B00MV3HMDW_EBOK (33 page)

“You come around that corner, I’ll have no choice but to defend myself.”

Ryland’s voice was carried away in the wind. Ethan stopped at the next corner, listening intently for his target to speak again. If he could get a bead on Ryland one shot would take him out. When he said nothing more, Ethan taunted him.

“Lower your weapon, Ryland. Don’t make this end with you taking a bullet.”

“Ethan Chambers.” Ethan could tell that Ryland hadn’t moved from his location. Quickly scanning behind him and then in front of him, he imagined there was a large ventilation shaft fan housing giving Ryland the coverage he needed. “I have to admit I’m surprised. I wouldn’t have thought the youngest on the team would have calculated my location with such precision.”

“Oh, I can’t take all the credit.” Ethan continued on with the conversation, gauging his options. The team was obviously listening intently and on their way. It was easy to distinguish Crest’s voice instructing him to stall their target. Ethan figured he had five minutes to kill before backup arrived. He knew the building to his left was too far away for Ryland to make a go for it, but the structure to his right was close enough make a jump. The stairs were out since that was the direction the team would be coming in from. In order for Ryland to take advantage of his last true avenue of escape, he would have to transit directly across left to right in front of Ethan’s position. The odds were greatly in his favor. “Let’s just say it was a team effort. You’re done, Ryland. So lay down your weapon and show yourself with your hands in the air.”

“You know me better than that, Ethan.” Ryland’s voice had gotten a foot closer and Ethan didn’t hesitate to round the corner and take the shot. Fuck. Ryland had come out far enough that he was able to dive for cover around the corner of the utility stair access structure. Ethan had no choice but to turn around and make sure that Ryland didn’t reach the exit. A glimpse of white and Ethan pulled the trigger once more, causing his target to retreat. “You’re better than I gave you credit for.”

Ethan didn’t bother to respond, using the back of his hand to wipe the sweat that was beading on his forehead. He estimated the time he’d been up here and the distance to where the others’ locations had been. He figured roughly four more minutes, give or take. A hell of a lot could happen in that timeframe.

“You realize the only way you’re getting off of this roof is either in handcuffs or a body bag, so why don’t we save ourselves the effort?” Ethan had to keep the door in sight, making himself a target, but he’d be damned if Ryland was getting away when he was within range of a bullet. “Just drop your weapon.”

The second Ethan finished speaking he heard the dirt grind into the chipped gray paint of the roof and saw the glint of a weapon. Both men fired, the edges of the corners protecting them and this shootout only serving to delay the inevitable. Each time he would try to speak, Ryland continued to get a shot off and as they continued to exchange fire Ethan realized too late what he was trying to do. Ethan emptied his clip, but before he could reload with another cartridge, Ryland made a break for it.

“Fuck,” Ethan muttered, taking off and doing his damnedest to head off the man’s run.

Sure enough, Ryland came running full speed around the corner, but by the time he came out on the side of the building Ethan lunged and caught his target’s pant leg in his fingers. The speed in which Ryland was running and the slick texture of the fabric caused it to slip from Ethan’s grip. He rolled and came to his feet just in time to see the man jump over the edge. It was as if time stood still with the exception of Ryland, who was never going to make it to the other side. He lifted his arms to cover his face, and by some fucking fluke the velocity of his body catapulted him through a glass window. Ethan didn’t hesitate to get a running start but instantly came up short when Ryland appeared with his weapon pointing right at Ethan’s head.

“I give you credit,” Ryland called out breathlessly, blood running down the side of his face, showing his mortality. His steel gray eyes bore a hole into Ethan as he waited for that fateful bullet. “You’re the first man to ever interrupt me when I was this close to eliminating a target.”

“Do it.” Ethan goaded, focused on the weapon. He knew Ryland could get off a shot before he moved in any direction. A burst of adrenaline washed through him when Ryland lowered his weapon.

“Regardless of what you all think of me, I don’t kill unless I’m paid to.”

“Rudder?” Ethan finally heard the door behind him slam open, but it was too late. “Someone paid you?”

“That’s a matter of payment for a debt.” Ryland lifted one side of his mouth, but Ethan couldn’t tell if it was in humor or disdain. “For Taryn. You can’t taste it?”

“Ethan?” Jax called out, his footsteps pounding on the hot surface. “You okay, man?”

Ryland was gone. Just like that. Son of a bitch. “Go! Other building, other building!”

Ethan took off behind his team as they all filed down the stairs in unison. Various thoughts ran through his mind but the one that struck him most was that Ryland truly thought that all men were like him in his capacity to kill. Did Ethan want retribution on Rudder and Bowers for nearly taking the life of the woman he loved? Absolutely. But it would be in the form of justice. That didn’t mean that he wouldn’t have taken the shot or Rudder’s life, had Ethan had the opportunity to return fire. Two different moments in time…and that is what defined a sane person from the likes of Ryland.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“M
om, you just spoke with her yourself. Taryn told you that she’s fine,” Ethan said into his phone as Taryn came out of the bathroom. He’d brought her a change of clothes, her favorite shorts and worn Navy T-shirt this morning and now they were waiting for the discharge papers. She was chomping at the bit to join the rest of the team, which were situated in position to monitor their targets—Bowers and Rudder. Ryland was bound to show up to finish the job he’d given himself. “We’re not finished with our assignment here, but I promise you that I’ll take care of her.”

Taryn held her breath, not ready to tell his parents that they’d taken their friendship to another level. Would he say something to his mother? She and Ethan had yet to really have a chance to talk about what had ensued yesterday from the choices they had made or even to address his assertion of love. It wasn’t that she didn’t return his feelings. She was ready to give her life for his yesterday and that wasn’t going to change. But when she actually said the words, it wasn’t going to be in front of the team. It would be when she had the opportunity to tell him
why
she loved him. She watched him as she sat on the edge of the bed and was staggered at the depth of her feelings for this man. He was looking out of the hospital window and a lone ray of sunshine peering through the clouds made the ends of his hair shimmer. He wouldn’t like her to think of him this way, but he was her angel.

“Taryn?”

A woman’s voice pulled Taryn’s thoughts away from Ethan and she winced when she involuntarily moved her arm. The nurses had placed it in a sling, ensuring that her arm wouldn’t shift, but each movement caused a sharp twinge to remind her that she wasn’t at her best. When she recognized who spoke Taryn was instantly filled with disgust and fury. Aunt Lisa pushed the door wider, allowing her a wider berth in which to enter the room. She was wearing a crisp white business suit with enough jewelry to weigh down an elephant. Her hair was once again immaculate and was sprayed into place. Her superior attitude was about to get knocked on its ass. As Taryn stood, Ethan had somehow managed to get his mother off of the phone and was by her side in an instant. His touch did nothing to soothe the anger that filled her.

“You rotten little bitch,” Taryn muttered, trying to take a step forward. Ethan’s hand on her good arm prevented her. “You knew all along that Sabrina Bowers was Dad’s daughter and yet you kept your mouth shut the entire time.”

“Now Taryn, no one really knew for sure and Madeline never spoke about it. As a matter of fact, she once even said that Sabrina was Charles’. Who was I to argue?” Lisa snuck a glance at Ethan, as she was obviously uncomfortable with the reception she received. That was just too damned bad, because Taryn wasn’t even close to being done, regardless that her aunt continued to speak as if she’d just walked into the room. “Gordon heard that you’d been hurt when Arthur Bowers was arrested. I came as soon as I could.”

“Really?” Taryn had so much to say that she couldn’t help but string her words together. By this time she was shaking with fury and she reached up to grab Ethan’s hand to have something to hold on to. “You’re nothing but a self-centered bitch. Anything to prevent your name from being sullied, isn’t that right? Do you know what your little secrets did to that innocent child? Charles and Arthur Bower molested her, Lisa. They used that little girl until there was nothing left but a shell. She could have had a normal life with a family who cared for her, but you kept your mouth shut because God forbid some gossip leak out to your upper society bitches that might make them think you’re not good enough to be in their circle. Are you proud of yourself?”

“Now Taryn—”

“Did Gordon by chance tell you why Arthur Bowers was arrested?” Taryn didn’t give Lisa time to speak. As for family titles? No way in hell would she again call this woman family. “He’s being charged with two counts of murder as well as the attempt on my life. While you sat back, enjoying your so-called friends and pretentious life, he staged Madeline’s death to look like an accident. Your
best
friend was murdered and you didn’t give a shit.”

“I – I thought it was an accident,” Lisa stuttered, looking as if she didn’t know how to act. Her shoulders straightened and it was apparent she thought she could control the way this conversation was going. She was sadly mistaken, but she tried to go on the offensive anyway. “The police said it was an accident. How was I to know different?”

“By being a better friend?” Taryn snapped back, pointing a finger in Lisa’s direction. “
You
would have known that Madeline didn’t believe Sabrina had been abducted. She swore a thousand times over that Sabrina had run away and she probably knew the reason. Did you ever ask? Did you ever, for just a moment, think of what another mother might be going through and offer support? We also have reason to believe that Sabrina didn’t die back then, but instead Arthur Bowers tracked her down a couple of years ago and had her killed. You can bet your fake little ass that the prosecutor will do his best to prove it too.”

Even through her anger, Taryn was careful in what she said in regards to the charges against Arthur Bower. It would be a difficult case to prove, but CSA would give over whatever evidence they had found over the last two years in connection with Trevor Neonni—at least the evidence that would stand up in court.

“You stood by and did nothing.” Taryn suddenly felt drained and she let herself relax against Ethan, who was still standing beside her. His strength absorbed her weight. “Sabrina was family, Lisa. She was
our
family and you ignored what was happening to a minor child to protect your social status.”

“I didn’t know,” Lisa replied a little desperately, obviously afraid that this information would tarnish her image.

“You knew she was a Sisal and not a Bowers,” Taryn pointed out, all the while shaking her head in grief for the things that she couldn’t change. “It doesn’t matter, does it? We can’t transform the past into something we want or bring Sabrina back. I can only hope that wherever she is, she’s with Dad.”

“Taryn, I—”

“You can leave,” Taryn instructed Lisa, having no desire to continue this conversation. “I no longer recognize you as family. You don’t deserve to be a part of our family. I’ll claim Sabrina’s body as a Sisal and see that she has a proper burial.”

Lisa looked like she was going to argue but thought better of it. She turned on her heel and left the room. It was a good thing too, because another spark of fury coursed its way through Taryn until her arm started to throb. She’d said her peace and now she was done. She washed her hands of this so-called family member and it felt cleansing.