Redemption is Here (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 9) (18 page)

Tony’s heart skipped at the contact.

“I’m good at what I do. Maybe that’s the problem
, Tony. I find them and give them peace. Once, when working in the jungle, the chief of a local tribe told me that I was giving the dead my peace. I guess that’s just how it has to be.”

He understood. After all, he was in the same boat. “I sometimes have to pretend they’re not people. In fact, when the bosses want updates, I’ve created show and tell to help lighten the mood. Elizabeth argues
, and it gives me a moment’s reprieve from the truth. They were people and they didn't die quietly.”

She stared at him.
“I don’t know if I can do this.”

There.

It was said.

Tony brushed a stray hair from her cheek with gentle fingertips. “You think I don’t say that on occasion? Whenever we get a gruesome case, I think the same damn thing.
In fact, I’ve thought it for the last twelve years. We all do. If you don’t you’re not human.”

That reassured her.

“What if I screw this up? I’m good with bones, but we have mummies. They’re going to be fleshy.”

Now, he understood. She was scared of tomorrow too.

“I’ll help you through it. There’s no shame in stumbling, Jax. You’ll get back up and get through it. We humans are a resilient bunch. You’ll pick yourself up and keep going. If worse comes to worse, it’s only a job.”

She started shaking.

Tony went with instinct. “Come here,” he said, tugging on her hand. Instead of fighting, she went to his side and rested against him.

Heat swamped him as
her body touched his. The scent of her shampoo wafted up, filling his senses and driving him crazy. Yeah, she did something to him.

Jax rested her head on his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her. Slowly, the fear dissipated. If she struggled, he’d get her through it. For the first time in a long time, there was peace.

“Thank you, Tony,” she offered.

He couldn’t speak. His heart was pounding, and since her head was right over it, he didn't doubt she knew it.

Slowly, her breathing evened out. Her hand slid down his chest to rest on his abs, right above parts of his body that he wanted her to touch.

Christ! This was hell.

Now what was he supposed to do? There was a sleeping woman against him. Well, he didn't want to wake her, so he had no choice. Shifting his body, he came to rest in the corner of the couch. When Jax cuddled into him, he nearly moaned.

Well, sleep wasn’t happening
for him, so instead, Tony was forced to think about other things. Like what he was supposed to do next.

Honestly, he
had no clue.

Pondering it until all hours of the night,
Tony finally slipped into sleep with a sexy younger woman wrapped around his torso. His last thoughts were if he was blessed, or cursed.

Tony wasn’t sure.

It looked like only morning would tell.

                                 *     *     *

Tuesday Morning

Black Mountain Reservation

        Dawn

The scent of his cologne and skin overwhelmed her, pulling her from sleep. Cuddled beneath the blankets on the bed, Elizabeth found herself wrapped protectively in Callen’s arms. One held her to him, while the other rested protectively across her abdomen.

It was a common thing for the men in her life.

The simple action gave her such a rush of love. Sometime in the night, he’d pulled off the heels and remnants of the stripper gear. Now, she was naked and pressed to his body.

In the morning light, just breaking over the crest of trees, she could see the tattoos across his body. The ink always called to her when it was on the men she loved.

Running her fingers over the fox on his abs, she giggled when he rolled, pressing her beneath him. Immediately, his eyes popped open.

“You needed me?” he whispered, leaving kisses across the freckles
on her nose.

Her arms wrapped around his body, holding him to her. “I always need you, Cal
len, but I had a better plan for this morning. You’ll love it.”

Already his body was warm, loose, and ready to find someplace to call home. “Spill it, beautiful,” he offered, nudging her with his erection.

“Well, I was thinking we could call Ethan, wake him up, and then after have soapy shower sex.”

He was all for that. If there was one thing in his life he loved, it was tormenting his brother. “It’s not like you to want to disturb him.”

“I need to tell you both something, and if I wait, I’ll forget,” she offered. “You know, pregnancy hormones. They make me loopy.”

He stared down into her eyes. There was worry there and that made him edgy. “What’s wrong?” he said, rolling off her body to give her space.

“I’ll tell you both at the same time,” she stated.

Now, his heart was pounding. “Are you and the baby okay?” he asked, his first fear
was for their child. If Ethan lost this baby, he’d be destroyed. They both knew he viewed Charlie as his redemption and second chance in life. When he had been abducted, he never thought he’d get another child with his wife.

Now,
Ethan was fighting desperately to have her born.

“No, we’re good, but it is about our kids,” she stated, grabbing the tablet.

Callen tried to stay calm, knowing if this was bad that he would have to be the level head. Ethan’s temper was still a concern for them. At the worst moments, it would rear its ugly head.

As she pinged his tablet, it didn't take long for his face to come on the screen.
It was after seven there, but he appeared to still be asleep.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice filled with
concern. “I just got to sleep three hours ago.”

“Ethan, I have to talk to you. It’s important,” she
stated, hating that she had to wake him.

“What?” he said, sitting up. Now, he was fully awake and ready for whatever she had to say. If his wife was calling him this early, there was a reason.

“It’s about Wyler.”

His heart pounded. “Is he okay?” For many years, he and Wyler had a strained relationship. Now, they were close. “Are the kids okay?” he demanded, his pulse
erratically thudding in his neck.

She began, “For a couple days now, I’ve noticed he’s not himself. So, as I was packing, I got him to talk. What I’m going to tell you is going to make you mad. I need you to keep your temper in check.
The situation is under control, but I can’t have you losing it,” she stated.

Callen tensed beside her. If Elizabeth was starting with that, they both were going to get mad.

“Just tell me.”

“Dad wants us to fire Bly and find someone new.”

He calmed before starting to laugh. When he heard that it was about Bly, there was no reason to get worked up. If that was all Elizabeth needed handled, he could take care of that. “This is why you shouldn’t have sex with your co-workers,” he stated.

Instead of softening it, she dropped the bomb. Ethan would want it that way. He didn't like sugar coated bullshit.

“Bly hit CJ.”

Silence crashed around them. Ethan’s face filled with so much rage that it scared her. Callen went stiff beside her. Their family was very big on not striking their children. Callen’s abuse was the forefront, but then the fact it wasn’t a parent or Wyler disciplining their kids was concerning.

“She’s gone.”

Elizabeth tried to get him under control. It wasn’t going to be easy, since she’d felt the same way. “We can fire her once we’re back. Right now,
Wyler would be there alone. I’ve already handled it. If she touches one of the kids again, he’s to terminate her.”

“I’m going t
o do more than just terminate her,” he stated as he threw on the lights in the room. Immediately, he began pacing.

Callen ran his hand lovingly over her back, offering reassurance. While one of their children being struck made him sick, he knew Elizabeth needed him to keep a cool head.

Angrily, Ethan began muttering to himself.

“Dad came to me and was torn up about this. You have to stay calm and not get upset with him. He’s afraid you’ll take the kids away from him. Wyler believes he failed and that reminds him of his years as a father. I need you to breath and keep calm.”

Hearing his father’s pain took the fire out of his temper. “I would never blame him for this, and I won’t hurt him by using our kids as punishment.”

Elizabeth relaxed. Her logical Ethan was back. “He thinks
that he failed us. It’s killing him.”

“Tell me everything.”

She told him all she knew. When she was finished, he was back on the bed and holding the tablet. The storm had passed, and the old Ethan was back in control.

“I want her gone. As soon as we return, she’
s terminated,” he stated. “We agreed a long time ago that we wouldn’t use violence to control our kids.”

Callen was grateful. The idea of hitting EJ or Cat made him want to be sick. All the pain and
horrors of his past crept back as Callen fought valiantly to bury them again. If he went there, he’d fall apart.

Abuse was abuse to him.

“I gave him the power to terminate her. He knows what we expect him to do.”

Ethan continued, “If he can’t I’ll do it, Elizabeth. I have no problem with
stopping at home before I head there to fire her.”

She saw him getting heated again. “Love bug, she’s a different generation. That’s probably how she learned to discipline her kids. Don’t hate her.” Elizabeth couldn’t believe she was defending the woman. In all truthfulness, she didn't really like Bly. She was bossy, broke Wyler’s heart
, and slapped one of her babies. Yet, she knew Ethan couldn’t be left to run with this.

“I understand.”

“Did Timothy spank you?” she asked, waiting for his answer.

Immediately, his demeanor changed as rational Ethan returned. “Hell yeah
! All the time. As a matter of fact, so did my mother when she was alive.” He stared into the tablet right at Callen. When they broke the rules, he took all the punishment for a reason.

Callen tensed when something finally registered in his brain. In all his time with Timothy, the man
never once laid a hand on him. Now, he understood why. Ethan had protected him then too.

Pain filled him.
Callen had never realized the depth of sacrifice his brother had made, until that moment.

“Well, that’s what
she learned. You can’t hate her. She’s going to lose her job because she’s a bad fit for us. Let’s leave it at that and save Wyler’s heart on this one.”

Ethan knew what she was saying. His wife wasn’t only talking about Wyler, but the man who was lying beside her. He could tell from the look on Callen’s face.

He was hurting.

“Deal. I’ll let Wyler and you handle this. I’ll start searching for a new housekeeper.” Ethan was well aware his wife could handle this on her own. There was no love lost, but she’d do it with more tact than he could muster.

“Is CJ okay?” he finally asked.

She smiled. “I gave our little man kisses befo
re I left. He was right as rain, as were Cat and EJ.”

Both men relaxed.

Ethan took a deep breath. “I better get ready for my meetings. I’m going to go work out first. I feel like pummeling something.”

“I love you, Ethan,” she said, kissing the tablet.

It got him to laugh. “I love you too, Lyzee. Be safe today. Call me if you need me.” He stared at his brother. “You too, Cal.”

When he was gone from the screen, Elizabeth laid back with Callen. “Are you okay?” she asked, running her fingers over his cheek.

“I’m angry, scared, and pissed off,” he admitted, “but not at dad. Bly Cocheta is dead to me,” he stated. “If that were EJ or Cat, I wouldn’t have been as magnanimous as my brother.”

She was well aware. If anything, Elizabeth was damn proud of Ethan. He’d kept it in check. It was obvious the therapy sessions were working. Their unit was on its way back to being fully healed.

“Timothy never hit me,” he suddenly blurted.

She rolled to face him. When he mimicked the motion, they were staring at each other.

“I know.”

“But he hit Ethan. In fact, I’m pretty sure that my brother took it for both of us.”

She stroked his cheek. Even then, her husband was protective of his brother. He may not have known about Callen being abused, but instinctually, he was wise enough to take one for the team.

“I don’t know what to say,” Callen stated.

“Why do you have to say anything?” she asked. “You know your brother loves you and would do anything to protect you. When I first met you, there were the tales of Ethan going to jail to keep you safe. Of course he’d suck up a slap here and there to watch over you.”