Landon (The Love Family Series Book 5) (6 page)

Chapter 10

They lay in a heap of tangled limbs on the bed. Every muscle in his body was sated, and he figured hers were too. Sex, he told himself. That was all it was. A way to relieve the stress he could see in her eyes, and what he’d been feeling himself. Alice rested her head against his chest and her hand traced the lines on his stomach. The latest were thanks to a knife fight with someone who’d been close to outmaneuvering him.

“Did you get all these in the military?” she asked, lifting up and placing a gentle kiss over the scar.

“Not all of them, but most,” he answered. His gaze moved to the monitors hanging on the wall. He scanned them like he’d done several times into the early morning hours.

“Landon…when this is over—”

He didn’t let her finish what she was going to say. Instead, he rolled her onto her back and kissed her with the force of the emotions he felt wafting from her. “When this is over, I want to take you on a date.”

She laughed for the first time since he’d known her. “A date?”

He nodded and kissed the freckle on her neck. “Yep. You and me…we’ll go on a date like a real couple.”

She smiled, her eyes lit like emeralds. “You’ve got yourself a deal.” She glanced at the monitor and her emerald eyes widened. “Did you see that?”

Landon kissed her lips one last time and rolled off of her. “See what, baby?”

“I saw something….someone…movement.”

Landon propped himself up and studied the screens. “Was it an animal or a person?”

Her eyes widened in terror as she watched three men converging on the house. Landon and she were safe behind the steel walls; she knew that, but her heart didn’t get the memo and threatened to beat out of her chest. “Are those guns?”

“Fuck,” Landon said, jumping to his feet and grabbing his jeans.

Alice grabbed his arm to stop him. “Landon, no. You can’t take them all.”

“Get dressed,” he barked and lifted the phone on the wall and started punching in numbers. “We’ve got a strike team coming in from the east.”

He hung up, looked around the small room, grabbed his gun, and shoved it in his jeans while they watched the images on the screen. The flash of red from the machine guns came in quick succession. One was aimed at the entire lower floor and the other up to the second when they noticed two more men at the front of the house. The shooters opened fire, as Landon and Alice watched the unimaginable happen.

Landon moved to the phone, picked it up, and punched in more numbers. “We’ve got five, armed with machine guns, Avery. Alice and I are in the safe room. Hold your position and call for backup. Do. Not. Approach. On your own.”

“I’m calling in help. Shoot anyone who breaches the safe room door.”

“Copy that.” He hung up.

Landon tossed Alice her clothes and moved her to the far wall before tipping the bed to hide her from sight. He flipped on the intercom system and stood with his gun pointed at the door, his finger on the trigger. The sound of glass shattering filled the room, matching the sound of bullets that were raining in the house.

Alice had her head poked out from behind the mattress, and she watched the monitors. They both did. Rain poured down, and Landon knew instantly who Avery had called. There was only one relative that could bring the rain, not to mention the lightning. He watched, his gaze intent on the black figures that were now highlighted in the thunder and lightning. A calming ease swept down his spine and he whispered, “Alexis.”

“Who?”

“My cousin. Avery called my cousin, Alexis.”

“Is she some commando too?”

Landon chuckled. “Worse. A pissed-off beautician.” Landon glanced over his shoulder. “You don’t want to watch this in case she misses and actually strikes one of these guys.”

Alice rose to her feet and watched as the lightning struck and danced around the men outside, the gunfire forgotten. First one and then three men took off for the cover of the trees, lightning striking the ground behind them as they ran. “How…”

Landon realized his mistake the minute she asked. He’d never told Alice about his family or his cousins. He’d never trusted her enough to tell her the truth, unsure if their assignment was temporary.

Landon debated his reply, taking a moment to form the right words and watching the monitor as the other two guys scrambled away. He lowered his gun and turned to face Alice. “This is going to be kind of hard to explain.”

“Try me.” Her eyes danced between him and the screen and the way the lightning moved away from the house.

“You know how your DNA is in question? Well, mine isn’t, and neither is that of my cousins. Each of us has, rather all of us have, an ability that we can’t explain. My cousin”—he pointed to the monitor—“can control the weather…to some extent,” he amended.

Alice gave a slow nod. “And you?”

“I can feel emotions.”

“That’s how you knew I was about to throw in the towel.”

Landon nodded.

“Declan? What’s his?”

“He’s like a human lie detector.”

Alice leaned against the wall, as if her legs were about to give out.

“Skylar?”

“She’s got this aura thing going on. She can see lights around everyone.”

Alice gave a slow nod, as if still needing time to process it all.

“What about Flynn? Him too?”

“Premonitions.”

Alice’s mouth parted for a mere second before she snapped it closed. “And when Avery said that Reed was doing his thing with Edward’s picture? What thing might that be?”

“Well, you already know that Reed is a computer geek. There’s a reason he’s so good. If it’s online, or in electronic format, he can access it, no matter what secrets the individual is trying to hide.”

Her face reddened, and her eyes narrowed. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

“Not unless there was a need,” Landon answered instantly. “There wasn’t until now.”

She gave a slow nod and snapped her mouth closed as she stepped around the mattress. “You can sleep with me; you can be intimate with every part of my body, but you don’t trust me enough to tell me something so… so… important.”

“Alice, not many people know. Could you imagine if they did? We’d be studied and experimented on. I couldn’t do that to my family. I’d never intentionally put them in harm’s way.”

“Like bringing me to the island?”

The phone on the wall rang, interrupting their conversation, and Landon hesitated answering it. Keeping Alice pegged with his gaze, he picked it up. “Yeah.”

“They should be gone,” Avery announced.

“They are. Tell Alexis thanks for me.”

“I’m pulling in. Holy…moly…the house looks like Swiss cheese.”

“It’s safe to say that it’s compromised. Use the intercom after your sweep and let us know it’s clear.”

“Copy that.”

Landon hung up and shoved the gun into the waistband of his jeans. He stepped toward Alice. “Baby, I’m sorry.”

All the blood drained from Alice’s face. She closed her eyes and dropped her gaze to her feet. “Anything else you’ve kept secret? Is Avery some superhero spy?”

Landon tried to cover his smile and failed miserably. “If you ask her, she is, but not from her DNA.”

“Surf’s up,” came over the speaker.

Landon punched the numbers on the panel and stepped out of the room, finding Avery waiting in Alice’s room. She was zipping up Alice’s suitcase and moving it to the door.

“I suggest you get your stuff.”

“Do you think it was Edward Best?” Landon asked on his way to the door.

“No,” Alice answered. “He told me I would be safe tonight.”

“Or he gave up our location,” Landon said.

“I’m afraid she’s right, Landon. It wasn’t Best.”

Landon stopped at the door. “How do you know?”

“He was picked up within an hour of Declan leaving here. Declan has had him this entire time, trying to get him to talk. He said he’d only talk to Alice and that the police were keeping him from stopping an attack. I guess we know he was telling the truth now.”

“Give me five.” Landon left them to go into his room and grab his things, which he’d already packed. He moved to the holes in the wall plaster and glanced back at his bed. The stuffing and springs were sticking out of it, and it was in that moment that he knew he’d escaped death. “Fuck me.”

“Get your ass in gear, Love. We’ll be downstairs.”

Landon grabbed his duffel bag from the closet, hefted it over his shoulder, and trampled down the stairs to find Avery and Alice standing by the door waiting. Avery tossed him the keys to his SUV.

The first floor of the house was worse than the second story. Glass was shattered everywhere. Furniture was filled with bullets and holes, as was the drywall. Landon’s muscles tensed and his jaw ticked. They’d gotten close to Alice. Too close.

Anger radiated from him, filling the air and mixing with the apprehension that Alice was giving off. This wasn’t happening again. Ever.     

Landon followed the girls to the vehicles. Alice got into Avery’s car without giving him a second glance. Landon stood with the driver’s side door open when Avery lifted her shoulders.

“Where to?” he asked.

“Showers first. You both smell like sex. And then the police station. You’ve got your choice of shacking up with Reed and me or at your parents’ cabin.”

“Reed and you,” Alice answered for them.

“I guess we’ll be staying with Reed and you.”

Avery left the car door open and walked around to stand in front of Landon.

“I don’t know what happened between you two, and I don’t care, but you need to fix this.” Her brows rose in challenge.

“I had to tell her about us.”

“Oh.”

“All of us. I slipped up and mentioned Alexis causing the lightning.”

“Well, that explains it.” She patted Landon on the arm. “We’re driving slowly, so I can undo your damage.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet. If this is about your abilities, then I’ve got you covered. If it has anything to do with the monkey sex I smell on you guys, then you’re on your own.”

Chapter 11

Landon glanced toward Alice in the passenger seat for a second time. They’d both showered and changed. Separately. And she’d had time to absorb Avery’s explanation as to why she’d been left in the dark. It made sense, even if she felt like a fool. After spending a month with Landon, she’d thought she knew him. She knew his moods as if they were married. She’d met his family. Hell, she even knew the way he worked tactical maneuvers. She just hadn’t been privy to the family secret. She’d slept with a man she wasn’t sure she knew anything about, and even worse, she’d been the one to instigate it. She couldn’t be mad at him for that. Could she?

Landon turned in the opposite direction of the police station, and Alice glanced out the back window. “I thought it was that way.”

“It is.” He kept driving. “We’re making a pit stop first.”

“For what?” she asked. “Ice cream?”

Landon’s lips twitched. “Not exactly, but we can get you some if you’re hungry.”

Alice didn’t ask any more questions since it was evident Landon wasn’t the type of person to share. She didn’t say a word when he turned off the main road and parked the SUV, or when he came around to her side and held out his hand. No, she didn’t say a word when he slipped his fingers through hers and led her down a steep, sandy path to what she believed was the beach.

She was right. They stepped out onto the beach and he moved her in front of him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“What are we doing here?”

“This is my favorite spot in the world, and I wanted to share it with you.”

“Oh, now you want to share,” she teased, or was she?

“I’ve been all over the world, and I’ve never been able to duplicate this.”

“What?” she asked, unsure what to expect.

The sun started to rise over the horizon. The reds and yellows danced on the ocean water as waves crashed along the shore. It was a beach, just like the others she’d seen. Why this one was special she either didn’t have a clue or hadn’t spotted the difference, so she waited. Birds flew in the air, swooping down to get their breakfast from the sea.

Landon leaned into her ear. “Wait for it…”

She glanced around, hoping she wasn’t missing some spectacular show, and she felt something land softly on her head. She reached up and grabbed it, bringing it to eye level. A white petal from a flower. Within seconds, there were thousands flying over their heads, landing on them, the beach, and in the water.

“How?” she asked, reaching down to pick up one of the full flowers.

“My cousin, Alexis,” he answered and hugged her tighter. “She jogs this route every morning, and every time she does, the breeze blows and the petals drift down from above. It brings new meaning to the word sun shower.”

Alice couldn’t contain her smile as she watched the thousands of petals dance in the sky. “This is beautiful.”

Landon rested his head on her shoulder, and they both gazed out at the sun and the flowers. “This is where I find my peace. The sunrise, the flowers, the breeze, and the water. This is my heaven, and now you’re a part of it.”

Landon turned her in his arms and held her waist. “I may not always know the right thing to say, or trust people easily, but I want you to know that I trust you, and when I’m with you, there is no place I’d rather be.”

“Landon…”

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. “I enjoyed every minute we were in the safe room.”

“Up until the bullets started flying?”

“Yeah, up until then. Alice, I’m not going to lie. We’re both lucky to be alive, and we probably wouldn’t be if we hadn’t been in that room. I’m not sure you’re safe with me anymore. I can’t seem to focus when you’re next to me, or in the room, and that’s no way to ensure your safety.”

“Are you saying you don’t want to protect me?”

“I’m saying I’d die to protect you, Alice. I’m just not sure I’m suited to run your operation. Not in the way you need. I want you safe, and I almost lost you last night. I. Can’t. Lose. You. Too.”

“You won’t.” Alice lifted her palm to his face. “We’ll figure this out.” She leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I trust you.”

“You might come to regret that,” he teased and took her hand, leading her back to the SUV.

Fifteen minutes later, Alice was laughing as she picked the flower petals out of her hair while they walked into the police station. All work had stopped before the door swung closed behind them. Declan stepped out of his office, his permanent scowl planted on his face. Landon’s other brother, Flynn, walked out behind him. Alice leaned into Landon and whispered, “What did you say Flynn can do?”

“Premonitions.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” she whispered, and they kept walking.

“Any change?” Landon asked as he approached Declan.

“With Best, no,” he answered. “But there is a new development we need to talk about.”

“You can say that again.” Flynn clapped Landon on the arm before plucking a flower petal from Alice’s hair. “Crap.” He shook his head, and his eyes softened as he stared at Alice. “I’m sorry, darling. I wanted to be wrong.” He held up the petal “But it looks like I’m right again.”

“Right about what?” Landon asked, knocking the petal from his hand. “Start talking.”

“Not here.” Flynn started walking to the interrogation room. He held out his hand, waited for them all to enter, and then called out to one of the other deputies. “Give us ten minutes and then bring him in.”

Flynn shut the door and leaned against the wood. “I don’t know how to tell you this.” His gaze met Landon’s.

“Just spill it. I already told her about all of us. There are no more secrets.”

“In thirty minutes, when you two leave, there will be a gunman waiting outside. There is going to be bloodshed.”

“Whose?” Declan asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Alice’s and Landon’s,” Flynn answered. “She’s going to take two to the chest, and he’s going to take one in the arm.”

“We’ll take them out the back,” Declan declared and moved to shove Flynn out of the way.

“I’ve seen that scenario, too. There’s more than one gunman, in case the other fails.”

“Let me guess. There are five?” Landon asked.

Flynn grinned. “Are you honing in on my premonitions?”

“That’s how many shot up the safe house,” Alice answered. Declan and Flynn swung their gazes to her.

“Focus,” Landon said. “Is there a scenario where we get her out alive?”

“Funny you should ask that. Yes, but you are definitely not going to like it.”

“Well?” Landon asked impatiently.

“She has to leave with Best.” He held up his hand. “Specifically, she has to have a gun pointed at his head and they won’t shoot her. Any other way, and she dies.”

Landon sent a chair from the table careening across the room. “Absolutely fucking not.”

“Landon.” Alice linked her hand with his, needing the grounding and his strength. She turned back to the brothers. “What is so special about this guy?”

“I have no clue,” Flynn answered.

“I don’t know either,” Declan said. “Since I assume you know I’m a lie detector, it’s hard to determine the truth and a lie if the asshole won’t talk to me.”

“But he’ll talk to me?” she asked.

“No,” Landon growled. “That’s not happening.”

Alice turned to Landon and her face softened. “It’s the only way.” She turned back to Flynn. “How does Landon get out of here safely?”

“He has to leave with me in the next five minutes. Anything longer and we’re toast as well.”

“Then we’ll take her with us.” Landon started heading for the door.

“They see her and we’re all dead. She’s the trigger. Once the man in the front moves to the back, in the next four minutes, they’ll shoot you too. Right now the guy out back doesn’t know that you two came together. They won’t suspect anything when we leave.”

“Are you kidding me?” Landon asked incredulously. “There has to be another way.”

“There’s not, Lan. I’m sorry,” Flynn answered. “You need to tell her goodbye now so we can leave.

Alice turned to him and grabbed his face, pressing a hard kiss to his lips. “Go. I’ll reach out to you. I promise.”

His eyes pleaded with her, and she could barely hold back the tears. “Go. Now.” She pushed him toward Flynn, who grabbed his arm and started pulling him toward the door. “Go.”

Landon cursed the entire way down the hall with Flynn dragging him to the door.

Alice paced to the other side of the room and stopped. She swiped at a tear that slipped free. “I can lock you in the basement and we can shoot anyone who comes for you.”

Alice shook her head and turned. “I need this to stop, and Best seems to be the only one holding the cards. I can’t let anyone else get hurt because of me.”

Declan stepped closer to her, pulled her into his arms, and hugged her. “You don’t worry about us. I’ve got
us
covered.” He leaned back and looked down into her eyes. “You worry about you. You keep yourself safe, and Landon will come for you. I know it like I know I’d go after Olivia. He’ll come for you, trust that.”

“Declan—”

“No matter what he says, you look at me. I’ll nod yes if he’s telling the truth and shake my head no if he’s lying. Okay?”

She nodded at the same time the door behind them opened. In walked a deputy with Best wearing a bulletproof vest and his hands cuffed in front of him. A female deputy followed him, carrying a bulletproof vest. She moved to Alice and helped her get into it.

“That’s unnecessary. I’m not going to hurt her, and I don’t have a weapon,” Best said.

Alice glanced at Declan, and he gave a little nod to let her know that Best was telling the truth.

Declan made a motion to have Best’s cuffs removed, and he gestured toward the chair. “Sit.”

Best complied.

“How do you know me?” Alice asked.

“I thought your first question would be why I sent you the thumb drive,” he answered, evading her question.

“I know why you sent the thumb drive. I’m one of the stolen children. Now answer my question. How do you know me?”

He remained quiet, and Declan checked his watch. “Answer her question. You two are running out of time.”

“Time for what?” Best asked, glancing between them both.

“Answer her damn question,” Declan growled while removing the gun from his leg holster. He handed it to Alice.

Best’s brows dipped as he watched the exchange. “Let’s just say we’re related.”

Alice glanced at Declan, and he nodded. Damn. “How are we related?”

“You aren’t safe here, Alice. I need to get you off the island.”

Declan nodded again. “Assuming I leave with you, how do you plan to get me off the Island?”

“My helicopter. I’ve been here since the day you stepped foot on the Island.”

Declan nodded again.

The thought of flying made her stomach roll.

“Where would you take her?”

“Someplace these thugs would be killed if they step foot.”

“Where!” Declan slammed his hand down on the table.

“My home. 514 Brighton Rd. in Sweeton, Pennsylvania.”

“Fine.” Declan pulled out his phone and started typing a text.

“Landon Love will be meeting us at your house, and if you so much as harm a hair on his body, I’ll destroy you,” Alice said with more ferocity than she’d ever said anything before.

“Count on it,” Declan replied.

Best leaned back in his chair with a smirk on his face. “How do you plan to do that?”

“You seem like a smart guy to me. I knew that from the way the file was encrypted. First I’ll start with your bank accounts then move to your credit cards, and if that’s not enough, then probably your trust fund. I bet you’re a trust fund baby. Your daddy, the judge, would have set something like that up for you since you work for him.” Alice paced the floor. “Then I think we’ll move to daddy’s company.” She stopped and turned toward him. “Or how about I have it leaked to the press that you were the one who supplied me with the data. I’m sure the assholes that tried to gun me down last night wouldn’t mind the extra hit.”

“Feisty. The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree. I shouldn’t be surprised.” His playful look turned serious. “They tried to kill you last night?”  Edward’s nostrils flared, and he turned his glare toward Declan. “I warned you, if you didn’t let me go, she was as good as dead.”

“And I’m warning you, if Landon or she gets hurt,
you’re
as good as dead.”

“Your boyfriend and you are welcome in my home, and I will guarantee your safety as long as you stay on my compound.”

Alice glanced at Declan. He nodded.

“Why would you do that?” She asked.

“I’ll explain when we get there.”

“Perfect.” She rounded the table and gestured for Best to stand. She glanced up at Declan. “How are we doing this?”