Drew
Three days later
It had taken a lot of begging and pleading for the hospital to release me early so that I could go home to my quaint town north of Atlanta, but it had totally been worth it.
I was tucked into my bed with Hunter by my side, watching cartoons on the TV in my room. He hadn’t left my side since I’d arrived home last night, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think he was still scared that I’d go missing on him again. There would be a lot of counseling coming in his future, but he was resilient.
I was lucky to be alive, and so very grateful that Levi had shown up when he did. Had he arrived even minutes later, I wouldn’t be in the bed with Hunter watching reruns of his favorite show. I’d be dead, and Hunter would have lost another mother. The thought broke my heart.
After I’d remembered about the plans The Vicar had for spreading the virus in the cities of America, forgoing his original plan to target young people, Levi had been on the phone and on his computer nonstop, but he hadn’t left my side. I kept telling him to go back to HQ so he could oversee the process of stopping the attacks, but he’d just assure me that Homeland Security had it well in hand.
The National Guard had set up a perimeter around the water reclamation plants within hours of Levi notifying Henry Washington on the planned attacks. Ryder was on top of finding who The Vicar had employed to do the dirty work, but so far, he’d not had any luck.
Levi walked in with a tray of goodies, a hot breakfast, and a cup of steaming coffee. The smells were mouthwatering—and so was the man.
“I see you guys are up. How are you feeling this morning?”
“Great!” Hunter announced and bounced on the bed next to me. I winced as the movement jostled my leg. I’d be in a boot for six weeks for the broken leg once the initial pain wore off from the surgery, but at that moment, I was still putting down pain killers every four hours.
“Whoa, buddy. Be careful with your mom’s leg.”
“Oops—sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I ruffled his hair as he settled in next to me, cuddling up so tight I knew it was reassurance to him that I was truly okay.
“And I was actually asking you how you were feeling this morning.” Levi’s eyes crinkled with laughter, and I smiled back at him, so grateful for his presence.
“I’m okay. Long night. Hunter here likes to do gymnastics in his sleep.”
“I do?” He wrinkled his nose, and I giggled.
“Not really. You’re just all over the bed.”
Hunter snagged a piece of toast off the tray and went back to watching his show. Levi sat down at the end of the bed, leaning over to get the ibuprofen from the nightstand and dishing out the required amount for me to take. He handed me the pills and a glass of water.
“Here.”
“Thanks.”
I took the pills and dug into the delicious food, a ham and cheese omelet with a side of bacon. “Are you trying to fatten me up?”
Levi smiled devilishly. “Something like that.”
“Any news?” I hated to dampen the mood, but I’d been wondering all morning if Ryder had had any luck finding who had the virus.
Levi nodded but looked pointedly at Hunter. “Jolie and Piper are coming by today. Jolie was hoping Hunter might want to run for some ice cream.”
“Yes! Can I, Mommy? Can I? Ice cream is my most favorite thing in the whole world. Well, except you and Levi.”
Levi beamed, and I pulled Hunter down on top of me, kissing the top of his head and trying to avoid tipping the tray over. “Of course. Why don’t you run to your room and pick out some clothes?”
“Can I wear my Spiderman costume?”
“Sure—why not?”
“Yesssss!”
Hunter bounced off the bed and ran off to his room. It was the first time I’d had any moments to myself since I’d arrived home, except going to the bathroom. Even then, Hunter had been right outside the door.
“He doesn’t want to leave you.”
“No, he doesn’t. I guess he’s afraid he’ll wake up alone.”
“I don’t blame him. I kind of feel the same way.”
I took Levi’s hand in mine. “I know.”
“We can talk later about how mad I am at you for taking on The Vicar with no regard for your own safety. I don’t like it, but I understand it.”
“I didn’t have any choice.”
“You don’t have to do this alone, you know? You have people on your side now. People who love you.”
“Like you?”
Levi leaned in, capturing my lips in a heated kiss that promised the future. He pulled away slightly, the look in his eyes full of sincere devotion. “Like me. I do love you, Drew Bellamy.”
“Morgan.”
“What?”
“Drew Morgan. That’s my real last name.”
“It doesn’t matter to me what your name is as long as you say you love me, too.” He held my face between his hands, peering deeply as if he could see into my soul. “I love you, Levi Slater.”
Levi kissed the top of my head and slid under the covers next to me, his arm around my shoulders as we sat for a few moments in silence, enjoying each other. But I knew we had something important to discuss.
“What did Ryder find out?”
Levi sighed and leaned forward slightly as he contemplated his words. Then, with his eyes focused on the wall, he answered. “We’re not sure what it means. Ryder said there’s a rumor, murmurings if you will, on the Dark Web about a successor. Someone who was to take over if The Vicar was killed.”
“Who?”
“That part we don’t know, but we need to find out and nip this in the bud before he’s able to gather a new army of Cabs. The Knights of the Way need to go away for good.”
“I thought this was over. When I killed The Vicar, I thought for sure we were safe.”
“I know.” Levi held me close, his arms the only place I wanted to be. “I know.”
***
Jolie and Piper arrived right after lunch bearing gifts of books, magazines, adult coloring books, and all kinds of snacks and candy. They brought action figures and dinosaur toys for Hunter, and they chatted with him about all the things he loved so much.
It was at that moment that I knew he would be okay. We both would. We had a family now. The Shadow Force family. We didn’t have to weather this storm alone anymore because we had Levi, too. I wasn’t sure what our future held or how much Levi had even thought about the future, but I knew I wanted one with him. Whatever that looked like, I was game.
Jolie stuck her head in my room. “We’re going to take Hunter out for ice cream, but first we need to get you up out of this bed and showered.”
“Oh, my gosh, I love you! I have been dying to take a shower.”
“Well, Lydia gave me strict instructions on how to do it. Please tell me you have a tub?”
My mind flickered back to the night Levi had caught me sleeping in a bath full of dissolved bubbles, and I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks.
“Ohhhhh… I want to know the delicious story behind that blush. I’m assuming it has something to do with our fearless leader.”
I turned my face away from her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Jolie burst out laughing. “Fine—keep your secrets. Let’s get you to the tub.”
Bathing consisted of hanging my leg out of the tub propped up on a chair and covered with a towel, while Jolie helped wash my hair. Maybe I should have been embarrassed at needing help to bathe, but I wasn’t. It just had to be done and felt a little less humiliating with Jolie helping than asking Levi for help, which had been on my radar.
When I was out, Jolie dried my hair and picked out a black dress in soft cotton that wrapped tightly around my waist and hit right above my knees.
“Why the fancy digs?”
“You have a visitor coming, and I want you to be comfortable but look presentable.”
“Who?”
“It’s a surprise, and a pretty awesome one at that.”
“Jolie.” I used my best mom voice, which only made her laugh.
“Don’t use that tone on me. My mama did that to me so many times, I’m immune.”
“Fine.”
After I was dressed, she dried my hair and used a curling iron to create loose curls. Finally, I put on some makeup and stared at my reflection.
“I finally look like I’m back among the living.”
“You were starting to have a bit of an undead pallor going on. The meeting will take place on the porch, so you’ll get some good sun exposure today too. Maybe you can get rid of the vamp-girl look.”
I swatted her arm, but she just cackled and ran away.
Hunter came in to say goodbye, lingering a little longer than normal.
“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
He considered it for a moment.
“But I’ll be right here when you get back.”
“I want to go. You promise you won’t leave?”
“I promise.”
He squeezed me hard around the neck, his pudgy little arms as tight as he could make them before he ran off to find Jolie and Piper.
When they were gone, Levi walked in wearing slacks and a dress shirt. It was rare that I saw him that way, the only other time being when we’d gone on our date what felt like ages ago but was really just a couple of weeks ago.
“Wow, you look nice.”
“And you look gorgeous. I’m not sure I want to share you.” Levi bent down to kiss my forehead.
“And who are you sharing me with?”
He sighed and blew out a breath. “Promise not to freak out?”
“Well, now I’m freaking out. What’s going on, Levi?”
“The president is coming by to thank you.”
“The president.” Surely I’d heard him wrong.
“Yes.”
“Of the United States of America?” My voice went up two octaves, and Levi cringed.
“Yes.”
“Geez, Levi! You’re just now telling me?”
“Well, we weren’t even sure if it was going to happen until a couple of hours ago. And I didn’t want you freaking out over it.”
“Yes, but surely I need to put on something more, more, more… I don’t know, presidential!”
Levi sat on the bed next to me, pulling me into his arms. “You look perfect.”
“When will he be here?”
“Any minute.”
“But my house! Is it even clean enough?”
“I didn’t want you worrying about that—although, yes, it’s very clean—so, we’re meeting on the front porch. It’s just a quick visit before he’s on his way to Atlanta. Marine One, the president’s helicopter, will touch down in your backyard.”
“I feel like I’m in a dream.”
“You’re not.”
Levi’s phone rang, and he answered it. “Yeah? Okay. Thanks.”
“Okay—Marine One is landing now. Let’s go.”
Levi scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the front porch. I’d be glad when I was strong enough for the boot, although being carried by Levi wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
He’d set up three rocking chairs, moving them into a semicircle, and a tray with a pitcher of lemonade sat in the middle of the small table I kept outside as well as a plate full of cookies.
“I’m assuming that’s the work of Jolie and Piper.”
“You assume correctly.” Levi shot me a grin, and I couldn’t help but smile back. My stomach was full of butterflies. I couldn’t believe I was about to meet the president. Even after everything I knew about his past, I had a feeling the story was more complicated than what The Vicar had made it out to be. Combat is difficult, and mistakes are made. It wasn’t an excuse, but it was the reality of black ops.
Marine One landed in the field behind my pond, and three Secret Service agents exited and cleared the area before allowing the president to disembark.
President Mills was a dashing man, tall and lean with a headful of salt-and-pepper hair. He had an air of authority about him, and I wasn’t sure whether it came from the title or was something that was innate in him. I expected it was the latter.
With full confidence, the president walked the short distance, surrounded by his agents, to the porch, where he stood before me, larger than life. The agents stood next to the porch steps, facing the yard, while the president held out his hand for me to shake.
“Dr. Bellamy, it is such a pleasure to meet you.”
“Mr. President, the pleasure is all mine. I wish I could stand to greet you.”
The president waved me off. “Nonsense. I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for your country. May I?”
He pointed to the rocking chair next to me.
“Of course.”
Before he sat, he shook Levi’s hand. “Levi, good to see you again.”
As he sat down, I mouthed the word again with question in my eyes. Levi shrugged, grinning wide. There was a story there. One I’d get out of him later—you know, after my private meeting with the freaking president!
“I hear you’re expected to make a full recovery.”
“Yes, sir. I should be right as rain in a few weeks’ time.”
“That’s good.” The president leaned forward, his elbows hitting his knees, the weight of the world on his shoulders. How much stress did a president endure? More than most normal people would understand, I would imagine.
“What you did for your country, well—” The president turned his gaze on me. “You saved a lot of lives.”
“Mr. President, I want to be clear about something. I am the one who mutated the Black Death virus. It was me who created it, tested it, and developed the antidote for it.”
“Yes, I heard. I also heard that you delayed the creation as long as possible, that you prolonged the lives of as many victims as you were able to, and that keeping the antidote out of The Vicar’s hands saved potentially thousands of lives, maybe more.”
The president lifted a brow, his delivery matter-of-fact.
“If anyone understands what it’s like to have regrets, it’s me. But it’s what a person does with those regrets going forward that reveals their character. You sacrificed yourself to save lives. You took a man’s life in order to save others. It’s not an easy thing, and I want you to know that your country thanks you.”
“I appreciate that, sir. Truly.”
Levi smiled at me from his chair, and for a moment I was caught up in that smile, in our future.
Two shots fired in rapid succession, and the agents near the porch steps fell to the ground.
President Mills jumped from his chair into me, knocking me to the porch floor, as Levi threw himself on top of the president.
I could hear Levi’s voice yelling something into his phone, but the entire world felt as if it were blurring around me. Shouts erupted, more shots fired, and then a hushed curse fell from the president’s mouth.
“Christopher Mills! What a delightful surprise.”
It couldn’t be. I knew that voice.
“I thought he was dead.” My voice was just barely over a whisper.
“I did, too,” Levi answered.
Angel Rubio stood a few feet from the porch steps, a gun pointed at the president’s head.
Levi stood, shielding us somewhat with his body.
President Mills rose as well, and Levi attempted to step in front of him, but the president shook his head. “Not this time, Levi.”
“But Mr. President—”
He wasn’t going to be deterred. “What do you want, Rubio?”
“I came here for revenge on that whore right there, but when Marine One just happened to land in her yard, I figured why not kill two birds with one stone?”
My leg throbbed, the pain nauseating in its intensity. I hoped the fall to the ground hadn’t done further damage. I’d need something a lot more powerful than ibuprofen when this was over. Of course, that meant we had to make it out of there alive. Suddenly, I was so grateful that Jolie and Piper had taken Hunter away from this place. He was safe, and that was what mattered most.
“I thought you were dead.” Levi crossed his arms over his chest as if he didn’t have a care in the world. As if a crazy man didn’t have a gun trained on him prepared to shoot at any moment.
“Yes, it was quite the close call. The bullet missed my heart by a fraction of an inch, and I’m going to make a full recovery.”
Rubio didn’t look healthy. He was sweating profusely, and his skin was pale and waxy-looking. Gunshot wounds to the chest put people out of commission for weeks, and there he was with a gun in hand, a disheveled mess.
“How did you find me?” President Mills asked.
“I didn’t. Like I said, I came here to settle the score with that whore right there. She’s the reason The Vicar is dead.” A crazed light lit his eyes. “But don’t worry. He will rise again. I am his messenger, his angel. I will bring the good news to America.”
“What good news is that?” Levi asked, never taking his eyes off Rubio or his deadly gun.
“That their lying, thieving, murdering leader will die.”
The Angel lifted the gun, his gaze trained on President Mills, his finger squeezing the trigger just as shots rang out. Rubio glanced down at his chest, where four holes blossomed a bright red and spread out, staining his white shirt. He stumbled forward two steps, the gun hanging limp from his fingers.
Chaos ensued, shouts ringing out through the air, Levi shoving hard against the president as he screamed, “Go!” Levi lifted me from the porch, throwing me over his shoulder as he ran inside, and I watched as Oscar and Cruz emerged from the woods, their guns leveled on Rubio. The third Secret Service agent who’d been guarding Marine One ran over to Rubio’s lifeless body.
Levi put me down on the couch as the president paced back and forth, yelling into his phone.
“He’s dead—right?” I asked Levi, my hands shaking in my lap as the shock of what had happened started to sink in.
“Yeah, he’s dead. But we need to make sure there are no others out there.”
“Right. Okay.”
There was a high-pitched noise in my ears as I watched Levi’s lips move. He was saying something to me, but the noise in my head overpowered his words.
“What?”
“I said, I’m going to call Jolie and tell her to keep Hunter away for a little longer.”
“Good thinking. Thanks.”
“Drew.”
“Yeah?” I finally met his eyes, his face blurring from my unshed tears.
“Everything is going to be okay.”
Levi leaned in, wrapping me in his strong, safe arms.
It was over for real this time. It had to be.
***
It was midnight before the Secret Service, FBI, and Shadow Force team had cleared my property and removed Rubio’s body. The two Secret Service agents had suffered gunshot wounds to the chest, but they’d been wearing Kevlar and would make a full recovery.
I was exhausted, in pain, and worrying about Hunter. Jolie had called, and I’d spoken to him over the phone. I told him there were a bunch of people at the house making it safer for us. He didn’t quite understand, but I assured him we were just fine but that it was too loud for him to sleep. But the separation was too much for him, and Jolie drove from the city back to my little town in order to bring Hunter back so he could sleep in my bed.
I tucked him in beside me just as Levi stepped inside my room. He held up an orange pill bottle and shook it slightly.
“You need these.”
“Yeah… I’m afraid I haven’t done a good job staying ahead of the pain.”
“They’ll help you sleep, too.”
He sat down on the bed beside me, handing me a glass of water and the pills. I took them without argument and rested my head against my pillow.
“How are you doing?”
“Tired. Relieved. It’s really over?”
Levi nodded and slid under the covers next to me, cradling me in his arms. His lips pressed against my forehead. “Yeah, it’s over. From what we can uncover, when The Vicar died, Rubio stepped up as his successor. He’d already been given his marching orders to put the virus in the water supply.”
Levi sighed, pulling me closer, as if he needed the reassurance that I was whole and alive.
“Only, The Vicar hadn’t counted on you spoiling his plan. When Rubio saw the National Guard outside the facilities, he was enraged. He had a few low-level Cabs along with him, but once they saw the force of power from the National Guard, they left to regroup. Apparently, Rubio decided you needed to pay for foiling The Vicar’s plans of revenge.”
Levi stroked my hair as he talked, and I closed my eyes, listening to the cadence of his voice. He had a nice voice, deep and soothing.
“Oscar and Cruz found a small campsite in the woods down the street from your place. It looks like Rubio was waiting on you to get home and for the right time to make his move. To take his revenge on you to avenge his leader. When he saw Marine One land, he decided it was too good to be true and planned to kill the president as well.”
The pain pills were starting to take effect, making me sleepy and a little bit loopy, but I did my best to stay alert and hear the rest of the story.
“He must have sneaked onto the property in the middle of the night. Cruz and Oscar found a small hidey-hole that he’d carved out, which is why they didn’t find him on their rounds to secure the property.”
“We were lucky.”
I patted Hunter’s head, the hair at the back springing up each time I made a pass.
“Yes, we were.” Levi kissed the top of my head.
“I’m glad he’s dead.” It was the truth, one I wasn’t proud of, but the truth all the same.
“Me too.”
“Levi?”
“Yeah, angel?”
“Don’t leave me.”
“Never.”