Whispers in the Dark

CHAPTER 30

BY the time Rio was satisfied that Shea had given him every pertinent detail about Grace she could possibly think of, Shea was exhausted. But at the same time, hope bubbled inside her chest. These men were confident that they’d locate Grace and that they’d bring her back.

Shea was surrounded by warriors. Men who put their lives at risk to protect and help others. They’d made her a promise, and she knew they didn’t make them lightly.

Rio and his team fascinated her. Quiet, determined. They seemed to stand back and study what went on around them. The giant of a man who seemed to serve as Rio’s right hand was named Terrence, and as big and as terrifying as he should have seemed, to Shea he resembled a big teddy bear. Not that she’d ever breathe those words where he could hear her. He might snap her like a twig.

But he’d been kind and understanding with her as they’d questioned her about her sister, and he, like Rio, had made a solemn promise to bring Grace back to Shea.

All too quickly, they were gone. Shea had no idea what they were using as their starting point or even what they’d been able to glean from talking to her. But they packed up their gear and said they were bugging out. And then they were simply gone, leaving her slightly baffled. How was she to know what they were doing? But then she doubted they’d be reporting to her. She just hoped they reported to someone, because the prolonged silence between her and Grace was making Shea sick with worry.

She closed her eyes and reached out to her sister as she’d done so many times over the past days. Don’t worry, Grace. Someone is coming for you. We have help now. I wish you’d talk to me so I could explain. These men will help you. Like they’ve helped me.

The void was nearly her undoing. It was like not having the gift of telepathy at all. Like she was talking to herself.

She tried to shake off the melancholy direction of her thoughts. She focused back in on the happenings in the war room.

It seemed everyone was doing something. The entire room was abuzz with activity. It made her anxious and on edge. She stood, no longer able to bear sitting so still when everyone was moving around her.

Her legs were wobbly, but then she felt completely off balance by everything. She hated how out of control her life had become. She valued order and quiet. Growing up the way she had, always moving at a moment’s notice, had made her appreciate the sudden peace that she and her family had enjoyed when they’d moved to Oregon. She’d craved it. Normalcy. And above all, she liked to feel in control at all times.

In the last year she’d become a paranoid, panicky mess of a woman and she hated every minute of it. She wanted her life back. No, not back. She just wanted a life. A new one. Devoid of all the fears of the past.

She may have been some damn lab experiment, but she was a human being with feelings. If the bastards who’d created her thought she was expendable, that she was only destined to be some lab rat they poked and prodded on a regular basis, they could all fuck themselves and go straight to hell. She would never go back to that.

“Shea.”

Donovan’s soft address broke through her dark thoughts. Some of the rage abated and she blinked to bring him into focus. He was standing in front of her, a look of concern on his face.

“I want you to meet the team that will be responsible for your safety.”

Her brows drew together and the panic was suddenly back, knotting her throat until she had difficulty breathing.

“What do you mean?” she croaked. “What about…”

She glanced over to where Nathan stood with his brothers and bit her lip, determined not to blurt out what she’d been about to ask.

She returned her gaze to Donovan and the group assembled closely around him. The team leader stood closest to Donovan and stared coolly at her, his eyes like blue ice. His hair was blond—muddy blond with lighter streaks through the short-cropped strands. It was easy to tell he was the authority figure. He commanded respect and it was obvious he got it from every member of his team.

“This is Steele.”

“Miss Peterson,” Steele said in acknowledgment.

“Behind him are Cole, P.J., Dolphin. To his left are Baker and Renshaw.”

Shea tried to smile but she couldn’t contain her dismay.

Across the room, Nathan turned to look at her and he frowned. Their gazes connected and then she felt him explode into her mind, so different than when she connected with him.

His presence was forceful. Indomitable. Overwhelming her and yet filling her with his very essence.

What’s wrong? It was a quick, impatient demand. She felt his resolve to fix whatever it was upsetting her.

For a moment she couldn’t even formulate her thoughts. It was ridiculous. She was being ridiculous. She should be on her knees giving thanks, but she didn’t want this team to protect her. She wanted Nathan. She didn’t want to be separated from him. Not even for her safety.

“Jesus.”

She heard Nathan across the room. He stalked over, looking angrily at Donovan even as he pulled her into his arms. For a long moment he simply hugged her to him and then he pulled her away, grasped her shoulders and stared hard into her eyes as if willing her to not only hear him but to feel him as well.

“I’m not turning you over to Steele and his team. I’m going to be with you every minute of every day. Do you understand that? Yes, Steele’s team is assigned to your protection. We need them. But it doesn’t mean they’re going to take you away somewhere and that I won’t be with you. Where you go, I go.”

Relief made her weak, and worse, her eyelids burned with tears.

“Well, Christ,” Donovan muttered. “That wasn’t what I meant for you to think, Shea. I’m sorry.”

She shook her head and forced herself to get it together. “I was being stupid. I’m the one who’s sorry. I should be grateful. I just panicked for a moment.”

Nathan pulled her to him and silenced her with a long, deep kiss. It amazed her that he gave so little thought to where they were or who observed. He never seemed to care.

She shivered as his tongue swept over hers, rough and yet so gentle and caring. He was a fascinating mix of intensity and patience. He was fierce and demanding and yet he always demonstrated such loving tenderness with her.

He loved her.

She reminded herself of that fact. He’d given her the words. Very pissed off words but all the more meaningful for the frustrated way he’d expressed the emotions he felt toward her. It seemed to make him crazy that he couldn’t make everything perfect, that there were so many obstacles confronting them, and yet he refused to let anything deter him.

“This is better than a romance novel,” P.J. said with a wistful sigh.

“You read that stuff?” Cole demanded.

Shea pulled away from Nathan but he still held her close, tucked into his side as they faced Steele’s team.

“Why the hell do you ask the question like that?” P.J. said, annoyance evident in her tone and expression.

“You just didn’t seem the type,” Cole mumbled.

She flipped him the bird, and Shea had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. P.J. was easily half Cole’s size but she also looked like she had the confidence to take on the much larger man. She might even kick his ass. The idea intrigued Shea greatly.

“I’m tempted to shove one of my romance novels up your ass,” P.J. said sharply. “But I love my books too much to desecrate them like that. I’ll settle for my boot.”

Cole held up his hands in surrender. “I won’t say another word. Romance novels are great. I love romance novels. I think everyone should read them.”

Dolphin snickered behind Cole, and Cole whirled to glare at him. P.J. smirked and sauntered back to the couch, where she flopped down.

“So what do we do now?” Shea asked anxiously. “Are we leaving? Do we know anything more than we did before?”

“For today we’re going to stay put,” Donovan said. “I’m going to ring Resnick’s bell again. Sam’s trying to reach him now. I know that bastard probably knows more than he’s letting on. There isn’t much that goes on that he doesn’t at least have the resources to find out about. He’s got his fingers in so many dark holes and crannies that half the world is probably afraid of ever pissing him off. He could probably bury any number of world leaders and military brass.”

“You think he can help us?” Shea asked.

“Do I think he can? Yeah, I do. The question isn’t can he. The question is will he. We were polite before. Now we aren’t going to be so nice. We’ve done Resnick plenty of favors. It’s time for him to pay up.”

“Can we trust him?”

Donovan looked surprised by her question, but then his lips turned up into a half smile. “As much as we can anyone who has dirt on everyone who has ever worked for Uncle Sam either officially or unofficially.”

She nodded. “If you trust him, then so will I.”

Nathan kissed the side of her head. “I know you’re worried, baby. But you don’t have to be anymore. Rio will find Grace. Resnick will give us information on who or what headed the experiments on you and your sister and then we’ll go after them.”

“You make it sound so simple,” she said wistfully. “I want it to be that easy, but God, nothing in my life has ever been easy. I’m afraid to believe it could be now. I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop and something horrible is going to happen.”

“We want you to feel safe, Shea,” Donovan said softly. “And not just because you’re someone who needs help. You’re family now. We look out for our own.”

She blinked in surprise and then turned her gaze up to Nathan in bewilderment. He merely smiled down at her and then kissed the tip of her nose.

“Everyone has accepted the inevitable except you. You’re it for me. They know it. I know it. It’s time you start believing it too. I’m not going to let anyone or anything change that. You’re mine. I’m yours. It’s as simple or as hard as we make it.”

Her knees wobbled as a ridiculous giddy sensation stole over her. The room was closing in on her and she desperately wanted to be in the sun for a few moments. Breathe in fresh air. Process everything that had been said over the last few hours. It all seemed so unreal and yet it was real. Very, very real.

“Let’s get you to the house,” Nathan said. “It’s been a long night and an even longer morning. You have to be on overload by now.”

“Let me holler at Sam, and Swanny, Joe and I will go with you,” Donovan said.

NATHAN and Shea followed slowly behind Joe and Donovan as they walked into the lakefront cabin where Donovan still lived. Swanny came in behind, and he and Joe tossed their bags down on the couch.

Donovan turned to Nathan. “You guys can take the back bedroom. Swanny can bunk with either me or Joe.”

Nathan gently squeezed Shea’s neck and massaged. “If you want to grab a shower and change, I’ll show you the bathroom.”

A shower sounded next to heaven. As did clean clothes. Her stomach growled, and she realized it had been hours since they’d eaten.

Joe glanced sharply at Shea and frowned. Then he looked over at Donovan. “What have we got to eat around here? Shea’s starving.”

Her stomach tightened and she stared open-mouthed at Nathan’s brother. She snapped her lips closed and looked away. Damn it. He’d heard her thoughts.

How are you doing that in my head?

Her gaze snapped up and she took a wary step back.

I’m not going to hurt you, damn it. Is this how you talk to Nathan?

Slowly she nodded and then caught herself.

Yes. Nathan and I can communicate this way.

Can you talk to just anyone?

No. It’s…I have no control over it. It just happens.

Joe frowned again. Then why me?

I don’t know. Maybe because you and Nathan are twins and so closely linked. I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry if it made you angry. I wasn’t trying to pry.

With a sigh, Joe walked over and took Shea’s elbow. Nathan’s eyebrows shot up and then came together as he stared in confusion at his brother.

“Can I have a word with Shea?”

Nathan’s frown deepened. “What the hell is going on?”

“I just need a minute. We’ll step outside.”

Nathan was going to protest, but Shea put her hand on his arm.

It’s okay, Nathan.

She let her hand slide off his arm as he nodded. His gaze followed as Joe led her out the back door and onto the wooden deck that overlooked the lake. She closed her eyes as sunshine washed over her and she inhaled deeply. A breeze lifted her hair and tickled her nose. It was so very beautiful here.

He stopped at the railing, where they stood sideways to the lake. For a moment he simply stared off in the distance and then he leaned against the wood with his hip and glanced down at her.

“Look, it’s apparent we got off on the wrong foot, or maybe no foot at all.”

“We only just met,” she murmured.

“And yet you look at me like I’m an ax murderer and you apologize like you think I’m going to take your head off.”

“I’m not sure what you want here,” she said slowly, drawing out the words.

He blew out his breath. “This connection between us, I mean it’s special, right? You said you couldn’t speak to just anyone like that. But you could with Nathan and now with me.”

She nodded.

“My brother came back from Afghanistan a different man than he left. But you know what? The important thing is that he came home at all. The odds were against him. Swanny’s told me more about what happened than Nathan has, and if you hadn’t been there, with him I mean, they both would have died.”

“He wouldn’t have died,” she said quietly. “He wouldn’t have given up. I don’t care what he said.”

“Maybe I agree with you there, but knowing the hell he went through and the fact that you took it for him…I don’t have the words to express my gratitude. I know everyone’s thanked you. They’re grateful. But Shea, he’s not just my brother. He’s my twin. He’s my best friend. You didn’t just give him back his life or give him back to his family. You gave me back a part of myself. And now there’s this connection between us like what you share with Nathan. In a weird way it feels right. Maybe…Maybe one day I’ll be able to repay the favor you did the Kelly family. I don’t profess to know a whole lot about this telepathy thing, but if you ever need me or need help, I hope you’ll call for me as you did with Nathan.”

She smiled at the sincerity in his tense expression. His dark eyes, so much like Nathan’s, were fastened intently on her.

“I’m glad it doesn’t freak you out. Not everyone takes it well, this stranger popping into their head.”

He shrugged. “It’s actually kind of cool. I think it’s neat that you and Nathan can communicate while you’re apart.”

“Thank you. For saying all of that.”

He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “No, Shea, thank you. I feel like I’m getting my brother back and I owe that to you.”

As he pulled away, he glanced back toward the house. “Now let’s get back inside before Nathan paces a hole in the floor. I’ll talk Van into pulling out the grill, and we can do burgers and hot dogs.”

She blinked as she tried to wrap her head around doing something so normal. Granted they weren’t moving out until the next day while Nathan’s brothers took the time to do more investigating, but somehow she’d imagined being huddled in some closed-off room, hiding under a bed or something.

An afternoon of freedom sounded next to heaven.

She followed Joe back inside to find Nathan waiting, his brow furrowed as he observed them walking up. Shea slid her arms around Nathan’s waist and laid her head against his chest.

He instantly relaxed and rubbed his hand up and down her spine.

“How about doing some burgers, Van?” Joe called. “We’re starving.”

Donovan came out of the kitchen and gave Joe a look of exasperation. “Is there anything wrong with your arms?”

“I cook a mean burger,” Swanny spoke up.

Everyone turned to the other man in surprise. He so rarely spoke that he tended to blend in.

“My grill is your grill,” Donovan said with a grin. “I never turn down a meal I don’t have to cook.”

“I can help you make the patties,” Shea offered.

Swanny smiled. “I’d like that. Thanks.”

She was positively gleeful over the simple idea of an afternoon barbeque. It was just so normal and mundane. She actually loved to cook, loved spending time in the kitchen, but she hadn’t done so in a long time. She ate on the go mostly, just like she lived her life. Always on the run.

“I’ll take some burger out and do a quick thaw on it,” Donovan said. “I should have everything else, but if not, we’ll send Joe up to the grocery store.”

“Love how I got volunteered for that,” Joe said dryly.

Donovan’s cell rang and he instantly picked it up. “Hey, Ma,” he said in greeting. He grinned. “Yeah, he’s here. Back safe and sound. Did you doubt us? I told you we were going to drag him home one way or another.”

Shea glanced at Nathan to get his reaction and found him smiling, his eyes soft with love. Her heart squeezed a little.

Donovan listened a moment and then glanced quickly in Nathan’s direction. “Uh, yeah, that’s true, but I’m not going to speculate on anything, Ma. You need to hear that from Nathan.”

“Uh-oh,” Joe said in a low voice. “Busted.”

“Lunch? Well, we’re doing burgers or about to. Um, hang on, okay? Let me ask.”

He put the phone over his chest and whispered in Nathan’s direction. “Ma wants to come over. To eat with us.” He glanced apologetically at Shea. “But you know she just wants to meet Shea, whom she’s already heard about. Are you up for this? I can always tell her no.”

Shea glanced up at Nathan, suddenly nervous and unsure.

Baby, stop.

Nathan’s gentle words spilled through her mind, filling her with warmth and love.

We don’t have to do this now.

No, it’s okay. I mean I don’t mind as long as you don’t. It’s kind of a big step to introduce a girl to your mom, you know.

Then he smiled at her, and the depth of emotion in his eyes blew her away. If there was any doubt before, it was gone in an instant. His gaze was so tender, so full of love, that she felt near to bursting.

She’s going to love you. Just like I do.

She hugged him tighter and buried her face in his chest.

Donovan cleared his throat. “Um, if you two are finished, Ma is still on the phone.”

Heat stained her cheeks as Shea looked up, but she saw teasing in Donovan’s eyes. She relaxed and leaned into Nathan again.

“Of course she can come,” Nathan said. “Maybe she won’t worry so much now.”

Then to Shea, he turned and tipped up her chin. You’ve got to relax, baby. Stop worrying every time my brothers know we’re communicating. They aren’t going to think any differently of you because you’re different.

I’ll try. This is all just so…baffling.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her. Wait until you experience the entire family together.

She sighed wistfully. I think I’d love it.

She’d been so wrapped up in her conversation with Nathan that she hadn’t realized Donovan was already off the phone.

“Okay, so Swanny, all we’ll need are the burgers. Ma is sort of taking care of the rest. You know her. She always comes bearing enough food to feed an army.”

“She does feed an army, doesn’t she?” Shea asked.

Donovan looked at her in mock horror. “Bite your tongue, woman. She feeds Marines. Well, and she feeds these army rejects too.” He gestured toward Swanny, Joe and Nathan.

“Watch it, Bo Peep,” Joe drawled. “Not only is your Marine ass outnumbered, but we’re bigger than your scrawny ass. You don’t have Garrett to back you up this time.”

“So all of you served in different branches of the military?” Shea asked.

“Unfortunately, Donovan and Garrett joined the Marines,” Nathan said, sniffing in disdain. “Ethan really went against the grain and joined the navy. He was a SEAL before he resigned his commission. Sam, Joe and I all served in the army. Obviously we’re the more intelligent of the Kelly gene pool.”

“And the rest of KGI? They all seem very military.”

“Not all, actually,” Donovan said. “P.J. is a former S.W.A.T. team member.”

“P.J. is the woman, right?” Shea asked.

“Yeah. She’s a crack sniper. Best we have,” Donovan replied.

“She’s impressive,” Swanny broke in. “Hell of a shot, from what I hear.”

Donovan nodded. “The rest of Steele’s team is all ex-military. Rio’s team, on the other hand…Rio is a bit of an unknown. And by that I mean his past is highly classified. He came recommended from some very highly decorated military officers. So yeah, I’d say military, but I’d say he was definitely off the books.”

Shea sent him a puzzled look.

“He means not official. Not recognized,” Nathan explained. “Meaning he didn’t really exist in whatever organization he served under.”

Her lips turned down into a frown. “That sucks.”

“Terrence, his right hand, likely served with him. The two are close. I’d swear they were telepathic because they do some freaky silent communication,” Donovan continued.

“And Rio is the one who went after Grace,” she said softly. “How do you know…I mean if he was so shadowy and no one really knows who he works for, how do we know he can be trusted?”

She could tell they didn’t entirely like her question, but they controlled their responses.

“Rio is solid,” Donovan said quietly. “He’s as solid as they come. If he said he’ll bring Grace home to you, then he’ll do it or die trying.”

Shea could sense just how resolute Donovan was about Rio, and it eased some of her worries. Just hearing about the accomplished men and woman of KGI made her feel safer and more at peace than she’d been in so very long.

We’ll keep you safe, Shea.

It wasn’t Nathan who spoke to her, but Joe. He’d sensed her worry and sought to ease it. She looked over and smiled and marveled at how good it was to feel joy again.