Before the Dawn(6)

"Don't!" Tucker snarled when Jason took a lunging step toward him. Dawn had run down the dock, heading back toward the old cabin. "This is ending, right here. You aren't hurting anyone else." Dear God, Jason...how many people have you already hurt? He was afraid to find out that truth.

"You stabbed me." His blood was dripping on the dock. "To save her, you stabbed me." Fury burned in this words. Disbelief.

"I will kill you in order to save her." Just so there was no confusion. But it doesn't have to be this way. He moved his body, making sure to block the exit off that old dock, stopping any attempt Jason could make to charge after Dawn. "Jason, drop the knife." Jason still gripped it tightly. "Drop the knife and put your hands up." 

Jason didn't drop the knife. "What are you going to do? Call the cops? Play the hero?"

His phone was in the car. "Yeah, I'll be calling the cops."

"I said no cage!" That rage was getting hotter. "You know that! You know I can't handle that!" And Jason laughed. A wild sound. "Just as I know you won't kill me. You can't. That knife barely even went into me. You weren't trying. Just for show..."

He was coming forward.

Tucker couldn't hear the thud of Dawn's footsteps any longer. Where was she? "Don't take another step."

But Jason did. "I'm going to slice her all over. I'm going to make her beg."

Tucker's rage burned, too. "You aren't touching her."

"You're going to help me. You're going to be at my side, the way you always are. You understand me. You want the same things I want."

Jason was a foot away from him.

Tucker shook his head. "I want Dawn." He eased out a low breath. "Drop that knife, now." But he knew Jason wasn't going to do it. "Don't-" he began, but it was too late. Jason had surged forward. He didn't swing at Tucker with his knife. Tucker wasn't his goal. He slammed his body into Tucker's, shoving him out of the way.

Because Jason wants Dawn.

But Tucker wasn't letting that happen. He caught his brother, held tight when Jason fought and then...

He fired.

The blast of that gun seemed deafening. For a moment after that terrible thunder, there was no sound at all. Even the insects had stopped chirping, as if they were afraid. Jason was staring at him, his face easy to see under the bright, full moon.

Shock.

Betrayal.

Then Jason was plunging that knife at Tucker, slicing down his arm, slicing his hand and trying to make Tucker drop the gun.

He didn't drop it. Tucker fired again.

Jason staggered back.

"You won't touch her again."

Tucker fired once more. His brother was on the edge of the dock, he staggered back-

And fell into the water, sinking deep with a splash.





  CHAPTER TWO

Seven years later...

SECOND CHANCES DIDN'T come around often. If a man was lucky enough to have one, then he should grab on to that opportunity and hold tight to it with every bit of strength that he had.

It was a good thing Tucker Frost was strong.

He hurried into the conference room at the FBI's Washington, DC, office. It was early June and the sun glinted through the window, shining right through the blinds. The other agents were already inside, seated at the round table. Their laptops were out. Their manila files were open. Their phones were on the tabletop, probably already turned to mute.

He took the last seat, had his laptop out and open in seconds and was adjusting the volume on his phone when Samantha Dark delicately cleared her throat.


      ///
       
         
       
        

"I want to thank all of you for joining me on such short notice."

The meeting had been called ten minutes ago. He'd been outside the building, already anticipating just how he'd be spending the weekend.

"I know that our unit is still in the development phase, but you were all handpicked to join this team because I know that you bring a unique set of skills and a perspective for targeting killers that others just can't imitate."

Her voice was low, calm, and she turned her golden stare on all of the agents at the table.

Samantha Dark.

He was damn glad she'd come back to the FBI. He'd always respected Agent Dark. From the very first moment that they'd met at Quantico, he'd known just how sharp she was. Samantha had been the profiler to watch, but when her ex-lover had turned out to be a vicious serial killer, she'd retreated, pulling away from everyone close to her. He'd hated that.

But Samantha was back now. She'd stopped not just one serial killer on her last case, but two, and since she'd also managed to save the life of the FBI's executive assistant director, Justin Bass, she'd been given carte blanche to try her experimental unit.