15. Khadri “Moros” Weston

15

KHADRI "MOROS" WESTON

During the chaos, Paul disappeared.

The mark of a true coward.

A man who left his men to fight a battle while he ran to safety was a coward.

But I couldn't think of that right them.

I grabbed the man trying to get into my vehicle by the back of the neck and brought his face down into the window hard.

The glass shattered and he went limp. Dropping him, I looked in to see Ryanne still had her gun aimed in my direction.

"Shorty, put down the gun," I said, softly.

She didn't.

Her hand was shaking and instead of risking a bullet, I walked around the vehicle, unlocked the door and wrapped my arms around her. Using one hand, I gently pried the weapon from her fingers, reengaged the safety and shoved it into the waist of my pants.

By then the smoke had cleared and Zero was on the phone sending his men to watch over Morgana and Theodore, then stood by my side.

"She okay?" He asked as I held Ryanne. "This can't be easy for her."

"She'll be okay."

"I'll oversee things here," Zero said. "Get her out. If Paul shows up again, I'll let you know but I don't think he will."

Nodding, I set her in the vehicle, pulled her seatbelt on and closed the door.

Knowing she would be worried about her grandparents, I took her back to the house where Pitbull was outside. He was leaning against a powerful looking motorcycle, his arms folded across his massive chest, his wedding ring glistening in the sunlight.

"Pit," I said, climbing from the truck to hug him. "I wish we were seeing each other again under better circumstances. Tex filled me in. Mouth has his eyes on us. I've checked the place, the Larwicks are alone here—except for that Todd guy."

I frowned.

"Hi." Ryanne said.

"Sorry." I straightened my back. "Daniel Hunt, Ryanne Larwick. Shorty, this is Daniel Hunt."

She shook his hand.

"Pitbull, if you will." Daniel smiled at her.

"It's nice to meet you." Ryanne told him. "Sorry about all of this."

He nodded.

"I'm going to check on my grandparents." Ryanne told me.

Instinctively, I reached over to grab her arm.

"The place is secure." Pitbull explained. "She can go in."

Closing my eyes to gather myself, I exhaled and released her arm. Ryanne turned and slowly walked away, periodically looking over her shoulder at me. Though I didn't feel good about letting her out of my sight, I nodded to encourage her.

When she was inside, I still stared.

"You want to go with her."

I scoffed. "Not yet—she needs a moment with them to have it sink in that they're fine. That kind of adrenaline will take a little time to wear off and I don't want to crowd her."

Pitbull made a sound in his throat—it was the kind of sound one made when they hear something but didn't quite buy it.

"I know that feeling." Pitbull spoke, softly, his German accent rich. "I know it very well."

"What feeling?" I exhaled and faced him.

"The one where you want to protect her from everything but is slowly realizing that not even with an army, you can't keep her from getting hurt." Pitbull did a motion with his hand, and we began walking.

I knew that was his way of communicating with Mouth from wherever it was he was watching us through the scop of a sniper rifle.

Strange how that was normal for me.

Mouth was the negotiator of their team. But CIRO's leader, Beast, had insisted that his crew be cross-trained. Barbie, the single female on their team was one of Germany's best snipers—she trained Mouth and he'd become lethal at it.

Mouth hated it—but it was the job.

"She's not mine." I admitted. "The Todd guy?—"

"That idiot?" Pitbull asked. "She doesn't look like the type that would fall for that."

I chuckled.

"Yeah well—did Tex say if Paul had any connections on the island?"

"Yeah—" Pitbull responded. "He has a sister who lives in Golden Springs—about an hour from here."

"Listen, can you and Mouth pay her a visit?" I asked.

Pitbull smiled knowingly and nodded.

"We're on it." He replied. "We'll call in if we get anything worth getting'."

Pitbull patted my shoulder and turned to leave.

I stole a moment to exhale before making my way into the house to find Ryanne making tea for her grandparents. When Morgana saw me, she tapped the corners of her eyes, and I assumed Ryanne told her what happened that a day.

Theodore was sleeping on a hospital bed close to the window.

Morgana extended a hand to me, and I allowed her to take it and gently pulled me close.

"You will take care of her, will you?" Morgana asked. "She's the only family we have left now."

Glancing up at Ryanne holding a tray with a teapot and mugs with the sugar and milk, I rose and took it from her hands to set it on the center table.

"I'll make sure she's safe before I go anywhere." I told her. "I promise."

She relaxed as she nodded.

Ryanne tried getting Morgana some tea but I agreed to do it.

Kneeling on the floor at the center table, I worked to set up her tea for her. Ryanne watched me intently—her gaze was hot on my body but for some reason I didn't feel the same excitement I felt before.

I couldn't explain it.

It was as if I didn't want to be hers anymore.

Though that thought made me sad, I added a cube of sugar and a splash of cream as Morgana told me she liked her tea, then lifted the mug to her—two fingers in the handle, and a callous fingertip at the bottom and extended it to her.

Morgana giggled like a schoolgirl and accepted it.

"You're a darling." She told me. "This reminds me of when Theodore and I were dating. He would take me out for tea—the fancy little cups and saucers were entirely too small for his hands."

She sighed.

"But he did it for me anyway." Morgana grinned. "It was some of my best times."

My cheeks heated as I smiled at her.

"He loves you," I told her. "I don't think I have to tell you that. And when you love someone, you aren't afraid to look silly to make them happy."

Morgana used a finger to tap my cheek. "Exactly."

"Did you want one?" I asked Ryanne.

She shook her head. "Can we talk for a little bit?"

Sighing, I eased to my feet.

The truth was, I wasn't sure what we needed to talk about. I was at the point where I just wanted to get this whole thing over with, figure what the fuck was going on and move on.

She wouldn't be the first woman to break my heart and I was very sure she wouldn't be the last.

As much as I knew I wasn't anyone's type, there will be a time down the road when a woman turned my head. No matter how thick of a wall I kept building around myself, it was bound to happen.

Unfortunately, I was still human.

"Go." Morgana told me. "I'll be okay."

Unable to stop myself, I touched her soft cheek tenderly.

When Morgana kissed the air toward me, I laughed softly but nodded and escorted Ryanne from the house. When we were a safe enough distance so Morgana and Theodore wouldn't hear us, but not too far that I couldn't get back quickly, I rested my hands on my hips.

"I just wanted you to be jealous." Ryanne spoke.

A darkness rose inside me and while I tried not turning, I swiveled to face her.

"I didn't—" Ryanne paused.

"When we landed here you were acting strange," I said. "And I thought, all this must be overwhelming for you. I don't do well with most emotions when it comes to other humans—when it comes to women. And yes, I didn't know what to do for you but to give you space so instead you decided to let some other man take you out."

"Khadri."

She reached for me, but I stepped away.

"Don't touch me." I snapped. "Don't you ever touch me again."

"Khadri, please. You don't mean that."

"I get it." I exhaled. "I get it. I'm emotional raw—emotionally vacant. But how did I deserve this?"

"It isn't about you deserving this." She explained. "I just felt like—for once, I wanted a man to?—"

"We aren't in high school, Ryanne."

"I know."

My eyes fell to her lips. The thought of another man knowing what they felt like, knowing what they tasted like, knowing the kind of magic they held bothered me.

The thoughts made me certifiably homicidal.

"Did you kiss him?" I wanted to know—well, not really wanted to know but it was eating away at me.

"No."

"Did he touch you?" I hung my head.

"What? No!"

I shook my head and walked around her.

She caught my elbow and held on tightly.

"I'm telling you the truth!"

"I don't believe you." I yanked my arm away and made my way up the front steps.

"Khadri, please!" She yelled. "I know, I fucked up. Do you really think I'd sleep with some guy I just met? I gave you my?—"

"Stop!" I barked.

Angry, I descended the steps and faced her.

"That has to mean something to you!" She pushed, gripping my arms. "It has to! I wouldn't just give it away to anyone."

"Then I'm confused."

"About what?"

"Look." I stepped back.

My energy was zapped and I could feel all the strength I had left slowly waning.

I couldn't remember every being so damn tired and just over something.

"I was falling in love with you." I admitted. "And honestly, it had been so long since I even came close to that feeling and I let my guard down. What I felt for you is gone now—because all I can see in my head his you and Todd. Every time I sleep that nightmare has taken over the chaos of war that visited me."

Tears rolled down her cheeks and it broke me being so cold to her but I couldn't go back to that place—that horrible dark place that left me hollow and so cold.

I couldn't go back.

"So—you can't see yourself loving me?"

"Take a good look at me, Ryanne!" I snapped. "Can you honestly say this is a face you can love? Or the things I've done?—"

"Yes."

I scoffed.

"I thought we were having an honest conversation." I tilted my head.

"Khadri, I screwed up." She nodded. "I understand that now. It wasn't anything to do with you why I went with Todd, I just wanted to feel sexy for once."

"And I didn't make you feel sexy?" I demanded. "And what happens the next time life gets weird, and I can't focus on you like I should? What happens the next time you feel as if I'm ignoring your needs? I can't trust you, Ryanne—correction…I don't trust you?—"

"Moros, whatever you're doing." Mouth yelled from behind Ryanne. "Put it on pause. We have work."

"Not now!" Ryanne turned to glare at Mouth.

Mouth ignored her. "Moros—now."

"Tell me what's going on." I stepped around her to approach my friend.

"Paul is trying to leave the country." Mouth explained. "We have no one close enough to stop him."

"Shit." I muttered. "What airfield?"

"Pegasus."

"How the fuck did he get there so fast?" I demanded. "He was just here!"

"I'm guessing he took a boat." Mouth replied.

"Stay here with Morgana and Theordore." I instructed Mouth. "I'll see if I can get across the waters to Pegasus. Ryanne go inside."

"Who's going with you?" She asked.

"I'm good."

"No—I can help." Ryanne replied. "Even if I have to stay on the boat or something—I can help."

There wasn't time to argue with her. Mouth nodded to staying with Morgana and Theodore and headed up the steps after handing me the guitar case he had strapped to his back.

Many people thought it was a real guitar case—I knew better.

"We don't have time for a guitar!" Ryanne screeched.

"Get in the car!" I growled.

The mad dash down to the waterfront wasn't anything I ever got used to. Life had a way of taking turns and twists—twists and turns—and I was getting sick of it. Still, I parked the vehicle, hopped out and while I shouted for Ryanne to get the guitar case.

When I entered the rental office, the man behind the counter turned to face me.

"Moros?" He asked.

"Affirmative."

He handed me a set of keys and rushed out the door yelling for me to follow him. Once Ryanne and I were on the boat speeding across the way to the other end of the island, I realized this had to be Tex's doing.

The trip took half the time than a drive would. And I hoped within that time, and the time it took to prepare a flight, Paul would have been stalled enough that I would caught him before he had a chance to take off.

The airstrip wasn't much of a one. It was a piece of land that shady business deals happened at. People trying to escape the country used it—and while it was no secret, the cops or the government hadn't been able to shut it down.

The owner refused to sell it and since it posed no real risk to the community, they couldn't commandeer it.

Evidence of illegalities weren't forthcoming and since people around the area were paid off, no one was likely to say anything.

It was a well-known secret.

"Khadri, you just drove by the—um—place."

"Stopping will draw attention." I explained. "We'll make the turn as soon as I can find a place to ditch this thing."

"And the guitar?"

"Not a guitar." I slowed the boat down after a grassy curve and turned.

"I think I know a guitar case when I see one."

"It's a rifle—a sniper rifle."

"A sniper—Khadri."

"I didn't tell you what one of my jobs in the military was and right now is not that time. Hang on."

Finding a place to ditch the boat, I helped her from it, took the case and tossed the strap over my shoulder.

Taking her hand to help her over the uneven terrain, I led her in the direction of the air strip until we could hide at the edge of a small, wooded area

A small plane sat at the far end of the property—a couple of armed men stood outside it. The only building on the land was a small house. Since I wasn't familiar with the place other than what I'd read and heard from Zero over the years.

Since he and his team trained the special forces JDF team, whenever he was on the island, they brought him on raids and the like.

The door to the dwelling opened and Paul stuck his head out. He looked around like a man with the hounds of hell after him then pulled back inside and slammed the door.

"We have to stop that plane from taking off." I told her, glancing around.

I needed to be higher.

"Come on." I took her hand again.

"Where are we going?" Ryanne asked.

"I'm not sure."

We navigated the space until I had a good view of the aircraft. Ensuring we were hiding, I set up the rifle. Once I was finished, I handed her the case, made sure she knew to stay out of the way, then peered through the scope.

I took out the tires, watching as the plane slowly sank down to the ground.

"Well." I dismantled the rifle. "That should buy us some time."

"They just change the tires…"

"At this shithole?" I asked. "It'll take them at least a week to get the tires to come in."

"He'll just find another way." Ryanne turned to look toward the plane.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge—" I paused. "Usually, I'd just take him out. But since he's the only person in this entire situation who has any details on your parents?—"

"I'm sorry."

"We have to go."

By the time we made it back to her grandparents' place, the sun was going down. Zero had returned and one of his friends from the first JDF special forces team he'd trained was there. I hadn't ever met him but Zero introduced him as Justice Smith—Prime, short for Optimus.

I realized then, he was Bailey's big brother.

We shook hands and after introducing him to Ryanne, she left the room to use the bathroom while Morgana made us all some dinner.

Prime agreed to have his guys take turns watching Paul. The last he heard, Paul was losing his shit, getting more and more paranoid.

"Maybe we should let him go." I suggested.

"Let him go?" Prime asked. "And then disappear again?"

"I don't think he would disappear." I leaned in. "He'd go back to Sloan."

"Because Sloan failed." Zero caught on. "I mean, he must have paid Sloan a lot of money to get his hands on Ryanne. And now, he has to be dealing with her—and us. I'd like to be a fly on that wall."

"That makes sense." Mouth leaned back to stretch his legs out in front of him. "It would explain why he's trying to run."

"Where was he trying to run to?" Ryanne asked when she returned and sat across from me. "I mean, there aren't very many countries he would have connections in, right? And it's not like you can just wander into people's airspaces and land."

"She's right." Zero nodded.

"From what I've gathered," I explained. "He would either be going to the States, Canada and Aruba."

"Well, Tex said the plane was carrying a full tank." Prime skimmed through the file he'd been holding. "You don't need a full tank to get to Aruba—and he wouldn't have wasted funds."

"I know the tank of a Gulfstream G550 could get him to the States or Canada, easy." I spoke up. "We just have to figure out which country and where."

"It's easy." Ryanne shrugged. "He's going back to Toronto. That's where Sloan is, right? And if he's paid Sloan a lot of money to take me out?—"

"He'll want to have a very strong conversation with his employee." Pitbull smiled.

A sobering silence filled the space.

Morgana fed us and after she took Theodore to bed, I exited the house wondering where in the hell Todd had disappeared to. I didn't like him because he was with Ryanne—but the fact he was Theordore's caretaker and was just not around when he should be, bothered me.

And here comes the migraine.