AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“All right, we have our task,” Emerson said. “Danny, you can call Coach and let him know we’re going by boat. I want a word with Reese.”
Aw, fuck.
“Yes, Sir.” Danny grabbed his burger and left the table.
He had a bit of a limp that he didn’t bother hiding anymore. Shrapnel souvenir from Syria.
The second Emerson gave my neck a squeeze, I knew I was screwed. I tensed up and clenched my jaw, bracing myself for impact. A low, rushing sound invaded my ears, sweat trickled down my neck, and nausea crawled up my throat.
“Judging by the look of you, I don’t wanna know how your brother’s doing,” he murmured. “Shay’s alive, son. We have no reason to believe otherwise. We know how these things go—”
“Yeah, we fuckin’ do,” I replied irritably. “We know he’s alive until something goes wrong in the extraction. Or until Carillo realizes we’re not going after Vincente.”
“Why do you think we blew up Vincente’s estate outside Mexicali?” he challenged. “That’s what Adrien asked us to do. To secure your cover a bit longer. We raided the place too.” He inched away and retrieved his wallet. “You may not see the future right now, Reese, but I do. We’re gonna bring your boy home, and once he’s safe and sufficiently suffocated in hugs, we can start planning a vacation together.” He grabbed my hand, to which I furrowed my brow, and he planted something heavy in it.
I opened my hand and saw five one-ounce gold bars.
I pocketed them discreetly, not needing anyone to see.
“There’s more where that came from, but they don’t fit inside my wallet,” he said. “It was Danny who said it. We’re going on vacation when Shay’s home again. He’s confident. So am I.”
I swallowed hard and blinked past the sudden sting in my eyes. Goddamn him. I couldn’t fucking do this now. Thank fuck I had my shades on.
“And he’s a fighter, your boy,” he added vehemently. “You think he’s going to give up?”
Shut the fuck up!
I sniffled, and then the shades didn’t fucking matter. Tears spilled over, and I hurriedly wiped at my cheeks. “You give me gold and you make me cry. Thanks, Em.”
He leaned in once more, not finished. “You must stay strong for him, Reese. For your brother too. You must eat, sleep, and keep your focus. I know you well enough to recognize the signs when you’re letting your anger take the wheel. Some of the killings we’ve read about lately—they have your name written all over them. The attack in Malibu was you, wasn’t it? Presumably with River as backup?”
It was no use in denying it. He was right. Because of how personal this was, I’d lost sight of some of the most important lessons that’d kept us alive for almost twenty years in and out of war zones.
River and I hadn’t become our pasts after all. We’d become a fundamentally broken version of them, and that wouldn’t do. I’d fucked up. I’d let go of the structure we’d once depended on. I kept River in check during operations, and he patched me back together once the danger had passed. He and Shay, I should say. I was the strong one in a crisis, and then I fucking collapsed afterward, and that was when they took over.
“I hear you.” I sniffled again and removed my shades to scrub my hands over my face.
“Good. I don’t know where you and River are hiding out, but bring food back with you. And quit fucking smoking. You smell like a Marlboro factory. It wouldn’t hurt you to shave either.”
Christ.
Shay appeared in my mind, his goofy grin and beautiful eyes. He would’ve laughed so hard if he’d been here now.
We’re bringing you home, baby. We clearly can’t fucking live without you.
* * *
I was equal parts wrung out and reenergized when I made it back to the farm. I tossed the ball cap and the shades on the passenger’s seat, ran a hand through my hair, and grabbed the pizza box I’d picked up on the way. I’d bought more bread for all the fixins River had come back with earlier too. From now on, no skipping meals, no skipping sleep. Granted, we wouldn’t get full nights or anything, but we couldn’t run on two-hour naps.
Shay needed us on our A game.
Entering the barn, it was clear as day that my brother had switched tactics. Luiz had received more painkillers, judging by the lazy grin on his face.
I set down the food on the cooler between our chairs, and I kept my mouth shut. River was squatting down in front of Luiz, jotting down field notes.
“…and that’s where you think your godfather is?” River was asking. “In Rio?”
“Nah, man,” Luiz drawled. “He wouldn’t go that far. Your, uh…your brother is back. Or I’m seeing two of you.” He cracked up.
