Page 202 of Deadfall

I smiled dryly. “Well, that makes sense.”

He returned the smile and faced me fully. “Getting to operate next to someone you know intimately—their strengths, their weaknesses—that is something special and what ends up creating a powerful team.”

“But, you have more to lose.”

He studied my face, his eyes the color of hard steel. “Yes.”

He put his hands on my shoulders, and I felt an overwhelming surge of love and protectiveness from him.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he said fervently. “None of these people are going to let anything happen to you.”

“I’m not worried about me,” I said. “What if—”

He shook his head. “No. I just got you back, Em. We’re going to make Mahoney pay, and then we’re going to spend the next year doing all the things we never got a chance to do.”

“Like what?”

“Like fishing, or maybe that hunting trip we never got to take.”

“It’ll be winter.”

“Ice fishing then.”

I laughed softly. “Okay.”

He sighed heavily. “And, then of course we have the holidays.”

“Do you decorate the house?” I asked tentatively.

A sad look crossed my father’s face and he shook his head. “It reminded me too much of what I’d lost. But, ever since Kaelin came into the picture she’s taken over. Now, Christmas is—” A strange look of amusement mixed with annoyance appeared in his eyes. “Festive chaos.”

Excitement gripped me. “Can we cut down a tree this year?”

I don’t think my father trusted his voice, because all he did was nod and then pull me into his chest. I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug and made sure to savor every second.

He kissed the top of my head. “I love you.”

The words, long unused, stuck in my throat. “I love you too.”

I pulled back just enough to look up at him. “Does this mean you’ve decided to give Albatron time?”

His lips thinned and a sharp look entered his eyes. A chill crept under my skin—this was the dangerous man who’d spent years going after the people who’d wronged him. The power that emanated from him was enough for me to be thankful that I was one of those he fought for.

“It’s not just because he asked for it,” he said. “We need time too.”

I nodded and sank back into his arms, not ready to let him go just yet. I wanted another minute in the arms that I’d dreamt about. I wanted another minute to trick myself into thinking I was safe again. But, mostly, I wanted another minute where it was just the two of us—back together again—for as long as the universe allowed.

97

GABRIEL

I heard the sound of rotors, and anticipation gripped me. I hadn’t seen my sister in almost a year. We talked frequently, but it wasn’t the same. I knew we needed to get better at having face time with each other, but our lives continued to take us to opposite sides of the world.

“That’ll be the helo,” Knight said. “North said your sister is the pilot?”

“Yup,” I smiled. “Better go greet her, or she’ll hunt me down.”

I stepped out of the tent and watched the MH-6 Little Bird descend on the camp. Once it landed, a woman stepped out. She tossed her helmet on the seat and raced straight to me, a massive smile on her face. I pulled her in for a tight hug that she returned enthusiastically.