Page 61 of Mine to Keep
Javier ushers a trembling Talon inside, looking around at his surroundings. I quickly step inside after him, closing the door, flipping the lock and sliding the heavy door bolt across it.
Before I can marginally relax because we’re finally safe, I hear a slide and aclickthat can only mean one thing.
I turn around and see a gun pointed at Javier’s head.
twenty
the past
My gun is upand the safety off before I say a word, the pressure on the trigger almost enough to fire a round. Javier looks back at me, tears brimming his eyes as Talon shivers in his arms. I won’t let whoever this is take them away from me. One person tried already and it won’t happen again.
Then my eyes come into focus and I see who’s holding the gun. I blink. Then blink again. This can’t be. No way. Am I seeing a ghost?
“Olivia?” I ask, my arm dropping to my side before I give it the command.
She grins at me, the same grin she used to give me all those years ago when she was up to no good. “Hey there, good lookin’. Didn’t think I’d see you again.”
My breath whooshes out of my chest and I slump against the door, trying to make sense of it all.
Olivia is dead. The Void killed her. She was…she was retired.
“They yours?” she asks, inclining her head to Javier and Talon.
“Yeah. Put your gun down.” My voice comes out thin and raspy, my head spinning. “Does Peggy know you’re here?”
She clicks her safety back on and puts her gun in a holster at her back. “She’s the one that called me.”
“She…she knew?”
Olivia sighs, walking over to me. “We got a lot to talk about, you and me. Before we do that, take care of them. They look like they’re ready to bolt.”
I drag her into my arms, hugging her tightly to make sure she’s real. She is, warm and solid, like she’s always been. “I missed you.”
“I know,” she says with a chuckle. “I missed you too. Go on. We’ll talk soon.”
With a sigh, I pull away from her and usher my boys into one of the open bedrooms.
Javier moves as far away from me as he can, keeping a firm hold on Talon. “Who is she?”
“An old friend,” I tell him as I shut the door. Talon whimpers when he hears the click of the door, tearing my heart in two. “I won’t hurt you,” I say earnestly, hoping he believes me. Hopingtheybelieve me.
Javier’s eyes harden as he kicks his chin up. “Who the fuck are you and what do you want from us?”
Exhaling a harsh breath, I slide down the door until my butt hits the floor. “I’m not holding you hostage,” I say when a flash of fear cross Javier’s face. “I just want to give you both some space. If ever you want to leave, I won’t stop you. But…please let me try to explain first.”
They look at each other, a silent conversation passing between them. Even with all the bullshit going on, I can’t deny how beautiful they are together. Beautiful and mine. Even if they want to leave me, I’ll never leave them unprotected. I’ll always watch out for them, even if they don’t want me to.
After a handful of minutes, Javier sits on the bed and pulls Talon onto his lap.
Talon looks down at me, sniffling and burrowing closer to Javier. “Tell us. Who are you? Why were there people shooting at us?”
“They were shooting atme.” I drag in a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before I let it out.
“Because of your security job?”
I shake my head slowly. “I don’t work security. I work for an organization called The Void.” My heart thumps hard against my rib cage as I brace for my next words. “It’s a collection of hitmen, assassins.”
They both blink at me, as if they can’t comprehend the words. I don’t say anything else—I simply let them process the information at their own pace.
