Autumn had taken out forty-two men. Her file outlined her kills and bios on the men she’d put down. But Tex hadn’t included the number of lives she’s saved. Though the current pulsing in the room wasn’t coming from the men, it was rolling off Autumn.

“So tell me now, why you think your sister needs to be protected from you?” Thad pushed harder.

Autumn’s body swayed like Thad physically struck her, and an invisible binding I’d been denying for months snapped into place. A feeling deep inside of me that I’d done everything in my power to push aside, a need so overwhelming it refused to be rejected.

“Enough.” The sharp edge in my tone couldn’t be missed, therefore it wasn’t and my friend didn’t look pleased.

“What’s enough? Her…” Thad jabbed an angry finger at Autumn. “Thinking that she’s some sort of monster? Or you—”

“Don’t go there, Thaddeus, and lay off her. She’ll go to Emerson when she’s ready.”

“Right. When she’s ready. You mean if she’s ever ready. And in the meantime, we should all stand around and let her suffer.”

“I’m right fucking here,” Autumn shouted and something painful moved over her features.

But Thad wasn’t ready to give up. The love he had for his wife knew no bounds and he’d push Autumn to the brink, then he’d hound her until she broke down and agreed to meet with her sister. The issue with that was, Thad would lose. I knew from experience that Autumn could dig in, and when she did, she was unmovable. She and I shared that trait so I knew it well.

“You know what? Fuck it,” Thad roared, and everyone in the room froze as his face twisted in agony. “You know where my wife is right now while I’m here, chasing you because you wouldn’t sit the fuck still and wait for us to come up with a plan? She’s at Zane and Ivy’s so Ivy can take care of her.”

“Wait. What?” I stepped forward and Thad put up his hand.

“Don’t come any closer to me.”

“What’s wrong with Emmy?” Kyle asked.

Thad shook his head before his hands went to his hips and he dropped his gaze to the floor.

“I can’t do this right now.” All the spite and anger drained from his tone, leaving only despair and defeat.

What the fuck was going on with Emerson? And if she was sick, then why the hell had he come to Afghanistan?

“What’s wrong with my sister?”

Wrong thing to ask.

“Maybe you should call her and find out.”

All the color bleached from Autumn’s face and Thad stalked from the room.

“Call Zane.” I looked at Brooks. “See what’s going on.”

My gut twisted with indecision. The pain that rolled off of Thad was palpable but Autumn’s anguish wove itself around my heart, leaving me warring with what to do. I couldn’t leave Autumn but Thad needed me.

Thankfully, Max stepped in. “I’ll check on Thad.”

“Autumn?”

Startling green eyes came to mine and that tether pulled so tight it took my breath. An awareness I’d never felt before knotted. A feeling I didn’t want, didn’t deserve, hadn’t ever had wrapped around me until it constricted my lungs.

“Baby?”

The wetness that had gathered spilled over.