Collateral Damage (34 page)

“Yes.” She took his hand in hers and wrapped an arm around his waist in a gesture that clearly screamed
he’s mine
. Hiding a smile, gratified by her show of possessiveness in front of their audience, Liam turned with her to face her family.

****

Honor refused to feel nervous as she led her mother and sister into the living room. This was her house, her damn life, and her man. No one was going to intimidate her or make her question her decisions again, least of all them.

Liam sat beside her on the couch and she not only kept hold of his hand, but pulled it into her lap and slid over toward him until her hip was pressed against his. Her mother and sister both glanced at their twined hands but didn’t comment and Honor felt like raising a defiant eyebrow. They’d shown up out of the blue without an invitation and as far as she was concerned, their opinion about her and Liam didn’t matter.

“So, you came because of the attack?” she asked, not seeing the point in dancing around the subject. Their presence made her father’s absence all the more conspicuous. And painful. Honor refused to show it. Apparently writing someone off didn’t mean they no longer had the power to hurt you.

Charity nodded, casting an uncertain glance at Liam before looking back at her. “Honor, I really need to say some things to you. Can we please do this in private?”

“Nope. Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it in front of Liam too. And if you don’t like it, you can leave.” Charity frowned in alarm and out of the corner of her eye she saw Liam’s lips twitch. He leaned back and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. The possessive, protective gesture filled her with warmth and strength.

Even though she’d cut her ties with her family, this was still hard. The cold distance that lay between them hurt and Liam seemed to understand that. She was so damn thankful he was here, especially now of all times. Her mother and sister’s visit would have been a hundred times harder without him.

“No, it’s okay, it’s fine,” her mother interrupted, causing Honor to cast her a surprised look. “We were waiting for a good time to come and see you after you got back into town, but after last night we realized we couldn’t wait any longer.”

“Honor, I miss you,” Charity said, her voice rough and her eyes damp with tears. “You’re the only sister I have and I want you back in my life.”

To her annoyance, tears burned her own eyes. “You know why I can’t do that.”

Her mother threw a helpless glance at Charity, who bit her lip and fidgeted with her hands. “Yes, I know why,” her sister said. “And I know why you won’t believe it when I tell you, but I have changed.” Her eyes moved to Liam, who sat unmoving, a silent, steadying rock for her to brace herself against. God, she loved him.

“How’ve you changed?” Honor demanded.

“I’m not the same person I was. I mean, I still have my issues, but I’m working on them. I uh… I understand now that my attachment to Liam wasn’t healthy. And neither was my reaction when I found out about you two. Obviously,” she admitted under her breath, darting a glance at him before focusing on Honor once more. “And I know I did it to get back at you because I was jealous and hurt and embarrassed. I was an immature, manipulative bitch—” Charity shot her mother an annoyed look when she gasped at the curse word—“and all I cared about was me. I was sad all the time and angry and always felt like I had to compete with you, so when you and Liam got together after he’d broken up with me, I lashed out.”

Honor opened her mouth to argue but Charity held up a hand. “Wait. Just hear me out.” She shifted, licked her lips and Honor could tell none of this was easy for her to admit, especially in front of Liam. “I’m sorry, Honor. So very sorry for everything I’ve done that hurt you.” Her gaze shifted to Liam. “And you.”

Liam squeezed Honor’s shoulder and answered with a nod. “Thank you.”

Charity gave him a little smile, her cheeks flushing. Then her gaze shifted to Honor. “I know I can’t expect things to go back to the way they were before, but I’m here to tell you I want to have a relationship with you, in whatever capacity you’re willing to allow. You’re my sister and I love you. Please don’t keep punishing me for the mistakes I made in the past.”

Wow. Talk about a sucker punch to the gut. She and Liam had done that very thing to one another. How could she claim to have learned her lesson if she kept doing the same thing to Charity?

Honor drew in a shaky breath and wiped at her eyes. “I love you too, but the rest? I don’t know. I don’t know, okay? Too much has happened and…” She trailed off and focused on her mother with a hard look. “And what about you?”

Now her mother flushed. “I’m…sorry too.”

Honor raised a brow, unconvinced. “For?”

She took a deep breath. “For lots of things. Namely standing by instead of standing up for or beside you.”

Both Honor’s eyebrows shot up now.

Her mother nodded. “I’m not proud of it, Honor, of being a doormat for so many years. I started going to therapy soon after Charity got out of the hospital and it’s allowed me to see things in perspective.” She sighed, paused a moment to gather her thoughts. “Your father is a bully, pure and simple, and he uses religion to excuse his behavior.”

Honor’s mouth fell open a little. “You…” She couldn’t even find the words. The world must be coming to an end, because there was no other way Jolene Girard would ever utter such a thing about her husband.

Raising her chin, her mother nodded once. “That’s right, I finally realized I don’t have to live life as a doormat. So I left him.”

“
What
?” She couldn’t have heard that right.

“A little over five months ago.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I wasn’t sure you would care.” Her mother teared up now, began digging in her purse. Coming up with a tissue, she began dabbing at her eyes. “I still miss him sometimes, but I know it’s for the best. I understand now that he’s never going to change and I’m not willing to go back and live that way. I deserve more. I deserve to be happy.” She shot Honor a wobbly smile. “We all do,” she finished with a nod at her and Liam. “The thing I regret most is the divide I let my marriage cause between me and my children.”

“But it’s been awesome to see him try and grovel his way back into her good graces,” Charity added with a mischievous grin.

Honor looked up at Liam in astonishment and saw the same shock written on his face. “I don’t know what to say. Other than I’m sorry and I’m proud of you.”

Her mother’s face transformed with a watery smile. “I’m proud of me too.”

“Well,” Charity said, lightly slapping her hands on her knees as though she’d come to a decision. “We won’t overstay our welcome and you guys are probably going through a lot so we don’t want to keep you. I’m just glad you’re both okay.” She stood, her mother following suit. Then Charity paused, staring at her with haunted eyes. “Can I hug you at least?”

The words pierced Honor with a blade so sharp she didn’t even feel it go in until the damage was done. Unable to speak because she knew she’d just start bawling, Honor nodded and stood to reach for her sister. They were both crying now, and then their mother, too, all hugging and laughing through the tears at how ridiculous they were.

After pulling away Honor wiped her cheeks, feeling like a two-ton weight had just been lifted off her shoulders. “We’ll just take it slow, okay? No promises, no expectations. It’s the best I can do right now.”

Charity nodded. “Whatever you want, I’m here for you.” At the door she paused, glancing from her to Liam and back. A genuine smile spread across her face. “You two really were made for each other. God, it used to drive me insane knowing that, even back before you guys got together.”

Honor barely concealed her surprise. “I didn’t realize you knew anything was up. And I didn’t go out with him to hurt you. I was already half in love with him when he asked me out and deep down inside I somehow knew he was the one. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love Liam.” She was glad he was hearing this firsthand, proving that she meant what she’d told him. He came first in her life, even before her family.

Her sister’s smile softened, her eyes warm. “I know.”

When they left Honor shut and locked the door, then turned to face Liam. “I don’t even know what just happened,” she said with a small laugh.

“I think it’s called really good anti-psychotic drugs and a sudden development of a couple sets of balls, sweet pea,” he murmured, drawing her into his arms.

Chuckling, Honor slipped hers around his waist and hugged him. “Do you know how much I love you right now?”

“How much?”

She grinned at his teasing tone and hugged him harder. “So much I’m never gonna let you go.”

His face turned serious and he cupped her chin in one hand. “You mean that?”

She opened her mouth to say
of course I do
, but the intent, almost starved look in his eyes sobered her. “Liam, yes.” How could he not know after she’d told him she loved him and the way she’d charged at Andrews when she’d thought he’d shot Liam? Taking his stubble-roughened cheeks in her hands, she smiled up at him. “I’ve never meant anything more in my life. You’re mine.”

The words were barely out of her mouth before he whisked her up in his arms and stalked toward the stairs. “Where are we going—hey, what about breakfast,” she protested when he stepped over the tray at the foot of the stairs.

He reached one hand down and snagged the maple syrup on the way by. “I’m gonna serve it to you in bed.” He shot her a wicked grin that sent heat spearing through her. “Right after I lick off all the syrup I’m about to pour on your naked body.”

Hidden in the shadows provided by the slight outcropping of rock above him, Safir kept his eyes on the sky as the others said their evening prayers. Five of his last, most loyal men. Though there was only one he trusted with his life.

Qasim had chosen this location because he said it was the safest for now. Safir hated being exposed this much, worried that the others would somehow give his presence away if there were any drones or satellites patrolling the area.

You’re being overly paranoid
, he scolded himself, but drew his blanket tighter around himself anyway, using the top portion to cover the lower half of his face. It was already getting cold in the evenings here in the mountains. He didn’t relish the idea of facing a long winter out here.

He could hear Qasim’s voice as he prayed, thanking Allah for the grand victory yesterday in the United States. The death toll was fairly small compared to what Safir had been hoping, but it didn’t matter because the President was dead. The devastating psychological blow he’d delivered… That had been extremely rewarding. The entire country—the whole world—was reeling in the wake of the attack he’d orchestrated.

And now the entire world was hunting him. Intelligence agencies had traced the origins of the attack back to him, as he’d known they would.

He glanced back at the cave entrance, thinking of the underground bunker he’d be sleeping in again tonight. Above ground it was cool, but down there was cold as a tomb.

A wave of unease swept through him at the last word. Why did it feel like he was being watched even now, hidden out here in the middle of nowhere? The stars shone like brilliant pinpricks of light through a black velvet curtain. Only a gentle wind stirred the air. There was no sound but Qasim’s and the others’ voices as they finished praying.

Safir added his own silent prayer to the heavens.
Allah protect me.

His life as he’d known it was over now. A necessary sacrifice, and one he’d known would have to be made in order to carry out such a devastating attack. As of yesterday he’d begun the life of a nomad. He could never stay put for more than twelve hours again. Soon he’d cull the number of his followers to ensure no one but Qasim would know his location. The victory was huge, but bittersweet, and carried a heavy price.

“Safir?”

“Here,” he called out to Qasim.

His friend smiled when he drew close, his teeth gleaming in the light of the half moon. All the men were forbidden to light a fire or use a flashlight. No electronics or any light source that might alert an outsider to his presence. “Why so glum?” he asked in English, wrapping his arm around Safir’s shoulders. “You just pulled off the greatest attack against the U.S. since 9/11.”

Safir grunted and scanned the distant horizon, the jagged mountain peaks outlined by the moonlight. Beautiful. And deadly. “Just tired.” He’d only slept in snatches for the past week. Would probably never get a full night’s rest again.

“Well you’ll sleep well tonight. Come on. We’ll have tea inside where you can relax.”

Safir eyed the other four men as they all passed by him on their way into the cave. They’d sleep in the upper chamber and act as both sentries and guards while he and Qasim would stay below. “I’d prefer to have it in the bunker,” he said, casting one last wary look at the empty night sky. He felt like a miner must before a shift, drinking in the sight of the vast sky above him before he descended to the darkness below.

Underground was the only safe place for him now.

****

Poised on the slope of a barren hillside, Staff Sergeant Ryan Wentworth lay beneath the cover of sun-withered bushes, staring at the small screen in his hands. His gloved thumbs manipulated the twin toggles, directing the small drone to turn in a tight circle over the suspected target area.

On screen the heat signatures showed a group of six men standing near a cave entrance. Two stood off to the side, away from the others, who waited until the group had passed by before entering the cave. Ryan zoomed in close and took another snapshot of them both just before they disappeared inside, getting as high resolution a shot as he could of them before sending it back to HQ.

Ryan knew in his gut that one of them had to be Safir. He would consider it a personal honor to help blow the fucker to hell for what he’d done last night.