Dark Sins, page 23
“Damn lucky,” Griff adds.
“Appreciate it,” he says. “Now, go get your woman, Flynn.”
“Right,” I say and turn toward the gate. I’m coming, Avery. Hang on, baby.
Luck is on our side because we manage to hop on a flight within an hour and arrive back in California by morning. It’s been a long night and I’m on edge, desperate to make contact with Freya and swap the emerald for Avery.
Griff and I throw our gear in the back of my Expedition and before we leave El Segundo, I pull out my phone to send Freya a picture of the emerald. I purposely haven’t looked at my phone since watching that video because I’m scared some morbid part of me is going to play it again. And, I can’t handle that right now.
So, I’m shocked to see a text from Avery. “What the hell?” I open the message and Griff looks over from the passenger seat.
“What now?” he asks and runs a hand through his disheveled hair.
“It’s a text from Avery.” My heart hitches in my chest. “It’s a map.” I look over at Griff. “It must be where Freya is holding her.”
I study the image and do a quick internet search. “She’s near Santa Clarita, out in the hills.”
“Let’s move, bro,” Griff says and pops a fresh stick of gum into his mouth.
“I have an idea,” I say. “Where’s the emerald?”
Griff reaches into his pocket and pulls out the bright green stone.
“Hold it out so I can take a picture,” I say. The damn thing fills his entire palm and I quickly snap a close-up photo and text it to Freya.
We got it, I text. But, still stuck in Columbia. Flying out within the hour.
“Think she’ll buy it?” I ask.
“I don’t see why she wouldn’t.”
My phone buzzes with her response: Is Castillo dead?
“Shit. What do I say?” I look down at the text trying to figure out the best way to answer. “Lie to her?”
But, Griff shakes his head. “No. Tell her he’s dead. She’s bound to find out, anyway.”
He’s dead, I text. But, I hesitate, hoping it’s the right answer. My eyes slide shut, I say a quick prayer and hit send.
Waiting for her response it pure torture, but it comes a minute later.
Good. Contact me when you land.
I let out a breath and turn the key. “We have 40 minutes to come up with a plan.”
Griff calls Jax, puts him on speaker and we decide what the best course of action is for us to take. We have the element of surprise on our side which is good and we nail down a plan.
It’s still fairly early and Sunday morning so traffic flows and, before I know it, I turn off the freeway and head into the stark hills of Santa Clarita. My nerves are on edge and I feel like I haven’t seen Avery in forever.
And, I hate it.
I miss her so much it hurts. All I want is to pull her into my arms and smell her sugary scent. I want to kiss her hard and feel her heartbeat against mine. I never want to be without her again.
And, I’m never going to be, I decide, because I’m going to marry my little hellion.
Griff guides us as close as possible to our destination without alerting Freya that we’re there. I park the Expedition and we get out. The sun shines in the perfect blue sky above and we gear up again. God, I’ll be glad when this is over, I think. I just need to go in and get my girl.
After a quick weapons check, we make our way down a small hill and approach the location Avery sent from the rear. I see a small house in the distance and we move fast and low, using large boulders and cactus for cover.
The curtains are pulled tight over the windows and we jog up to the back of the house and press against it. I lift my hand, point to the rear entrance where Griff will go in and then circle my fingers around to indicate I’ll bust through the front door. Griff nods, lifts his Glock.
As I skirt around the side of the house, I pull my SIG Sauer close to my body, elbows bent, grip tight. I’m ready to end this bullshit now. I spot a car in front and instantly recognize the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Gotcha.
I glance down at my watch and count the seconds as they tick down.
Three.
Two.
One.
I lift my foot and kick the front door in while Griff does the same thing around back. I race inside, expecting to see a surprised Freya. Hoping like hell to see Avery.
Instead, I run smack into Griff and we look around the empty house. I can tell they were here recently, but not anymore.
“Where the fuck are they?” I ask.
As if in answer, a gunshot cracks from somewhere outside.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Avery
When my eyes flutter open, I have no idea if I’ve been out for an hour or a day. I blink and sit up, noticing sunlight seeping in through a curtain crack. I look down and see Freya zip tied my wrists together, but my ankles are free.
Where is she, anyway?
I glance around, don’t see her and decide to make a break for it. Without much thought, I jump up, hurry to the back door, unlock it and race out into the bright morning. Three steps out, I hear a loud curse from back in the house.
I take off, legs pumping, and head up a hill. We’re down in a valley and I’ll have a better vantage point if I make my way up to the top of the hill. I need to figure out where the highway is and, at this point, my plan is simple. Just outrun the bitch.
Sweat drips down my temples, slips down my underarms and I run harder than I’ve ever run before, straight up the incline. I’m glad I’m used to running every day and, even with the experience, my legs and lungs burn.
Halfway up the hill, I brave a glance over my shoulder and see Freya closing in. Shit. When she lifts her gun and fires, I dodge to the side and move more evasively so she can’t get a good target. Despite that, a bullet hits the rocky sand a foot away from me.
Jeez. I pick up my pace, but it’s hard running through this sandy soil. Adrenaline spikes through me, though, and I’m almost to the top. Just a little bit further, Ave.
Another gunshot and I have no idea how close that one hit. All I know is thankfully, it didn’t hit me. Finally, I reach the top and skid to a halt. Wow, I’m high and right at the edge of a precipice that drops down, overlooking the 5 North freeway.
My stomach sinks. I’m too high, I realize, and the hill's too steep to try to go down. I hear Freya, wait a second to judge her distance, then I spin around and, at the same time, launch my leg out with a powerhouse of a kick.
Not expecting the move or the force of my foot against her wrist, Freya releases the gun with a cry and it flies over the edge of the hill, dropping somewhere below in the rocky ravine. I waste no time throwing myself into her. We tumble down to the rocky ground and roll, right at the edge of the steep drop, all the while throwing and dodging punches.
I’m out of breath from the run, sweating in the dirt, the hot sun beating down on me and struggling against Freya with all my might. Nevertheless, she gets the upper hand and manages to pin me beneath her. I reach up, wrap my hands around her neck and begin to squeeze. But, then her hand finds a rock, grabs it and slams it upside my head.
Stunned, I see stars and my hands fall away from her neck.
Oh, God. I try to blink the blackness away that’s threatening to consume me. Don’t pass out, don’t pass out, don’t pass out. I repeat the mantra, but it’s not helping and I feel my eyes slide shut.
This is it. I’m going to die up here in the dirt, under the beating sun.
And, then my mind conjures up Ryker. So tall, so strong. And, he’s looking at me with those beautiful whisky-colored eyes. But, they’re sad. And, then his words come back to me sounding just as raw and haunted as when he spoke them.
“I remember laying on the ground...and I thought I was going to die. And that maybe it was okay. Then, I saw your face. It gave me strength...something to live for...I think you’re the reason I’m alive.”
The memory of his words infuses me with new strength and I muster up every last bit of fight I have left within me.
“It’s always been you, Ave.”
I am not leaving him alone in this world, I decide. I love him too damn much.
My eyes snap open and I slam a fist into Freya’s face. She falls to the side and I scramble away, making a grab for the rock she hit me with. My fingers wrap around it and I turn to see her already lunging for me. She doesn’t expect the rock in my hand and I hit with enough force to knock her off balance.
Freya’s feet skid right over the edge of the ravine. With wide eyes, she slips over the side, fingers digging into the sandy soil, but it falls away, giving her nothing to grip. A scream rips from her throat as she drops.
Panting hard, I’m about to fall to the ground when I hear someone calling my name.
It’s Ryker, I realize and turn. The sun hits him from behind as he comes up over the hill, and the backlight makes him look like he’s glowing like some kind of ethereal being. Like a guardian angel.
I take a step toward him, arms out and then feel the rest of my energy drain. When I start to fall, Ryker swoops in and scoops me up into his arms. “I’ve got you,” he whispers. I press my face into his chest and feel a million emotions tear through me.
When he tilts my chin up, I don’t even realize tears stream from my eyes and down my dirty face. “Are you okay?” he asks.
“Just my head,” I manage to say, unable to look away from his concerned gaze and the way the sunlight makes his golden-brown eyes sparkle.
He checks out the bloody gash at my hairline and grimaces.
Nearby, Griff looks over the edge of the ravine.
“Is she dead?” Ryker asks.
Griff nods. “No doubt about it.”
Ryker’s eyes slide shut and he kisses the top of my head. “Let’s go,” he says and starts back down the hill.
“I missed you,” I mumble into his chest. I feel his arms tighten around me and then I pass out.
The next time I open my eyes, I smell soap and pine, and it takes me a moment to realize I’m in Ryker’s bed. His arms are wrapped around me and I glance down to see I’m in one of his Navy t-shirts. I slide out of his arms and, the moment I move, my head pounds. I reach a tentative hand up and feel a bandage at my temple.
Ryker’s eyes open and he slides up on an elbow. “How do you feel?” he asks.
“I have a raging headache, but other than that, I think okay.”
He reaches out and lifts my hand, eyes narrowing at the scabs and chafed circles around my wrist. Then, he kisses the delicate skin and laces his fingers through mine. “Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?” he asks in a low voice.
“Probably as worried as I was about you,” I say.
“You amaze me, Ave.” He pulls me forward and kisses me. “So brave,” he murmurs between kisses. “So strong.”
I open my mouth and savor the taste of his mouth moving over mine. Our tongues slide against each other and I moan. I’ve missed this man so much. My man.
My hand curls into his hard, bare chest and my stomach flutters when his lips and tongue trail down my jawline. I pull back and stare into his liquid eyes. “I didn’t know if I was ever going to see you again,” I admit. My voice catches and I lay my hand over his heart, pressing my palm against his smooth, warm skin, and savoring the strong beat of his heart.
“I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere,” he promises and covers my hand with his. “Feel that? It beats for you.” He leans forward and brushes his lips over mine. “I love you, Avery.”
Warmth pours through me and I smile for the first time in days. “Good. Because I love you so much.” I run my hands along his smooth, dear face and I know I don’t ever want to be away from him again. Then, I tap his nose with my index finger. “For better or worse, I think you’re stuck with me,” I tease.
“Sounds perfect,” he murmurs and pulls me in for another long kiss. Then, he glances at the clock on his nightstand and frowns. “We better get moving.”
“Whatever it is, can’t it wait?” I ask, trailing a finger down his chest.
He sucks in a sharp breath and grabs my quickly descending hand. “No. We actually have plans to meet your parents for dinner.”
“What?” I jerk back and sit up straight.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I called them.”
I don’t say anything just wait for him to continue.
“I told them a little bit about what’s been going on,” he says. “I know you haven’t been close the last couple of years, but they need to know Luke’s death wasn’t your fault. And…”
His voice trails off and he swallows hard. He almost looks nervous which makes me nervous because Ryker Flynn is always the epitome of a confident Alpha male.
“What?” I ask in a soft voice.
“And, there’s something else.” He hesitates then lets out a breath. “I’m going to ask your father for permission to marry you.”
My mouth drops and, after a stunned moment, I feel tears burn the backs of my eyes. I literally have no words. I’m just a mess of girly emotions.
His eyes search mine. “Is that okay?”
I’ve never seen him look so vulnerable and I break out into a huge grin. “Best thing since you saved me from rolling off a cliff.”
“Baby, you saved yourself,” he whispers. “And, I’m so proud of you.”
I lean in, kiss my future husband and know that I’m the luckiest woman in the world.
That evening, we return to my apartment and Ryker cooks chicken and potatoes in my little kitchen while I get ready and straighten the place up. I pause in the doorway and watch him lean over the stove and taste something. He looks so damn sexy. I had no idea he could cook.
I love the idea that I still have so much more to learn about him. And, I’m going to spend the rest of my life doing exactly that.
I wander up behind him and slip my arms around his waist. “You look good in the kitchen,” I say and nip the back of his shoulder.
He chuckles. “Let’s just hope it tastes good.”
“Oh, I have no doubts,” I murmur, slipping my fingers under his t-shirt and gliding them between his hard, lower abs and the waistband of his cargo pants.
“Ave-”
“What time are my parents getting in again?” I ask, pushing up against his back.
As if in answer, there’s a knock at the door.
He lets out a shaky breath, turns around and gives me a hard, quick kiss. “Hellion. Now go let your parents in and give me a sec to get myself together.”
I smile and, when I turn around, he playfully slaps my ass. I squeal and hurry over to open the door. I haven’t seen my Mom and Dad since Luke’s funeral. We’ve talked on the phone, but nothing was ever the same after he died. They didn’t know any specific details about Operation Armageddon, but details tend to leak, whether true or not, and when they asked me if what happened was my fault, I said yes. I took full responsibility for a burden that was never mine to bear.
“Hi,” I say and give them each a hug. I motion for them to come inside and wave a hand over my place. “I know it’s not much, but I like it.”
“It’s nice,” my Mom says. They look around and I swallow hard, feeling awkward. I never wanted us to drift apart. Luke was always the glue that held my family together. But, I think there’s hope for us to have a better relationship. That we can be closer.
When Ryker appears, I feel some of the tension ease from my shoulders. My parents love Ryker, always have, and they light up when they see him. My Dad pumps his hand and slaps him on the back and my Mom gives him a big hug. They begin to gush over him and say how much they miss seeing him.
But, me? Not so much. I can’t help but feel like the prodigal daughter and bite the inside of my cheek.
Ryker looks a little embarrassed at the effusive greeting he gets and moves over to me, sliding an arm around my waist. My Dad’s eyebrow shoots up and my Mom’s mouth drops open. I can’t help but smile, a wave of satisfaction flowing over me. Yeah, we’re together.
If I’m good enough for Ryker then maybe they’ll realize I’m good enough for them. It’s kind of a childish thought, but I can’t help it. Like any other kid, all I’ve ever wanted is their love and acceptance. For them to be proud of me.
“So, are you two dating?” my Mom asks carefully.
“Why don’t we sit down?” Ryker suggests. “The food’s ready and we have a lot of catching up to do.”
I have to hand it to him-- Ryker knows how to take control of a situation. He manages to keep the conversation flowing and easy. Even when it gets hard and we have to talk about Luke and their mission two years ago. I immediately get tense, but then I feel Ryker’s reassuring hand on my knee beneath the table.
Ryker reminds them that the operation he, Luke and the rest of the team went on is classified. But, he explains that we recently discovered information that ended up proving a rogue agent made sure I was fed bad intel that inevitably compromised the mission.
“We went to Colombia and found the proof we need to clear Avery’s name,” he says. “I want to make sure it’s clear, once and for all, that Luke’s death wasn’t her fault. She was unknowingly set up.”
I reach over and twine my fingers through his.
Then, my Mom bursts into tears. It’s the last thing I expect and I’m not sure what to do. “Mom?” I frown.
“Oh, honey, we’re so sorry. I just feel awful about everything that’s happened the last couple of years.”
I jump up, walk around the table and embrace my Mom. Tears burn my eyes and I feel my Dad lay a hand on my back. It feels so good to finally be communicating with them and I look over at the wonderful man who made it all happen.
Ryker gives me an encouraging nod, slips away from the table, and I kneel down between my parents. We talk, we cry and we forgive. Things may never be perfect between us, but right now it feels pretty damn good.
After giving us some time to talk things out, Ryker comes back. We take turns heating our plates up in the microwave and then all sit down in the living room and talk and laugh like old times. At some point, Ryker and my Dad talk quietly between themselves while I chat with my Mom.
