Drew pulled Tina away from the dying man. “Who’s not done?”
Footsteps rushed toward them. Dylan and Rachel.
“We checked the rest of the perimeter,” Dylan said as he closed in. “We’re clear.”
The rain eased up, dripping lightly over them instead of pelting down.
The thunder had stopped.
No more thunder. No more gunshots.
“Devast...wants...her...” Lee’s voice was a harsh rasp. “Won’t...stop...until he gets...her...”
“Devast won’t touch her,” Drew swore. “He’s out at the compound now, isn’t he? Your boss? I’m going after him. I’m going to—”
“Devast...won’t stop—”
A sharp breath slipped from Lee.
“Anton Devast?” Drew demanded as he bent over Lee. “I know how many lives he’s taken. He won’t—”
Tina put her hand on his shoulder. “He’s gone.” She’d heard that last, hard wheeze that had stilled in Lee’s throat.
“Damn it!” Drew surged back to his feet.
Tina leaned over the body. She felt for his pulse, just to be certain, but with the massive trauma to his chest...
Gone.
She shivered as the raindrops trailed down her body. The past and the present both slid through her mind.
You can’t save them. The cops on scene had told her that over and over again as she’d clung desperately to her parents.
Tina glanced at her hands. Even in the dark, she could see the blood.
“Get her inside,” Drew said to Rachel as his fingers closed around Tina’s shoulders. “Dylan and I will handle the cleanup.”
Cleanup. Because there were other bodies out there. Wait, maybe... “Are you sure they’re all dead? Maybe some of them are still alive.”
Drew shook his head.
She turned toward the motel room. The place looked totally trashed from the outside. Sarah was there, and Tina saw her edging toward them cautiously.
The chill of death seemed to permeate the air. Tina squared her shoulders. “I’m ready to go home now.” It was time to leave Drew’s bloody world behind.
Time to leave...him.
* * *
THUD. THUD. THUD.
Anton Devast slowly walked toward the waiting helicopter. The compound was being evacuated. The few men left were scattering.
This base wouldn’t be operational—not when the EOD agents swarmed. And they would swarm.
One of those bastards was here.
Mercer was smart, and his agents were smart. It had only been a matter of time until they’d infiltrated his network.
But it didn’t matter. He’d found Mercer’s weakness. Tina Jamison. He had pictures of the woman. Videos.
She wasn’t escaping from him.
Lee hadn’t checked in. That meant the man was either dead or running. If he had tried to flee, well, Lee would be dead in hours.
Anton stared into the waning night. He’d waited years for his vengeance. He’d bided his time, made powerful connections and planned so carefully.
He didn’t have many days left on this earth. The cancer that had ravaged him before was coming back. Before he died, he had to finish his job.
It wasn’t about destroying the U.S. government. Wasn’t even about taking down the EOD and the agents who thought it was their job to stick their noses into private affairs.
It was about Bruce Mercer.
About making the man suffer.
Bruce hadn’t agreed to trade his life for his daughter’s. That had been his mistake. He’d had an option. A chance.
There would be no more chances.
It wasn’t about a trade anymore.
It was about a life.
One life for another.
Vengeance.
Mercer would understand his pain now. He’d feel the same agony that Anton had experienced. But there would be no relief from that pain. There was never any relief.
“Burn the place to the ground,” he ordered as he left the ranch.
Thud. Thud.
The base had already been set to ignite. The first explosion detonated and the flames burst into the air. The scent of fire drifted on the wind. He didn’t look back at the flames.
He was too busy looking ahead—and planning for Tina Jamison’s death.
Chapter Six
Tina wasn’t looking at him. She hadn’t looked Drew directly in the eyes since Lee Slater’s death.
They were at the airport; a small strip that was used just for government operations. A plane waited behind Tina.
This was the moment he was supposed to let her go. Why won’t she look me in the eyes?
“Thank you,” Tina said. Her voice didn’t sound right. Too stilted. Too polite. “I can’t ever repay what you did for me.”
He didn’t care that they had an audience. Drew took her hand in his. Her skin was incredibly soft—he’d never get used to that silken feel beneath his rough fingers. “I want you to watch your back.”