Page 86 of Breached

“That was a hell of a fight, boys.” Cole leaned into the railing.

Keith rubbed his head then pulled a twig from the back of John’s shirt. “It was pretty impressive.”

“No,” I shook my head and looked at Cole. “What was impressive was that your father thought to build a secondary safehouse a few miles away and on the other side of the mountain from Shadows in case of the unthinkable—and here we are, all intact.”

Cole thought for a moment before he answered me. “Yes, the power of an NDA kept this place a secret for years. Thank God it did, or we wouldn’t have been able to pull this off.”

“He was good at thinking ahead,” John added. “I’ll never forget the look on Bruno’s face when he realized our mock set-up. Only when he was captured did he know only one of the rooms was set up to look like we actually lived here.”

“You caught his look too?” I grinned.

“I did. It was great. Quite a shock for him!” John beamed.

Keith rolled his shoulder like it was sore, then we all took a moment to bask in our victory. “Let’s go see our families and get them home again. To our real home, that is.” Keith laughed happily.

“Hooah!” we all shouted.

EIGHTEEN

NICOLE

The lights flickered off momentarily, then the backup lights came on. I locked eyes with Chamness, as I fought once again to remain calm. I didn’t want to wake Sloane, as the poor woman had finally fallen asleep. The sounds of gunfire and explosions had taken their toll on us, but the not knowing was the worst. Chamness made a motion that everything was all good. His constant reassurance through all this had helped Sloane, Doc, and me get through the night.

I took a breath then leaned my head against the wall. Dell and Davie had been actively keeping in touch with what was happening with the other missions—the attacks on the tunnels and the Cartel targets.

My watch caught the light, and I saw it was just past two a.m. I pulled the blanket I’d been given around myself and went over to sit next to Doc in the far corner of the room. He had separated himself after he told us his stories. I knew he wanted to be alone with his thoughts. Sloane had been flabbergasted by the showgirl story he’d told us. I caught her eye more than once as he talked, and we both tried to picture Doc Roberts swinging his hips. It was hard to imagine, and I could tell by her wide eyes she struggled to believe it.

I’d been inspired by their wedding day story. I was deeply moved. It was like a fairy tale of happiness for him and Abigail. It proved love could be found at any age and had no expiration date—even after death. I leaned toward him and pressed my shoulder against his as he sat rubbing the pink silk fabric of her scarf between his fingers.

“Hey,” I whispered, “you made it.”

“Mm?” He seemed a million miles away.

I rubbed his arm to bring him back. “It’s the fifteenth, Dr. Roberts. It’s your anniversary.”

“Yes, it is.” He looked at me, and his tear-filled eyes lit up and began to leak down his cheeks. “Thank you, dear.” He looked down at the fabric in his weathered hand and raised it to his lips.

My heart broke for him, I couldn’t imagine how he felt at not only losing the love of his life, but his best friend and sister-in-law. They’d been taken in a blink.

“I know I’m not anywhere near the family you have here, but I’m truly sorry for all you’ve lost. They were wonderful people, and I feel honored that I got to know them when I did.”

He smiled, and I could tell he was trying everything in his power not to cry. “They were my family,” he nodded, “and I feel so lost without them. Abby was my life—she completed me.”

“I’m just now understanding a feeling like that,” I admitted. “We are both so lucky to know how that feels. What’s that saying? It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.”

“Yes, it’s what they say. I only wish it outweighed the pain.” He let out a chuckle, but it was followed by a small sob. I made a bold move and reached for his hand and held on tight. He needed an anchor, and I wanted to be that for him.

“You did what you were determined to do, Dr. Roberts. You kept your promise, and you were here with her for your anniversary. We will make it through this storm, too. The family will be together, and they’ll all be even stronger. I know it.”

“Yes, we will, dear. I know we will all be together again one day.” He smiled and squeezed my hand.

“Roger that, Raven One,” I heard Chamness say loudly, and the tone of his voice made my ears prick up. He jumped up and turned to us. “It’s over.” His smile went from ear to ear. “Everyone made it out alive, and Bruno is dead. It’s over.”

I let out a happy sob as I sagged into the wall, still holding Dr. Roberts’s hand. He squeezed it tight, and we both finally let go and cried together.

“Mama!” Chase screamed happily from across the property as Easton pulled him in a wagon behind his electric wheelchair. Olivia was right there in case he fell. She was so protective of her little cousin and her brother.

“Is that wagon attached with a bungee cord and duct tape?” I squinted into the afternoon sun.