Endgame
"LAUREN" SPOILERS!
Rating is for REAL swearing.
. . . . .
Chapter 29
Emily's not surprised to see the airport completely deserted. It is truly abandoned, though in rather good shape for it, and the hangar in front of them as she pulls the SUV to a stop is so predictable it makes her brain hurt. She climbs out of the car and around to the front of the SUV, waiting until Declan is beside her. He reaches for her hand, clinging to it because he's so afraid and Emily takes the time to hug him close.
"No matter what happens," she whispers to him. "You always have a choice. Remember that."
She feels his hair move against her chin. He's nodding his agreement and she takes another moment, just in case, before pulling away. She doesn't force him to relinquish the grip he has on her hand as they make their way inside.
"You're late."
The voice is sharp and female and as Emily meets angry hazel eyes she recognizes she forces herself to stay cool. "Couldn't be helped. Where's Lauren?"
Temper blazes in Tieriny's eyes. "It's not my call."
The words startle Emily slightly. They assumed Doyle would be the alpha, but in four simple, angry words, Emily realizes that it's not the dominant-submissive they've assumed. Tieriny doesn't run her life by him, she's managed to fall so hard that she's not quite sure where to start getting up again. She wants, in some ways, what Emily has and she's discovered she's never going to get it.
That changes the battlefield a little.
But she doesn't push the advantage she's finally found herself with. There's nothing that says Tieriny won't put a bullet in her skull simply out of hatred. As if shooting Doyle in front of Declan isn't going to be traumatizing enough.
Lauren's not in the hangar, not that it surprises Emily. Doyle doesn't really need her. She's the bargaining chip, so he's left her where the team can find her. He is grinning though, his face shifting and brightening when he sees the boy clinging to Emily's hand.
"Isn't this sweet."
Emily's heart races at the Irish lilt because it's one of the things that has always affected her. Declan jumps beside her, his fear more than obvious.
"He's grown."
"Of course he has," Emily replies quietly and without heat. There's no reason to egg the man on. This is, after all, his son and international arms dealer or not, it's a son he's had no contact with for almost ten years. She may not like Doyle, may think he's the scum of the earth, but she's always loved Ian and his son. "Ian, where's Lauren?"
"Safe," he answers, his eyes on Declan. She feels Declan's hand tighten on hers, sees him swallow out of the corner of her eye and finds herself pulling him a little closer as Doyle advances.
"That's not good enough," she shoots back. "We're here, Ian. Where's Lauren?"
Doyle stops and she sees a flash of approval in his eyes. Her inability to be docile has always been one of the reasons he admires her, loves her, whatever twisted emotion he's feeling now. Tieriny's faded into the shadows and though Emily doesn't like it all that much, she has to go with it. Tieriny's not the prize. Doyle is and that's where her attention has to stay.
"You have a phone."
"Yes." She has to let go of Declan's hand to reach it and it's easier to text with two hands anyway. Declan latches onto the FBI windbreaker she's wearing because she didn't bring much in the way of her own clothes and the weather at night is cold enough to require one. She finds herself scrambling to type in an address as Doyle rattles it off but feels herself sigh when it's gone even as she levels a glare at Doyle for deliberately making her rush through the message. It's up to the team now to rescue Lauren.
Which means she can focus on this. On the man in front of her and the boy beside her and Tieriny is so far from her mind she'll look back and find it scary. For now though, there's just her and Declan and Doyle. And she knows she can't let the boy go.
