Chapter Nineteen

 

“How is he today?” Ariel wrapped her arms around Robert, hugging him from behind. She breathed him in, loving everything about this man.

This was how they’d started every morning for the last three weeks. She would wake up warm and safe in Robert’s arms, but he would slip away while she was getting ready and she would find him here.

“He’s stable.” Robert’s hands covered hers and he held her there. “No change.”

Tucker lay on a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV. They’d transformed one of the living spaces to a room where they could take care of Tucker. He’d gone into a coma that day in Germany and hadn’t woken since. Luckily they’d been in a lab with medical equipment. Rebecca had worked with the medic on the black ops team to stabilize Tucker and keep him out of the hospital system. He was perfectly healthy according to Rebecca, with the singular exception of the fact that he wouldn’t wake up. The drug seemed to have only affected his brain, and specifically the parts dealing with memory. None of them understood why he was in a coma, but Rebecca remained certain he would come out of it.

Tucker had missed their wedding. It had been a small affair, held right here in The Garden. They’d married alongside Rebecca and Owen. None of them had wanted to plan a big wedding after what had happened. They hadn’t wanted to take the time. They’d realized tomorrow wasn’t a guarantee and hadn’t wanted to wait a second longer to be tied to the ones they loved.

She’d always thought she would have a big wedding, but now she knew the marriage was the most important thing.

Her husband was the most important thing.

“He’s looking good today.” Rebecca strode into the room, glancing down at the clipboard in her hands. Yesterday had been testing day. Rebecca was completely focused on her patient. Between her and Stephanie Carter, Tucker had all the medical care he needed.

“He looks the same,” Robert replied. He shifted to gently pull Ariel to his side, his arm sliding around her shoulders. “He always looks the same.”

Any time they were in a room together, he had a hand on her. He would tangle their fingers or drag her onto his lap. Her husband was hungry for affection, and she was more than happy to give it to him. It was good to be connected.

“Maybe on the outside.” Rebecca gave them a sunny smile. “But his latest tests give me great hope. I still don’t completely understand what the drug did, but he’s healing. I think it’s only a matter of time before he wakes up.”

“But who will he be when he wakes up?” Robert asked the question that had been haunting them all since that day. “Will he be Tucker or someone else?”

Rebecca lost her smile. “He’ll be himself. I have to believe that. We all have to.”

Because the idea that they could find themselves losing Tucker and being left with the man known as Razor was unthinkable.

Ariel reached down to touch Tucker’s hand. He was warm and looked like he was sleeping. He looked so young lying there. It was hard to believe it had been weeks since she’d seen him smile or listened to him tell a terrible joke. “He’ll be Tucker and we’ll deal with whatever comes next.”

Robert needed to understand that she would do anything to help the men.

“We should get down to the conference room,” Robert said. He leaned over and put a hand on Tucker’s head. “I’ll be back this afternoon, brother.”

She often found him in here. He would sit and read out loud or put a game on the telly and talk to Tucker while he watched. All the lads took turns sitting with Tucker.

“I’ll stay with him,” Rebecca offered. “I don’t need another conference meeting. Owen will talk about it endlessly. I liked it better when we weren’t at war.”

They’d always been at war. It was simply out in the open now. And the man they were at war with was nowhere to be found. Kim had done everything she’d said she would. She’d handled the cleanup at Kronberg. She’d given them the cover they’d needed to get Tucker stabilized and back to England.

And then she’d disappeared with her prize and hadn’t been heard from again until the night before. They’d all gotten the message that they would be meeting with Kimberly Solomon this morning, but she wasn’t sure what they would be talking about.

God, she hoped they weren’t at war with Kim. Ezra still wouldn’t mention her name without cursing.

“Thank you,” Robert said as he took Ariel’s hand and started to lead them out.

“Are you all right?” She knew she asked the question far too often.

He led her to the hallway that would take them to the lift. “I’m as good as I can be, and you’re the reason why.” He brought her hand up and kissed it even as he kept walking. “I love you. I know I say it a lot.”

“I like to hear it.” She squeezed his hand. “I love you, too. Are you ready for this? You haven’t seen her since that day.”

“I have questions for her,” Rob admitted. “But I’m not going to lose my cool if that’s what you’re asking. We might want to watch Ezra though. I’m surprised they’re letting her come in. I thought for sure she would be on the shit list.”

Big Tag had shown up the night before, his youngest brother in tow. It made her think he’d known about this meeting longer than he was willing to admit. Had Kim been negotiating with Tag? Trying to work her way back in? All she knew was they were meeting with Kim, and Big Tag was going to make sure Ezra didn’t do something he shouldn’t.

“I have to believe she has something important to share with us.” She didn’t like to think about how Kim would have gotten them answers. Levi was gone, taken somewhere Kim wouldn’t have to worry about Geneva Convention restrictions.

“Here’s hoping she’s uncovered something that will help us with Tucker. Or maybe she’s found out something about Sasha,” Robert said, sounding more optimistic than before. They were trying to figure out where Sasha had come from. They had a promise to keep to him. He stopped at the wall and looked down onto The Garden. At this time of day it looked like a gorgeous oasis amidst the sleek modern lines of the rest of the building. “You know I used to stand right here and wait for you to walk in.”

She’d always known. She would walk in and try not to look up because she’d known her gorgeous protector would be looming above her.

She grinned. “You still do.”

“I always will.” He kissed her forehead. “Wherever you go, I’ll always be waiting for you to come home to me.”

She sighed and leaned into him, loving how peaceful the club looked at this time of day. By tonight it would be a decadent wonderland, but she loved it like this, too.

She had to hope Kim had managed to get some information about Robert’s family. The Garden was their home, but he had another one out there and she no longer feared it. No matter what happened, they would face it all together.

The door that led in from the lobby opened and Big Tag strode through, Kim walking behind him. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it didn’t matter because she was suddenly staring at the third person who’d walked through the door.

She had rich brown hair that brushed the middle of her back. Petite and slender, she looked young and slightly afraid.

“Is that who I think it is?” Robert asked.

“Veronica Croft.”

Kim had brought them the one person in the world who could answer their questions about Tucker, the one person in the world who might be able to save him.

 

* * * *

 

Veronica Croft took in the space before her. It was stunning. Solo had tried to explain to her that the place they were going wasn’t a normal office, but she hadn’t understood. The Garden was magical.

Unfortunately, she was a woman who no longer believed in magic. She forced herself to stand tall. “I’d like to see him before we have the meeting.”

Ian Taggart was completely intimidating, and that was saying something since she’d been intimidated by some of the best.

Did you honestly believe he was running away with you? He likes to play with pretty girls like you. That’s all you were, Roni. You were a toy to him, and now he’s done with you. I’m done with you, too.

She shivered despite the warmth of the day. Sometimes she could still hear Hope McDonald’s voice telling her how stupid she’d been. It had been those words that had sent her into hiding because Steven Reasor might have been an asshole who’d used her, but she’d believed him when he’d told her McDonald was dangerous.

It might have been the only truth he’d told her.

“You know he’s in a coma, right?” Taggart asked. “He can’t talk to you.”

It was the only reason she’d been willing to come out of hiding. If she’d found out Steven was alive and out there waiting, she had no idea what she would have done.

“I explained the situation to her,” the woman who called herself Solo said. “I didn’t lie or anything.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve been known to withhold information,” Taggart shot back. “You’ll forgive me if I verify every single thing that comes out of your mouth, Solo.”

Roni wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. The big guy had been polite to her and cold as hell to Solo. She’d kind of thought they worked together, but now she was wondering if Solo had given her a rosy version of the situation.

God, she hoped she wasn’t making a mistake. This was a dangerous place to be. For years she’d hidden. Even after McDonald had died.

Even after Steven had died.

She was still trying to wrap her brain around the fact that Steven Reasor was alive and apparently didn’t remember who he was. Solo had told her a bunch of stuff she didn’t exactly understand about his situation, but she got the gist. He was alive.

And he was in a coma.

“I understand his health situation,” she replied. “But I need to see him with my own eyes.”

She needed to be sure they weren’t mistaken. She wasn’t completely sure what she wanted to find in that bed. If it wasn’t him, she could go back to hiding.

If it was…well, then her whole world would have changed.

Taggart nodded. “All right. He’s upstairs. I’ll take you there. You’ll see he’s getting the best care we can possibly give him. I think one of our doctors is up there now.”

“Excellent. I have some questions.” Like will he wake up and decide I’m a risk to him? Will he ever remember that he made love to me like I was the most important person in the world? Will he remember that he left me alone?

Taggart stopped in front of the elevator. “Ms. Croft, I need to explain something to you.”

Now she would get the “I’m a badass spy and you’re a nobody and you’re going to tell me everything I need to know” speech. She knew the type. She’d been hiding from them for years. “Go ahead.”

“You are safe here.” Taggart’s expression had softened. “I’m not the Agency and I won’t allow Solo to steal you away. All I’m looking for is some answers to help my men. You are free to come and go as you please, but if you need protection from something, we are here for you. I don’t know what Solo told you about us, but I promise no one is going to fuck with you here. We’ve got a room for you. If you need sanctuary, you have it.”

Tears pierced her eyes. “I haven’t felt safe in years, Mr. Taggart.”

“Then let’s change that today.” Taggart turned again, heading for the elevator. “After you see Tucker, I’ll take you up to the conference room. You’ll meet my partner Damon Knight and some of the men who Tucker is close to.”

“If I was going to steal her away, would I have brought her here in the first place?” Solo asked with a long-suffering sigh. “I thought of all the people in the world you would understand.”

Taggart frowned. “I left the Agency so I wouldn’t have to pull that shit you pulled in Munich. Don’t expect me to understand. Also, Ezra’s turned into a whiny man baby and it’s all your fault. He used to be stoic. Like a man should be, and now he wants to talk about his feelings. You did that to him.”

The elevator doors opened and Solo stepped on after Taggart, the two of them still arguing about someone named Ezra. Or Beck. She wasn’t sure. They all had too many names to keep up with.

She followed, feeling better than she had before. Maybe she could get what she needed from this. Closure.

And answers.

Answers for herself.

Answers for their daughter.

 

Tucker, Veronica, and the whole McKay-Taggart crew will return in Long Lost, coming February 4, 2020. Click here to purchase.