Slaying the Dragon (Deception Duet #2) (33 page)

“Do you want to keep all of it here for now?” Jenna asked. We shared a look and I knew she could tell I was having trouble reconciling why Tyler had missed today. “That way, you won’t be tripping over all this stuff at your place. The back storage room is empty, so we can just put it in there.”

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” she said, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the exit. “Now, go home and relax.”

“But the gifts… I can help move them.”

“Not a chance in hell,” Brayden said. “The only lifting you need to be doing is that of your feet and a spoon as you gorge on ice cream.”

I stared at him, wondering how he knew what I intended to do when I got home.

“I know you, Kenzie,” he explained. “Since you can’t seek comfort in a bottle of wine right now, it’s our other best friends to the rescue.”

“At least Ben and Jerry have never stood me up,” I mumbled, grabbing my purse.

“I’m sorry, Mack,” Brayden said, planting a kiss on my forehead. “But don’t worry. When Tyler shows his face again, he’s going to regret missing today. You can count on that.”

“Thanks, boo.” I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek.

After making plans to get together at my place tomorrow to watch football, which was just an excuse to order pizza and check out built men with nice asses, I said my goodbyes and drove the short distance back to my condo.

As I walked into the lobby, I paused briefly when I saw Martin sitting at the security desk. I should have known he’d be there. He was there when I left earlier. However, at that time, I was under the impression Tyler would be attending my baby shower. Now, I needed answers.

“Where is he?” I asked, my eyes fierce.

“Who?” Martin replied in an uncertain tone. He tilted his head, his lips pursing as he studied me with a furrowed brow.

“Tyler. He was supposed to be at the baby shower today and he never showed up. What do you know? Is he still upset I didn’t agree to move to Boston with him? If that’s the case, I tried calling late last night and early this morning to talk about it, but he refused to pick up!”

“Wait. Slow down, Miss Delano,” Martin said, getting up from the desk and pulling me to a corner that led down to a back hallway. “You haven’t heard from him?” His eyes were intense, his grip on my arm harsh.

“No,” I replied, my voice softening. “The last time I saw or spoke to him was yesterday morning. Why? What’s going on?”

He released me from his grasp, his gaze intense. “All I know is he and Eli went to Florida yesterday to chase down a lead.”

My heart sank, a horrible premonition forming. “Do you think something happened?”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” he replied, his voice distant. Snapping his eyes back to me, he led me toward the bank of elevators and pressed the call button, the doors opening immediately. “Go upstairs and relax. I’ll do what I can to get in touch with him and make sure he contacts you immediately.”

“But–”

“Please, Miss Delano. Don’t stress about this. I assure you. I will let you know when I find out anything. Okay?”

I nodded just as the doors closed and the elevator whisked me to the twelfth floor of my building.

A thousand scenarios ran through my brain as I walked down the hall and into my condo, disarming the alarm. I fell onto the couch and closed my eyes, keeping my phone clutched in my hands, praying Tyler’s phone call would come.

~~~~~~~~~~

A
LOUD
KNOCKING
ON
my door startled me and I flung my eyes open, staring at my darkened living room. Slightly disoriented, I sat up on the couch, wondering for how long I had fallen asleep. The last thing I remembered was talking to Martin about Tyler, then going to my condo. I had planned to relax and watch some mindless television while I waited to hear from Tyler…

Tyler
.

I snatched my phone off the couch, hopeful to see a missed call or text. When I looked at the screen and saw nothing, I grew more worried. The knocking at my door continued and I jumped up. I took several determined steps into the foyer and pulled open the front door.

“Did you find…?” I stopped short when I saw Martin standing there, panic in his eyes. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach, the fear that something had happened returning. I didn’t know Martin well, but I knew enough to sense that something had to be amiss.

“What is it?” I asked in a small voice.

He unexpectedly reached for my hand and clasped it in his, his expression soft as he looked down at my small hand enclosed in his.

“Martin, please…,” I begged.

He cleared his throat and met my eyes once more. “There’s been an accident.”

“An accident?” I shrieked, my hands beginning to shake as a chill ran through me. “What kind of accident?”

“It took a great deal of digging to find out what I could. Tyler and Eli went to Florida yesterday to question someone who may have been able to help with the case, someone who had apparently served with your father. I don’t know the details, but the house exploded.”

I gasped, letting out a loud sob as I clutched onto Martin’s arms, unable to stand.

“Where is he?” I asked through the ache in my throat. There were a million things I had left unsaid with Tyler and I had no idea if I would ever be able to tell him everything.

“He’s in the trauma unit at Tampa General Hospital. I don’t know the status of either his or Eli’s condition, but I’ve been in contact with Alexander and he’s informed his mother and wife what’s going on. You’ll be heading to Florida with them to meet up with Mr. Burnham. Everything’s been arranged. I just need you to pack a bag, then I’ll take you to the airport.”

He ushered me inside my condo as I remained in a relative daze, still not truly comprehending what I just learned. All I knew was it sounded like Tyler was still alive… I hoped.

The entire drive to the airport was filled with thousands of scenarios of what really happened. I absently heard Martin on the phone, obviously irate with whomever he was speaking with, still unable to get any concrete answers about what was going on. This made me even more unsettled about what would greet me when I stepped off that plane in Florida.

I remained in a trance as Martin helped me onto the jet. The pilots and flight attendants introduced themselves to me, but their words went in one ear and out the other. Within minutes, both Colleen and Olivia climbed onto the plane, Melanie in tow. Olivia attempted to hide her emotions by keeping little Melanie occupied, constantly assuring her that her Uncle Tyler would be fine. Colleen was struggling to hold it together, her usual vibrant eyes full of the same emotion I was feeling…confusion, unease, dread.

I walked over to her and sat as we taxied toward the runway. Without saying a word, I took her hand in mine and we sat in heavy silence during the short flight to Florida.
 

Trying to fight back my tears, I feared I wouldn’t make it in time to tell Tyler what I should have said to him the last time I saw him. I vowed to never say goodbye to him again without uttering those three words that too many people took for granted…
I love you
.

Mackenzie

“H
OW
COULD
THAT
EVEN
be possible?” a familiar voice bellowed through the lobby of the flight operations base in Tampa. I trailed behind Colleen and Olivia, little Melanie clutching her mother’s hand, while someone dealt with all of our bags. We all stopped dead in our tracks as Alexander paced the comfortable lobby, other passengers who were getting ready to take off in their own private planes staring at him in awe.

Melanie looked back at me and grinned. “Daddy’s working. That’s his work voice.”

I smiled for the first time all day, thankful for the break in the tension that had permeated the flight across the Gulf of Mexico.

“Hush, Melanie,” Olivia said. “Daddy’s just trying to figure out what’s going on. That’s all.”

“What happened, Mama?” she asked.

Olivia looked down at Melanie, then at me, then back at her daughter once more. Her little green eyes were alive with eagerness as she stared at her mother, waiting. “I don’t know, sweet pea,” Olivia finally said, caressing her daughter’s face in such a caring and doting manner. I instinctively placed my hand over my stomach, hoping I’d have that same bond with my son…and that Tyler would, as well. “But Uncle Tyler is hurt and we’re all here to make sure he gets better.”

“Like when I scraped my knee?” she asked.

“Exactly. Remember how Daddy kissed your boo-boo and made it all better after you had to get those stitches?”

She nodded.

“Well, that’s why we’re here.”

“Olivia, love,” Alexander’s voice cut through, but it wasn’t the same demanding, irate voice that was bellowing through the lobby just minutes ago. It was calm and serene, as if her presence was the only thing that could assuage his anxiety about what had happened to his brother.

“Alex…” She sighed into his embrace. I couldn’t help but feel a hint of jealousy at their exchange. He placed an affectionate kiss on her lips before turning his attention to Melanie. He swooped her up in his arms and spun her around, her infectious giggles lightening the mood.

“Did you miss me?” Melanie asked through her laughs.

“What kind of silly question is that? Is the sky blue?”

“Yes!”

“Then I missed you more than words can say, peanut.” He lowered her back to the ground, kissing her head in a loving manner.

“I’m going to kiss Uncle Tyler’s boo-boo to make it all better.”

Alexander’s solemn expression immediately returned, causing a rush of nerves to course through me. Despite everything I thought about who he was as a person, that one look conveyed his love for his brother, how distraught he was over the fact he was lying in a hospital bed with severe injuries.

“I’ve called the hospital,” he said in a firm voice, addressing all of us. “They wouldn’t give me details regarding his condition.”

“Is he conscious?” Colleen asked quickly, desperate for any sort of news that her son was okay.

“They wouldn’t say. Our best bet is to go over there and make someone give us some answers. There are two SUVs out front to escort us to the hospital.” He turned to Olivia. “Why don’t you and Ma take one. I’ll go in the other with Miss Delano.”

I immediately tensed up and shot my eyes to Colleen, silently begging her to volunteer to ride with me. I didn’t know how far the hospital was from where we were, but the idea of being alone with a man who, just months ago, did everything he could to keep Tyler away from me made me edgy.

“I think Mackenzie may be able to help me figure out what happened to Tyler.” He turned to me, his green eyes imploring. Those green eyes that were so similar to Tyler’s. “I know I’m probably the last person you want to sit in a car with…,” he said quietly as Colleen and Olivia began heading toward the front doors.

“You’ve got that right,” I hissed, my voice barely audible.

“But I think if I tell you what I know, you may be able to fill in the blanks.”

“I don’t know anything. All I know is he was supposed to be at my baby shower today and he never showed. I assumed it was because of the fight we had yesterday, then Martin told me…” I bit my lip, trying to hide my tears from Alexander at the thought that the last words I would ever say to Tyler were during a fight.

“It’s okay. Let’s talk.” He placed his hand on my back and escorted me to an idling SUV. After helping me in, he ran around to the other side and got in beside me.

The driver pulled the car out of the parking lot and onto the road. I kept my eyes glued outside, watching as streetlights zoomed by. My back remained straight, my posture taut as to not show weakness.

“I guess I should start by apologizing,” Alexander finally said.

I shot my eyes to him, somewhat surprised. I didn’t know what I expected him to say to me, but it certainly wasn’t that.

“I thought I was doing what was best for Tyler by keeping him out of the country,” he continued. “You have to look at things from where I’m sitting. Tyler’s my brother and all this shit kept happening. I didn’t know what to think, and until I knew what was going on, I needed to do everything I could to make sure nothing happened to him.”

“But he’s an adult!” I shot back. “You took advantage of the way he looks up to and admires you, and used that against him! Not to mention you tried to fuck with my memory! Do you have any idea how horrible it is to wake up every morning and question your own reality? To wonder if something finally snapped in your mind and you made everything up?”

“I can only imagine…”

“And
you
did that to me!
You
! And why? To make me think I never met Tyler? What could you possibly gain from that?”

“Sometimes in the field, no matter how much training you have, you make bad tactical decisions, particularly where a loved one is concerned. I’m sorry you were the collateral damage of that. I’ll be the first to admit I never considered anything from your perspective. If I could rewind the clock, I would handle everything differently, but I don’t have that luxury. What I do have is the present, and I hope you’ll find it in your heart to give me the opportunity to start over with you. You’re one of the most important people in Tyler’s life, and that makes you one of the most important people in
my
life.”