Jeb held his wife as they rode in the SUV headed for the hospital. Scott rode with the three remaining members of Chet’s merc group. The mood in this vehicle was somber, the red and blue lights sliced through the waning night and heavy snow. The sirens had been silenced for the moment. He figured they would turn them back on once they arrived in town.
He wanted to yell at them to drive faster. Dezarae muttered under her breath for the exact thing.
“I love you, Firebird.”
She leaned deeper into him and laced their fingers together. “Why aren’t they going any faster?”
Jeb didn’t respond, aware she was venting and knew why. Even so, he pressed his lips to her temple. His heart had finally slowed from the attack but all he could envision was this night happening tomorrow when all of the children were supposed to be there. That would have been even worse. “Has anyone called Jayde’s father or sisters?”
“No. We’ll call from the hospital. Tyson may want to.” She sniffled.
“What about the kids? We also have to get in touch with Affrica and Reeve so they don’t head out with the kids in the morning. And Shelia and Dakota.”
Dez shuddered. “Ross. What if—what if…”
“Do not go there.” He knew where she had gone in her mind and desperately wanted her off that track. “We have to be positive.” Even as he spoke the words, he accepted it was a very difficult thing for him to be positive. He’d heard Osten and Lex as they used every bit of their medical knowledge to keep Jayde alive. Bottom line—the prognosis wasn’t good.
“So much blood. Why did he do this and why is he still alive?”
“I don’t know why to either. We’ll discuss it later.” He squeezed her hand.
In the seat ahead of them, CJ was on the satellite phone. “Thank you.” Her voice shook. “They made it and she’s in surgery as we speak.”
Dez released him and hugged her friend. “Thank God.”
Jeb texted the others, unsure if they’d heard. Seconds later the officer riding shotgun passed it over the radio.
The ride still took them forever in his mind. The downside to a lodge so far out from everything. Took you a good chunk of time to get there.
The convoy of SUV’s pulled up and they all spilled out except for Scott.
Sharing a look with Hondo, Jeb and he went over to that SUV and peered in.
“We’ll go with them,” Hondo announced.
“I got it.”
Hondo shook his head. “Harrier, let us take it.” His brogue deepening.
Terse moments before Harrier nodded and climbed out.
Jeb blew a kiss to Dez and piled in the back.
Hondo slid in seconds later.
“Move out,” Harrier barked, voice crisp and terse.
The men listened and drove away.
After they ensured the three had been handed into custody, they accepted the ride back to the hospital. Side by side, they stepped from the elevator onto the surgery floor.
The entire crew waited, including those from Tungsten. Hands were held. Prayers going.
Lex had changed from her bloodstained clothing into a clean set of scrubs. Osten as well. Albany spoke softly with Mac and the others held a silent vigil. Each time the door opened, every head snapped in that direction.
Scanning for his wife, Jeb found her off to the side on the phone. Xaria was on another. He knew they were notifying family. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
“I think that’s best Affrica, thank you. Xaria is on with Dakota right now. Absolutely, we’re all here.” She ended the call and turned into his chest, sliding her arms around his midsection.
Head on his torso, he allowed her to cry, as she needed. Hell, he wanted to as well.
Jayde held a special place to all of them, all the wives did but the fact Jayde had been the first into their tightknit world, her spot was all the more special.
Tears burned in his eyes. He gently disengaged from his wife and walked in silence to where the rest of the Megalodon team had gathered around Tyson. Tired, sweaty, bloody, and dirty they surrounded him. Each laid a hand on him, offering silent support.
The group stayed huddled like that for about five minutes before they broke apart.
Tungsten employees had their own gathering, as did the wives.
Jeb cast his gaze over those there. No one smiled, they were all quiet and withdrawn. He stepped over to Dez.
“Affrica is bringing their kids. Dakota, Shelia, and Reeve are keeping the others at the hotel until we think they should come.” She rubbed her hands over her thighs. “I want to hold my kids, Ross.”
“I’ll go get them.”
She shook her head. “Let them sleep.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek and sat beside CJ on one of the couches, holding her hand.
Time ticked by, so slow, he swore he could hear the echo of the second hand in his ear.
Tyson jumped up, everyone focused on him and he strode for the doors.
Scott restrained him, brushing away his attacks without retaliating. However, he never let him pass through the doors with the “Authorized Personnel Only” sign nailed to it.
Jeb stepped toward the two security guards who came around the corner.
Scott still spared with Tyson and Mav joined him to speak to the guards.
“He needs to calm down,” one of them warned.
“His wife is in down that hallway fighting for her life. He’s distraught. Give him some space.”
The men gaze around at those gathered and backed off nodding.
Jeb knew what they saw. A group of intimidating men and women there in support of a friend.
αβ
Tyson sagged to the couch, the uncomfortable cushion beneath his ass but he didn’t care. A chair of fire would be inconsequential as well. His wife lay on an operating table fighting for her life and he was stuck out here.
He couldn’t get in to see her and no one was telling him a damn thing. Lex and Osten had been amazing doing what they could, yet now neither looked all that optimistic. Sure, they were good at hiding their emotions but he knew them both. And had seen them working on her.
He lowered his face to his hands and bemoaned the entire situation. His nerves were stretched to near breaking point. He needed to focus on something else.
Locating Scott, who paced by the window with his phone up to his ear, he got to his feet. Shoving a hand through his hair, he made his way to his best friend’s side.
Scott ended the call and held his gaze.
“Any news on Jack?”
“No. Paul’s body had been found however. He was tortured and killed. Some of the blood at his place was Jack’s. They’re not feeling good about a successful rescue. Or even finding him alive.”
“All of this because he felt undervalued?” Tyson had the deepest urge to wrap his fingers around Chet’s neck and squeeze until there was no life left in his body.
“He’s an egotistical bastard who deserves to die.” The fury in Scott’s voice matched his own.
How he’d allowed the man to live he hadn’t a clue. “Where’d they find Paul?”
“Florida.” Scott crossed his arms. “An unlucky canoe trip for a family got real ugly fast.”
“And they’re looking for Jack in the same area?”
“Yes.” He yanked on the ends of his hair before jerking his chin. “Children are here.”
Tyson turned, met Affrica’s gaze first then swung down to his children. An absolute perfect blend of his and Jayde’s traits. More hers than his in his opinion. He walked to them, dropped to his knees, and held out his arms. They ran to him, wrapping their arms tight around his neck. He blinked away the wave of fresh threatening tears then pulled back to look at them once more.
Fear lingered in their gazes, they knew it was serious.
Rosalyn ‘Rose’ Kincade, his oldest, stroked her hand down his cheek, skimming the scruff along his jaw. “What happened to Mama?”
“She had an accident and is in surgery.”
His daughter blinked at him with the same doe brown eyes as his. “It’s serious, isn’t it? Everyone is so sad.” She’d always been empathetic, wanting to make others feel better.
He wasn’t going to lie to her. Not to either of them. “Yes, baby, it is.” His sons, twins, Logan and Ethan Kincade, climbed into his lap, each with their black teddy bear in hand. “I love you all so much.”
“Grandpa was at the hotel, is he coming?”
He furrowed his brow. “What?”
“Grandpa Porter. He said he wanted to be with us for Christmas.”
He forced kindness into his tone. “I’m sure he will be here soon.”
The elevators opened and out poured the rest of the children followed by Reeve, Dakota, and Shelia.
Dyandra —Scott and Lex’s daughter—led the way with Charmane. Each of them gave him a hug and a kiss before moving on to greet their parents.
He stood, one son in his arms, as the kids all sat near one another, the younger ones starting to fall back asleep. His son, Logan, had his head on his shoulder as he went to meet Reeve. “What is all of this?”
Scott’s brother shrugged, adjusting the three-year-old in his own arms.
“It was me Uncle Tyson.”
He glanced down to where Dyandra stood beside him. She reached up and hooked her hand into his pants pocket ever so briefly before releasing him. “We’re their support group. We’re family there for each other through the good and bad.”
He bent to kiss her head. “I love you, poppet.”
“Love you more, Uncle Tyson. Rose, we’ll be over there when you need us.”
Pride shone in Harrier’s eyes as he watched his daughter. It was an emotion echoed in Lex’s gaze.
“Come on, Rose.” His son, Logan took his sister’s hand and waited for Tyson to put him down. Together, his kids went to where the other children had gathered.
Despite everything, this event coaxed a smile from him. He’d been blessed with an amazing wife and wonderful children. And he wasn’t ready to give any of it up.
Not much time after the children got settled the elevator opened once more. The one exiting this time was his father in law, Jonas.
This isn’t going to go well. And I’m, quite honestly, not wanting to deal with it.
He met the man as he stepped onto the floor. “Jonas.”
“Where is she?” The man’s eyes were full of fear and anger.
“Surgery.”
Jonas’ gaze sharpened, almost like he just realized who stood before him. “You. This is your fault. She got shot because of you. Her death is your fault.”
While expecting the punch, it still came out of nowhere, rocking his head on his shoulders. Part of him longed to retaliate but he gave it to him, the man’s daughter was in life threatening surgery. Even if he longed to fight, to get some physical pain that would distract him from the emotion pain cocooning him at the moment.
So, he didn’t move.
Unfortunately, his daughter did and she ran right to him. “Mama’s dead?”
“No baby. She’s not. He spoke out of turn.” Dropping to his knees, he held her tight.
She burrowed her face into his neck and he rose once more, glaring at his father in law, all the while settling one hand against the back of Rose’s head.
His relationship with the man before him had been tenuous to say the least. The man had treated his own daughter as if she were a slave. While they’d worked on a better relationship, however, Tyson didn’t forgive. Looking at his own child, it ripped him apart to think of her being treated in such a manner and couldn’t begin to fathom ever doing so. He couldn’t envision anything like that and couldn’t stomach the man’s weakness to allow something so precious and special to endure such vile treatment.
“That’s your one.” His voice was low, lined with warning and promise.
“Give me my granddaughter.”
Rose snapped her head around. “You don’t hit my daddy.” Her voice rose.
Tyson knew the others were staring. “I’m okay, baby. He’s just worried about his own daughter as every father would be.”
“No excuse. He’s not the only one scared. Bad manners, Mama would say.” She squirmed and he put her down. Instead of going to her grandfather, she went back to the group of support.
Tyson didn’t say another word, just walked away.
Scott was right there beside him when he reached the far wall of the room. “Want me to make him leave?”
He shook his head. “As shitty of a father as he’s been, he is her father. And she wouldn’t want me to do that.” A deep shaky breath. “Christ, how do people do this?” He thumped his chest. “I feel it here, she’s weakening.” His legs buckled.
Thankfully, Scott was there with a supportive hand, ensuring he didn’t fall on his face or ass. “You can’t let this beat you, Tyson. Hold onto her. We need her. Your bond to her is tighter than anything I’ve seen. Don’t let her go.”
“I need to be with her,” he swore, eyes cutting to the left toward the doors keeping her from him.
Scott opened his mouth when Lex stepped up to them, resting a hand on her husband’s chest. “Give us a moment, Scott.”
He glanced between the two of them before walking away.
She took his hand and squeezed. “I need you to listen to me. It’s not going to be easy but I need your attention, all of it. Right now, on me.”
His heart sank. Had she’d heard something that he hadn’t? Bile rose in his throat but he focused on Lex, locked by her tiger eyed gaze.