Page 84 of Line of Resistance

But Eloise wasn’t trying to escape.

She went straight to where Bryson laid, scooping the little boy up into her arms and clutching him close against her chest, rocking his limp body. “Get someone here to help him. I think he hit his head.”

If he’d had any lingering doubts about his feelings for Eloise, this moment would have obliterated every one of them.

Nate dropped to his knees, wrapping both arms around Eloise and the little boy she held close. He tapped his mic, opening all lines again. “We need an ambulance.” He glanced over at the man bleeding across the streaked snow. “And we need to figure out what in the hell we’re going to do with him.”

Reed came racing through the open gate, easily moving across the slippery surface. His eyes fell to the dead man. “Glad you got a shot in.”

Nate shook his head, brows pinched in confusion. “It wasn’t my shot. I thought it was yours.”

Reed’s eyes lifted to Nate. “It wasn’t me.” His hand went to his ear. “Who took the shot?”

He frowned. “No one?”

Nate pulled Eloise and Bryson closer with one arm and pointed at the gate with the other. “Get that fucking thing closed now.”

Reed blinked as the situation registered. A heartbeat later he was on the move, swinging the double doors of the heavy gate into place and flipping the lock. He rushed back to Nate’s side. “We need to get them inside.” His eyes flicked the area surrounding them. “Now.”

Nate got to his feet, hauling Eloise and Bryson up with him. Eloise tried to keep Bryson in her arms, but her heeled shoes were not meant to be worn across tamped down snow and she struggled to get traction.

Reed moved in at her side. “I’ve got him.”

Eloise shrank away, holding Bryson tighter.

“It’s okay. Reed will get him inside safely.” Nate tried to reassure her. Tried to get her moving.

Eloise held his gaze for a second before finally nodding and giving Bryson up. Reed scooped the little boy against his chest and took off, moving quickly toward the doors leading into the building. Eloise grabbed Nate, her eyes pleading. “We need to lock this place down. We need to get all the kids inside now.”

Nate glanced over his shoulder once more before scooping Eloise up and carrying her to the building. As promised, the doors were locked, forcing them to bang until a custodian who recognized Eloise finally let the four of them in. Nate dropped Eloise to her feet before tapping his earpiece. “We need to get everybody at this location that we can. Canvas the whole fucking neighborhood. Figure out who took that shot.”

“We’re already on it.” Tyson came back immediately. “We’re getting all the kids into the building now and everyone on campus is headed this way. Heidi’s scanning every camera she can find to see if we can figure out who came and left from the area.

Nate glanced out the window of the door, dreading what he had to say next. “We might want to consider calling Vincent in on this.”

He hated giving the man another reason to believe GHOST was more important to Alaskan Security than Alaskan Security was to GHOST, but this situation could spin out of control very quickly.

And it had happened at a fucking school. Everyone capable of making sure these kids stayed safe needed to be involved.

“Miss Rivers?” Bryson’s voice was bleak and soft.

Eloise reached for him, fighting to get the child who was a little too big for her arms away from Reed. “I’m right here, honey.” She managed to get the boy into her grip and slowly lowered to the floor, leaning her back against the wall for support as she went down. She cradled him close, smoothing back his dirty hair as she gently rocked him. “Everything’s going to be okay. I promise.”

The sight of Eloise sitting there—thick tights shredded from her near abduction, the skin of her knees abraded and bloodied, her own hair knotted and mangled—brought him down beside her. Scooted him close enough he could rest his lips against the warmth of her temple. “You okay?”

Eloise continued to stroke Bryson, her touch warm and nurturing and motherly. “I’m fine.”

It was a moment that was as perfect as it was heartbreaking. Seeing the little boy finally get the kind of love he should have been receiving his whole life was like a punch to the gut. One that hit hard and swift and close to home because it was the same kind of love he’d never received.

But seeing Bryson get it, and watching Eloise be the one to dish it out, soothed a little of the ache he’d carried for so long.

Nate reached out, taking Bryson’s hand in his and holding it tight. “Where do you hurt?”

Bryson’s lids slowly lifted. “In my head and in my face.”

Nate scanned the little boy’s pale skin, gut burning as the bruised outline of a hand started to peek through his fair complexion. It was an injury he’d had many times. And he’d be willing to bet Bryson had too.

But it would never fucking happen again. Not if he had anything to say about it.

---