“We’ll have the Army National Guard helicopter take you in a few minutes,” Garner said. “I want to go with you, but I also want to get an assessment of the situation here before I leave.”
“I don’t give a damn about what’s here. I need to be there when Sierra wakes.”
Garner clapped a hand to T-Rex’s back. “And I promise, you’ll be there, as soon as I get a status.”
The team gathered around the terrorist who’d taken Sierra captive.
“Grady Morris is back in the building, spilling his guts, hoping for a plea bargain for information,” Ghost said. “He’s pointing his finger at this guy as the ringleader.”
“Who is this guy?” T-Rex asked, reaching down to pull the ski mask off what was left of the man who’d almost killed Sierra.
Even before T-Rex removed the mask from the man’s head, Garner spoke, “What do you want to bet it’s Fratiani?”
T-Rex removed the mask. The man lying in pieces was Leo Fratiani, the land broker who’d tried to purchase Olivia Dawson’s ranch after her father was murdered.
T-Rex shook his head. “Why?”
“He thought he could get away with it,” Ghost said. “Morris says Fratiani was an engineer on one of the pipeline projects and was laid off when the work dried up. Since then, he’s lost his wife to divorce and his home to foreclosure. He tried his hand as a land broker in California, but when he tried to acquire his own properties, no bank would give him a loan. His credit was crap.”
“Then how did he get the money to outfit the Free America group with AR-15s?” T-Rex asked.
“Grady Morris,” Ghost responded.
“The politician?” Caveman shook his head. “Why the hell would Morris get involved with someone as shady as Fratiani?”
Ghost answered, “He wanted to stir things up in Wyoming so that he could appear to be the man people should vote for to clean up what was going on, and put people back to work on the pipeline.”
“Bastard,” T-Rex bit out.
Garner glanced at Ghost. “How’s the vice president?”
“Unscathed,” Caveman said.
“The other hostages?” T-Rex asked.
“No injuries to the hostages, other than Ms. Daniels.” Ghost chuckled and smiled at T-Rex. “Apparently, your girlfriend got them out before the shooting began.”
Sheriff Scott joined the Safe Haven team and faced Garner. “I want to thank you and your team for helping us diffuse the situation. None of our people were injured in the process. Of the Free America group, we have seven dead, three injured and eight who gave up when the shooting started.”
T-Rex turned to Garner. “Everyone is accounted for. Can we go to the hospital now?”
Garner faced the sheriff.
“We’ll take care of everything here.” Sheriff Scott nodded toward the waiting helicopter. “Go.”
T-Rex met Garner’s gaze.
Garner turned to Ghost.
“We can catch a ride back to Grizzly Pass with some of the sheriff’s people,” Ghost said. “I’d like to stay and help with the cleanup.”
The Homeland Security agent nodded to T-Rex. “Let’s go.”
They jogged to the waiting helicopter. Within minutes they were in the air and heading to the hospital. Eventually, they were touching down near the hospital in Bozeman. The pilots of the Black Hawk had to return to their post, leaving Garner and T-Rex to find their own way back.
T-Rex didn’t care. His number one priority was to be at Sierra’s side when she woke. She’d taken the fall to keep anyone else from being hurt by Fratiani. The woman had guts and a heart as big as the skies in Montana. She was more than he could have ever wanted in a woman, and, by God, he would be there when she opened her eyes. She didn’t have anyone else. And he needed to be the first face she saw.
It didn’t make any sense. All the years he’d refused to give his heart to a woman, knowing it wouldn’t be fair to ask her to stick around while he was off fighting wars. But for once in his life, he wanted someone to be there when he came home. He wanted that someone to be Sierra. Call him selfish, but he wanted that more than he’d ever wanted anything.
Sierra was strong, determined and had a big, loving heart. She deserved to be happy. T-Rex wanted to be the man who made her happy. If he had to give up his career in the Marine Corps, he would.
He was led to the emergency room waiting area, where he paced for the next thirty minutes while they evaluated and worked on Sierra. When the ER doctor finally came out, he glanced around the waiting room. “Family of Ms. Daniels?”
T-Rex raised his hand and hurried forward.
“Are you her husband?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
“The bullet went clean through her calf. There was some tissue damage, but we expect she will heal completely. She’s also got a concussion. Considering she was in the path of a grenade explosion, we’d like to keep her overnight for observation. Other than that, she should be able to go home tomorrow.”
T-Rex released the breath he’d been holding. “When can I see her?”
“Now. She’s been moved to a room on the third floor.”
“Is she conscious?”
He smiled. “Yes, and she’s been asking for a dinosaur. Maybe you’ll understand. Not just any dinosaur. She wants a—”
“T-Rex?” T-Rex’s face split into a grin. “I know what she wants.” He shook the doctor’s hand. “Thank you.” And he ran for the elevator.
He found her room and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” a feminine voice called out.
T-Rex pushed open the door and walked in.
A nurse stood beside the bed, adjusted the IV and turned toward T-Rex. “You wouldn’t happen to be T-Rex?”
He nodded. “Guilty.”
She stepped back so that T-Rex could see Sierra lying against the sterile white sheets. “This the guy you’ve been looking for?”
Sierra’s face and hands were covered in cuts and bruises, but her smile shined, lighting the room. “You came.”
“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.” He crossed to the bed and lifted her hand to his lips. “Hey, beautiful.”
Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “I’m a mess. And my ears are ringing.”
“You’re alive, that’s all that matters.”
Her smile slipped and she studied him, sweeping her gaze over him from head to foot. “You and Garner?”
He chuckled. “Alive and well.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Thank God. I worried my attempt to escape would get others hurt.”
“On the contrary. Your attempted escape saved lives.”
“And your team?”
“All made it unscathed. It appears you are the only casualty.”
“Figures.” Her pout made T-Rex want to kiss her even more.
Still holding her hand, he sat in the chair beside her bed. “You know, I’ve been rethinking the whole military career thing.”
She frowned. “Oh yeah? I thought you had it all figured out.”
“That was BS.”
Sierra’s frown deepened. “BS?”
He grinned. “Before Sierra.”
“Oh.” She blushed and glanced down at her hands. “And now?”
“I’m thinking Wyoming might be a good place to live. As a civilian.”
Sierra shook her head. “Are you out of your mind? You’re a career marine. Why would you want to give that up?”
He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I believe there just might be more to life than killing the enemy.”
She squeezed his hand. “But the country needs you.”
“I’m finding that I need you, and I want to be a little selfish for once in my lonely, miserable life.”
Sierra’s fingers tightened in his, and tears welled in her eyes. “But you don’t like commitment.”
He lifted his chin. “It’s a guy’s prerogative to change his mind.” Then he winked. “What do you think? If I could find a job in Grizzly Pass, would you consider going out with me?”
She shook her head.
T-Rex’s gut clenched. He hadn’t thought through what he was going to say to her, but when he’d asked her out, he hadn’t expected no for an answer. “Why not?”
“I am not going to be the woman responsible for taking you away from the military duty you love.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “You do love being a member of the Marine Corps, don’t you?”
He nodded. “Yes, but—”
“Then why give it up?” She stared into his eyes. “I don’t have anything keeping me in Grizzly Pass. I’ve always wanted to see other places.” She dipped her head. “Just not by myself.”
“You’d follow me?”
She nodded. “If things work out between us, I’d follow you to the ends of the earth.”
He lifted her hand to his lips. “What if I asked to stay on here for a few more weeks? You know, give us a chance to get to know each other.”
She looked up through eyes swimming in tears. “I’d like that.”
“If I can’t extend my TDY with the Department of Homeland Security, I’ll ask for leave.”
“Then we have a date?”