Page 28 of Master Cordell

“Okay, I’m here. Now what?”

Reaching around Tiffany, Wiley threw a pair of silver handcuffs that landed about a foot in front of Cordell. “Put them on behind your back, then turn around and let me see.”

Serenity now had her hands free and was quietly getting to her feet. Cordell made his movements slow and deliberate, keeping Wiley’s attention, as he picked up the cuffs and put them on. He turned his body so the asshole could see his hands, yet Cordell still had everyone in his line of sight. In his ear, he heard his make-shift team still trying to gain access to the hangar without alerting Wiley to their presence. Boomer had moved around to the front of the building and was in position to come in through the bay doors as soon as Jake or Cordell gave a prearranged signal.

“Make sure they’re tight,” Wiley ordered.

Even though they were already snug, he fumbled with and then clicked the cuffs one more notch each, keeping Wiley focused on him. Serenity was stealthily closing the distance between her and Wiley, with a huge, heavy wrench in her hand.

“Okay, now what?” he asked, sounding like a repetitive parrot. He really didn’t want to know the answer to that, but he also didn’t want to say anything that would piss Wiley off until Serenity was in position.

“Now we’re going—”

Wiley must have sensed something was wrong, but before he had a chance to spin around with his gun to face Serenity, she lifted the wrench and came down hard on the back of his head. The gun went off harmlessly into a nearby locker as the man dropped like a sack of potatoes. Tiffany screamed, but the second she was free, she bolted toward Cordell. He took her full weight as she threw herself at him, his hip almost giving out, but he somehow managed to stay upright with his hands locked behind him.

“Cordell!” she yelled on a sob as her arms went around his neck.

Before Cordell had a chance to ask, Boomer approached and went to work on the handcuffs. Within seconds, they fell away, and Cordell wrapped his arms around Tiffany. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent and reassuring himself she was alive and well. He held her trembling body and pet her head, as he stared at the now-unconscious man who’d threatened to harm her. Serenity stood over Wiley, glaring, as if daring him to wake up just so she could hit him again. Finally, she seemed satisfied he wasn’t getting up and dropped the wrench before running over to check on Kairo.

“We’re good,” Cordell told his team, still holding onto Tiffany as if their lives depended on it. “Call for two ambulances.”

“On it,” his head of security replied.

“Dante, you stay. Everyone else head back to the resort. The last thing we need is the cops seeing you all armed to the teeth.”

By the time they all cleared out and the sheriff’s department and EMS had arrived, Tiffany was still shaky but had pulled herself together enough to relate to the detectives what had happened. While the deputies were pissed Dante and Cordell had gone off on their own to rescue her, the only person placed under arrest was Wiley, who’d started to come around as they were loading him into the ambulance. However, Kairo was still unconscious, worrying Serenity and the others.

After they were released from the scene, Cordell and Dante took Tiffany to the hospital to get her checked out and learn how Kairo and Jared were doing. Tiffany insisted she was unharmed, but Cordell demanded the doctor assess her for injuries. While she clearly wanted to argue with him, she didn’t.

As he watched her through the open curtain to her cubicle, a stressed-looking Troy joined him. “How is she?”

“I’m fine, Troy,” Tiffany said before Cordell could answer him. “He’s just being excessively cautious.”

“As he should.”

“How’s Jared? Please tell me he’s okay.”

Troy sighed. “I wish I could. All I know is he’s in surgery. They rushed him in not long after we arrived, and they’re still in there. I just wanted to come down to check on you before heading back up.”

Despite her eyes welling up in tears, Tiffany’s voice was strong. “As soon as the doctor says I’m fine, because I really am, we’ll come up and sit with you.”

“I should take you home,” Cordell said.

“No, you shouldn’t.” Had the situation been different, he might’ve been amused at how she’d stood up to him—it wasn’t something the old, timid Tiffany would’ve done, and he was proud of the new take-charge woman she’d become. “Jared and Troy are not only our employees, but they’ve also become our friends. We need to be here for them. And for Kairo. Have they said if he’s woken up yet?”

“Not yet. Serenity is with him, and Dante notified Reed, who’s arranging for transport down here now.” He gestured toward Troy. “Why don’t you head back up? We’ll join you in a few.”

As much as he wanted to take Tiffany home and hold her for hours or days until his terror finally faded, Cordell knew she wanted to stay to make sure both injured men were okay. Right then, he’d give her the universe if she asked for it.

About fifteen minutes later, the ER doctor declared Tiffany was one-hundred percent fine and could be released. As they waited for the paperwork, Cordell decided he couldn’t hold back his feelings anymore. While the emergency room wasn’t the ideal place for professing his love for the first time, he couldn’t stand to go another minute without telling Tiffany how he felt. Not when he’d come so close to losing her. He’d already waited far too long.

Stepping into the cubicle, he pulled the curtain closed behind him and then took a seat on the edge of the gurney, next to Tiffany’s hip. He gently grasped both her hands in his. “Pet, there’s something I have to tell you, that I should’ve told you a long time ago.” His stomach clenched when a wary look fell across her face. “It’s nothing bad. At least I don’t think it is.” He shook his head. “What I’m trying to say, sweetheart, is that I love you. I’ve been in love with you for a long time now, and I’m sorry it took forever to tell you that. But I can’t hide my feelings for you anymore.”

“Why would you want to?” she asked as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I mean, I love you too, Sir. I think I fell in love with you the first day we met. I just fought it for so long because I didn’t think you felt the same.”

“Yeah, well, I was dealing with the same issue. I didn’t think ... oh, hell. C’mere.” He pulled her into his arms, lowered his head, and kissed her. This time, he held nothing back. He consumed her, letting her feel all the love he had for her in that one moment.

A throat cleared behind them, and Cordell reluctantly pulled away and stood. The blond-haired nurse who’d taken Tiffany’s vitals earlier stepped into the cubicle. “Here’s all your paperwork. Take it easy for the rest of the day.”

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