Page 48 of The Doctor

27

LOGAN

I hated all the cloak and dagger shit. Since we discovered the State’s Attorney was the leak and she knew about the plan to fake Dom’s death, we had to assume the men who were after him knew as well.

I sat next to Dom as Bex questioned him. Vicky and Landy were asleep and we took the opportunity to share what was happening with the case. After Lilly made a call to the Director of the FBI and the San Francisco Police Captain, we received the files we needed. Bex had shown Dom the sketch the artist had rendered from his description and he had confirmed he was one of the men who got out of the car.

“I don’t understand.” Dom was as frustrated as I was. “I already told them this. They should have that man arrested.”

Bex nodded. “Sketches are not accurate, but they should’ve let you see mug shots or even a line up.” She pulled a file off the coffee table. “I want to show you a photograph. You said with the street lighting you couldn’t see the other men. But this photo is similar to the man you described. I want you to take your time and see if you think it is the same man. Don’t rush, okay. We need to be sure.”

She pulled the photograph from the file and placed it next to the sketch. She was right, the resemblance was striking. In my mind it was the same man. But it would be up to Dominic to confirm that.

He nodded. “That’s him. I mean I couldn’t make out if he had those tattoos on his neck because it was dark. But that’s him.”

Bex released a breath and nodded. “Okay. As it stands right now, all of us are under lock down.” She walked around as if lecturing us. “Mason and Anna are alternating with Jared and Lilly doing a regular drive around the area. They won’t stop, because they’re aware they could be followed. I don’t know what training those bumholes have but I’m sure they know who we are. They won’t make a move until they’re ready. They also won’t make a move while there is a patrol. So, they’ll wait until we’re vulnerable. But neither of you goes anywhere without my say so. Am I understood?”

Dom lifted a brow and if I could have reached him, I would’ve smacked him upside the head before he spoke. “Is it okay to go to the bathroom?”

“Dominic Henry Bayers.” The kid stiffened at the use of his middle name. I didn’t even know what it was. “Now would not be a good time to test my patience. If anything happens to you, I will ground your ass as soon as I rescue it.”

She didn’t even bother answering his original question but that should’ve been obvious. Dom got up and walked out of the room.

“You middle-named him.” I smiled at her. “I think that is a rite of passage to parenthood.”

“It's like he’s trying to piss me off.”

“He’s scared, Bex.” I looked in the direction he had walked off. “I will admit though, fear manifests in weird ways with him. Cut him a little slack. He’s being hunted and that can’t be an easy thing.”

“It's not.” She said it so matter of factly, it took me a moment to catch up and frown at her. She pursed her lips before she spoke. “My unit was in a war zone. It doesn’t matter where.”

No, especially since so much of what she did needed to be a secret. “Carry on, Bex. Before Dom gets back.”

“I was so sure we would die. Or that my team would.” She sat next to me, no tears. Barely any emotion at all. “Word got around that the warlord was looking for a unit with a woman. They figured that either I would crack if they threatened my teammates, or if they hurt me, my teammates would be more likely to talk. It was one of the reasons men were opposed to women on their team, originally. I mean along with all the other misogyny.”

“That’s why your unit was targeted.”

“Women in special forces was almost unheard of until a few years ago. There were very few of us that were Rangers. As for SEALs or DELTA… not even close. That made us targets. Once we had a situation where we were hunted, but that was a matter of days and we knew what we were doing. I can’t imagine how much worse it is for Dom. This has been going on for more than a month.”

I was about to answer her when a gunshot rang through the air. The bullet whizzed past Bex, barely missing her. The alarm blared and Dom came running back into the living room. “Down.” I shouted as another bullet came in, missing everyone all together.

The alarm was still loud and soon we would have the might of the entire police force at our house. The kids were crying in their rooms but for now, they were safe there. Away from the fucking bullets. I crawled over to where Dom had dropped and Bex was already there.

“Is everyone okay?” Her gaze darted between Dom and I. When we both nodded, she spoke. “Okay Lo, you and Dom makeyour way to the garage. Call Jared and keep your phone line open and as soon as you are in, drive. As fast as you can for as long as you can. Drive right to the police station if you have to. Use your car, it’s closer to the kitchen door.”

Dom looked scared out of his mind. “What about you and Landy and Vic.”

“I will have them.” She narrows her eyes for a moment. “Change of plan. Use my car. Lo, yours has the car seats and I’m going to need them. I will try and distract them.” She gestured to the window where the bullet came from.

“Bex.” It didn’t feel right, leaving her on her own. I wanted to protest but I knew she was right. And she knew what she was doing. “When we get out of this, I am marrying you and making those children mine. I am not waiting any longer.”

She nodded. “I look forward to it. Now, go.”

I tapped Dom’s hand and together we crawled along the floor. Bullets flew into the living room but Bex was already crawling in the direction of the gun safe. In my apartment she never had a weapon because I didn’t have a safe. She had gotten into the habit of not carrying one home from work and therefore was not armed when she greeted the kids.

The fact she did that for me and for our children, made me love her even more. Yet, in that moment, I wished she was already armed.

Instead of dwelling on all that, I urged Dom to crawl with me to the garage. The tiled floor was cold beneath me, but it also gave me something to focus on instead of the bullets flying into my house.

---