Brooke Roberts Part 2

"I had a good teacher," I reply, feeling pride warm my chest.
"Here are the keys," Paige says, joining us and handing the keychain to Seth. "I’ll be waiting to drive you back."
She hugs each of them before turning to me and wrapping her arms around my neck.
"Take good care of them, Brooke," she whispers in my ear and pulls away. "Good luck!"

My boyfriends walk toward a black SUV parked near the airstrip exit. I know I shouldn’t be, but I can’t help being impressed by how quickly they managed to arrange everything.
"Seatbelts on," Seth announces, starting the car and pulling away without waiting for us to respond, following the GPS that estimates just 8 minutes to our destination.

Eight minutes. I wait for the panic attack, the nerves that accompanied me here, but nothing comes. For the first time in months, my mind is quiet. Everything around me feels calm, my breathing steadies, and I almost smile.

Two minutes.
"Adonis confirmed none of them left the ranch," Kyle says.
"Good. This ends today," Raffi comments beside me.

Seth turns off the car when the GPS says we’re 150 meters from our destination. The car barely stops before the guys are already getting out, and I join them.
"We know why we're here. Let’s end this and go home," Kyle says, one hand on Seth's shoulder, the other on Raffi's. His eyes meet mine. "Four go in."
"Four come out," Raffi and Seth reply in unison, making me smile.

The three of them each grab one of their weapons and begin walking side by side, forming a sort of shield around me while flanking each other. They move in sync, and it’s mesmerizing to watch. Which, of course, means I end up five steps behind them, but I quickly hurry to catch up.

I hear country music coming from inside the barn. Seth nods, and the three of them spread out. Kyle stretches an arm back, signaling me to stay close to him.

My heart pounds faster with each step toward the metal door. My blood feels like it’s boiling in my veins, anxiety and fear crashing over me in a wave so strong it feels like I’ve been hit by the ocean.

I unlock my gun just as Raffi grabs the doorknob with one hand and starts counting with the other.
One.
Two.
Three.
He throws the door open and I hear chaos inside the barn.

"Walker!"
"What the fuck is going on?"
"Where the hell is my gun?"

All the shouting happens at once.
"You thought there was a safe place after what you did?" Raffi asks, and the first shot rings out.

I grip my gun tighter—I can’t let memories distract me now.
"Carter, there's no point in running. I hope you enjoyed every day up until now, because this will be your last," I hear Seth declare.

The gunfire doesn’t stop, and my heart is pounding in my ears. Kyle went in, leaving me outside the barn, out of sight of those inside. My breath catches in my throat.

This was a mistake. I shouldn’t be here.

A chill runs down my spine, leaving a trail of unease spreading through my body. That same feeling I had when Kyle said we were coming here washes over me.

The gunfire stops, and my heart hangs between beats.
"Did any of you get Hill?" I hear Raffi ask, and I sigh in relief, stepping toward the door.
"No," Seth replies. "The bastard Carter ran for the back door and I went after him."

"Drop your weapons," says an unfamiliar voice, and my blood runs cold. "Don’t even think about it, Martinez. You’d hit me, I know, but are you sure you’d be fast enough before I blow your friend’s brains out?"

I take another step and I’m sure the scene in front of me is a nightmare. I’m going to wake up. Come on, Brooke, wake up!

A man has a gun pressed to Kyle’s head. Their backs are to me. Raffi and Seth have their hands up, but they haven’t complied.

He’s one of the men who ordered my kidnapping. One of the men who showed me how vile a human being can be, who sent his goons to torture and break me. I can’t let him take Kyle from me too. Not when he’s already taken so much.

I raise my arms, gripping the pistol tightly. I aim for the center of his back, not wanting to risk hitting Kyle.
"There’s just one problem, Derek," Seth says, and I glance at him. My boyfriend wears a sarcastic smile. His eyes meet mine for just a second, and he nods slightly, as if giving me approval.

"Oh yeah? And what would that be, Hellhound?"
"You weren’t in Fallujah."

It must be some kind of code between the guys, because Kyle, who was completely still, now places one hand behind his back, three fingers showing.
"And what does that matter?" Derek asks, and Kyle lowers one finger.

He’s counting. I take a deep breath, aiming the way Raffi taught me. The weight of the gun is familiar in my hand, but I don’t let that distract me. Kyle lowers another finger. I place my finger on the trigger, and as soon as he makes a fist, I pull it, feeling the recoil through my arm.

I hit Derek square in the back. The pain distracts him just long enough for Raffi to shoot him in the chest. He drops to his knees and Kyle kicks his face before firing into it.

Kyle rushes to me and pulls me tightly against his chest.
"You just saved my life, Sunshine," he murmurs against the top of my head.

I rise on tiptoe, my mouth finding his. The kiss is incandescent, burning, intense, driven by my need to taste him, to feel his presence, to make sure he’s here. That it’s really over. Kyle seems to feel the same, his hands gripping my ass, pulling me even closer, as if that were possible.

"You saved my fucking life again, Brooke," he says against my lips, his blue eyes locked on mine. "You’ve always been my best friend, my confidant. My high school friends didn’t understand our friendship, didn’t understand our connection. I dare say even I didn’t. You’ve always been my safe harbor. I longed for the days I’d come back home after every mission because I knew you’d be there waiting for me, ready to heal wounds you didn’t even know existed. You’ve always been my sunshine, Brooke Roberts, and in case you haven’t realized—I’m completely in love with you."

"I’ve loved you since the day I saw you, Kyle Thorne."