Page 3 of Charge

“We’re talking. You’ll have to fucking wait,” my mother, the charmer, barked at her.

Ella wasn’t dissuaded by her. Instead, she crossed her arms, looking like she was having a casual chat. “If you don’t take your hands off her right now, I’m going to call Sheriff Cooper.”

The threat of the sheriff appearing was enough and she released me. I didn’t rub my arm like I wanted to, since it would only draw more attention. Any other cop, she wouldn’t have cared since they liked to visit her regularly. But the sheriff was happily married and not interested in anything she had to offer.

Shooting me another narrow-eyed glare, she finally backed away. “I’ll be waiting for you at home.”

Nothing good ever followed that statement. It might be best if I stayed away for a few days.

Mom stalked back to her beaten-up old Ford, ripping her door open and finally driving off. I watched her car turn the corner, leaving a cloud of exhaust fumes behind.

Ella put her arm around my shoulders, steering me back to the house. “Come on, honey. Let’s go back inside.”

I looked up and noticed Everleigh and Archer standing in front of the house. They must have witnessed the whole sordid scene. Even though they’d seen many of my mom’s outbursts, I still tried to shield them as much as possible.

They were the only ones who stuck around, unconcerned about who my mom was and more interested in what I meant to them. I could never pay them back for all they’d already done for me.

Ever met us halfway across the lawn, taking my hand. Ella released me after giving me a reassuring squeeze. She went back inside through the front door, and we turned to go back to the basement entrance.

Archer took my other hand, and the three of us walked next to each other in silence. When we reached the back door, they released me, making sure I went downstairs first.

My hands shook, and I had to take deep breaths to stop myself from breaking down. I needed a minute. “I’ll be right back. You can keep playing the movie. I’ll catch up.”

I rushed to the bathroom before anyone could stop me and closed the door behind me. After splashing water on my face, I sank down on the floor, leaning against the cold tiles next to the sink.

I didn’t know how long I’d been in there, but a knock on the door startled me back to the present and away from my dark thoughts.

Everleigh came in and sat down, taking my hand in hers. I leaned my head on her shoulder.

She sighed and rested her cheek on my head. “You have to get away from her.”

“I know.”

“We’ll find a way.”

Little did we both know that it would take another seven years before I would finally find freedom. And that the freedom would come with a steep price tag attached.

1

ARCHER

Now

“Suit up. We’re jumping in five,” Devon yelled over the plane’s engine.

The seat I sat on rattled, throwing me back and forth. Adrenaline surged through me at the thought of jumping out of the plane, then swimming the rest of the way to our target.

Tonight’s mission was a rescue. There was a hostage situation on a yacht. They were unfortunately the majority of what we did.

But this was part of the job and what paid my salary. Besides, it was most likely another false alarm. We’d had a couple over the last few weeks. I didn’t know who was on the boat, since there had been no time for a proper briefing. But it didn’t make a difference. The people that hired us all looked the same to me.

Devon walked past me, making the signal to move out. “Let’s go, Falcon Team.”

Less than two years ago, I graduated with honors, signed up for my master’s degree in physics, and was getting ready to go on a trip of a lifetime. Now I checked that I’d strapped my knives on properly and my gun was in a waterproof pouch.

There were five of us, and before each jump, we did one last check of one another’s parachute. Nobody wanted to plunge into the water at 150 mph. I slapped Carter on the back and turned so he could check my pack. I trusted my teammates implicitly. It was the only way we’d all survive.

Carter grinned, rubbing his hands in excitement. I’d never seen him be anything but cheerful and ready to charge in and do his job. He seemed to have no fear. Instead, he was excited about the prospect of plunging into icy water and then climbing aboard a yacht where we didn’t know what we’d find.

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