Chapter 39

Benedict

I stand quietly in the doorway, giving Eva and Nate the space they need. The sight of them together, the simple comfort of mother and child, tugs at my heart. I have so much to say, so many feelings bottled up, but now doesn’t seem like the right moment. We’re in the midst of an active mission, and declaring my feelings for her feels like it would only complicate things further.

When I revealed that I wasn’t a priest, I saw the look of betrayal in her eyes. It cut deep, and I regret not telling her the truth sooner. I should have come clean after our first kiss, or even after our first night together. There have been so many moments when honesty could have bridged the gap between us, but I faltered every time. I wish I could rewind and make different choices, but regrets won’t change what’s happened.

Eva’s gaze meets mine as she stands from the bed, her face a mixture of exhaustion and vulnerability. “Hi,” she whispers, her voice soft but carrying a note of weariness. She takes a tentative step toward me.

I step back into the hallway, trying to give her some room. “How are you feeling?” I ask, my voice filled with genuine concern.

“A little dizzy, but I’ll survive,” she replies, managing a small, tired smile.

I nod, feeling a pang of sympathy. “We should get you to sit down. You need rest.”

Her eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see the weight of everything she’s been through reflected in her gaze. I want to offer more comfort, more support, but right now, it’s all I can do to ensure she’s physically okay and make sure she’s getting the care she needs. The mission and the danger still loom large, but in this quiet moment, I just want to be there for her, however I can.

“Was any of it real?” she asks me.

“Of course it was,” I rush out, hoping she believes me. “Eva, meeting you was everything to me. You’ve changed my life.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know what to believe.”

I grab a hold of both her hands, holding them between us. “Believe me. I’m going to make everything right between us, Eva.”

Before I can say another word, Vin appears at the far end of the hallway, urgency written across his face. "We’ve found them," he says, his voice sharp and quick. "They’re off the coast. A chopper’s on its way to pick us up."

Eva's eyes dart to mine, wide with concern. I see the fear swimming in them, and it grips me in a way nothing else does. She whispers, "Be safe," her voice barely above a breath, but the weight behind it is staggering.

I bring my forehead to rest gently against hers, closing the gap between us. Her breath, shaky and uneven, mingles with mine as I promise, "I’m going to make this all up to you. I swear, Eva. I’ll tell you everything—about me, my life, anything you want to know. No more secrets."

Tears brim in her eyes, her lip quivering as she holds back the flood of emotion threatening to spill over. "Just come back to me," she pleads, her voice barely steady, the vulnerability of her words cutting straight through me.

I can’t stop myself, I lean in and press my lips softly against hers, a kiss filled with all the things I wish I could say, with all the unspoken apologies and promises of a future I’m desperate to secure. "I will," I whisper as I pull back, locking eyes with her for one last moment before I have to go.

I don’t want to let go of her hands, but I force myself to step away. The mission calls, and as much as I want to stay here with her, there’s unfinished business out there. Danger still lurks, Christopher’s still at large. But I’ll come back. For her. For Nate.

I take a breath, steeling myself for what’s next, and follow Vin down the hallway, my mind filled with the feel of her lips, the sound of her voice, and the weight of the promise I intend to keep.

The chopper cuts through the dark night sky, the rhythmic hum of the propellers pounding in my ears, but not as loudly as my heart, which feels like it’s trying to claw its way out of my chest. Every minute that passes brings us closer to our destination, and to Christopher. I glance down at the gun in my hand, then out at the ocean below, wondering what waits for us when we land.

Vin’s voice crackles through the headset, pulling me from my thoughts. “Normally,” he says, his voice steady but tinged with something like amusement, “I’d give you hell for falling for someone on an assignment. But with you…I can see it’s different. You really care about her, don’t you?”

I meet his gaze, the weight of his words settling over me like a heavy blanket. “I do,” I admit quietly. “More than anything.”

Vin gives a knowing nod, his expression softening. “I get it. Fell for my wife on an assignment too.”

That catches me off guard. I turn to him, surprised. “Really? I didn’t know that’s how you and Addison met.”

He chuckles, a small, genuine smile breaking through the tension on his face. “Yeah, we were working undercover, following a lead on a money laundering outfit in some rural subdivision. Had to pose as a married couple. You know, cozy house, small-town vibes—real undercover stuff.” He shrugs, the smile deepening as the memory seems to wash over him. “What can I say? When you know, you know.”

I can’t help but grin a little at that, even though we’re flying into a mission that could go sideways at any moment. "Sounds like quite the story."

“Yeah, it was,” he says, his eyes growing distant for a second before focusing back on me. “But it wasn’t easy. Balancing the job with how you feel, it’s complicated as hell. You’ll need to figure that out. But trust me, Benedict, it’s worth it if she’s the one.”

I look out the window again, the dark horizon stretching before us. I think of Eva, her smile, the way her voice wavers when she says my name, the feel of her hand in mine. I’ve lied to her. Kept her in the dark for so long. But even after all of that, she still looked at me with hope when I promised her I’d come back.

Vin’s words resonate with me, but the weight of everything still gnaws at my gut. “I should’ve told her the truth sooner. I don’t know how to fix this.”

Vin glances over at me, his voice quieter now. “You’ll figure it out. You’ve got time, as long as you don’t let it slip through your fingers.”

I nod, not entirely convinced but determined to try. The thrum of the chopper grows louder as we approach the drop point. I feel the tension building again, every nerve in my body alive with anticipation. The mission is everything right now, but in the back of my mind, it’s Eva that anchors me—Eva and Nate.

When you know, you know . Vin’s right. I just hope I’m not too late.

The chopper circles lower, the roar of the blades almost deafening as we prepare to touch down. My nerves are on fire, every muscle in my body tense with anticipation. We’re close— so close to getting this bastard once and for all. Christopher's been slipping through our fingers for too long, and tonight, I’m determined to put an end to it.

As we approach the drop point, the sight of the warehouse looms ahead. It’s rundown, the kind of place no one would look twice at during the day, but under the cover of night, it’s alive with shadows and danger. They know we’re coming. How could they not? The sound of the chopper alone is enough to set off alarms. And then there’s the boat, bobbing lazily at the dock, almost mocking us. It’s clearly their escape plan, ready to whisk them away if things go south. Not tonight.

“Secure the boat!” I bark into the headset, and half the team peels off, racing toward the dock. If we lose that boat, Christopher will disappear again, and I’m not letting that happen.

Vin, Harper, and I head toward the warehouse, moving fast but with caution. My heart pounds in my ears, my grip tightening on my gun. The warehouse looks like every other one we’ve hit before—quiet, too quiet—but I can feel it. Christopher’s here. This is where it ends.

We’re almost at the entrance when the first gunshot cracks through the night, ripping through the still air like a warning.

“Get down!” Vin yells, and we all dive for cover behind a stack of shipping crates. More shots follow, rapid and chaotic, the sharp sound bouncing off the metal walls of the warehouse.

I peek around the corner, spotting movement up ahead. Shadows dance in the dim light, men scrambling to get into position. “They’re dug in,” Harper mutters, his eyes scanning the scene.

I grit my teeth, adrenaline pumping hard through my veins. We’re not letting them dig in. We move fast, exchanging fire with the guards as we inch our way closer. Every step feels like a battle, but we’re gaining ground, and I can feel the momentum shifting in our favor. Christopher has nowhere to go.

Another gunshot rings out, closer this time, and Vin returns fire with deadly precision, taking out the shooter. We’re almost at the entrance now, just a few feet away. My heart slams against my ribcage as I catch sight of the door swinging open, and one of Christopher’s men makes a run for it.

“Don’t let him get to the boat!” I shout, but before I can move, Harper takes him down with a clean shot to the leg. He collapses, screaming in pain as we push forward.

The warehouse doors creak open, revealing the chaos inside—more men, more gunfire, and somewhere in the middle of it all, Christopher. I can practically feel him watching us, waiting for his moment to slip away like the snake he is. But not tonight.

"Move in!" Vin orders, and we surge forward, ready to end this once and for all.

As we advance through the dimly lit warehouse, my eyes lock onto two figures up ahead. One of them, unmistakably, is Christopher. But the second figure next to him sends a fresh wave of adrenaline surging through my veins.

“It’s Enzo!” I shout at Vin, who instantly narrows his eyes, the tension between us heightening.

Christopher and Enzo are deep in conversation, too distracted to notice how close we’ve gotten. For a moment, everything seems to slow down—the hum of the chopper in the distance, the sound of boots on the concrete floor, the soft clicking of our guns as we prepare for what’s to come. Every fiber of my being is tuned into this moment. We’re almost there, inches from ending this nightmare that has haunted Eva and so many others.

“We need Enzo alive,” Vin’s voice cuts through the haze, sharp and commanding.

I give a curt nod, the weight of the mission pressing down on me. We need to hand Enzo over to Lazarus. If we lose him, we lose everything. But Christopher? He’s mine. I’ve been waiting for this moment since the second he laid his hands on Eva.

“Leave Christopher to me,” I say through gritted teeth, my focus narrowing as I inch closer. My gun is steady in my hand, every muscle coiled, ready for action. My pulse thunders in my ears as I maneuver through the maze of crates and shadows, moving with calculated precision.

We fan out, Vin and Harper keeping their sights trained on Enzo while I close in on Christopher. My heart races, not from fear but from the certainty that this ends now. I watch Christopher's movements closely. I can tell he’s agitated, his body language rigid, like he knows his time is running out. He’s scanning the warehouse, probably trying to figure out his escape route. Too late for that.

I’m within striking distance now. I feel the adrenaline spike as I lock my gaze on him, watching his every twitch. He hasn't seen me yet, but I can see the calculation in his eyes, the growing panic as he realizes the walls are closing in.

Without warning, Enzo spots us and reaches for his gun.

“Go, go!” Vin barks, and chaos erupts.

Gunfire explodes from both sides. Enzo fires wildly, ducking behind a stack of crates, while Christopher bolts for the nearest exit. My heart slams against my chest as I chase after him, dodging the bullets ricocheting around me.

I push harder, my legs pumping as I close the gap between us. Christopher’s fast, but he’s not fast enough. Not tonight. Not with everything at stake.

“Christopher!” I shout, my voice echoing through the warehouse. He skids to a halt, turning just as I level my gun at him. His eyes widen in shock, fear flooding his face.

“It’s over,” I growl, my finger hovering over the trigger.

For a split second, everything seems to freeze. Christopher's chest heaves, his eyes darting wildly, and I can see the gears turning in his head. He knows. He knows there's no escape. Yet, instead of surrendering, he does the unthinkable.

In a desperate, reckless move, he raises his hand—his gun aimed directly at me. Instinct takes over. I don't even think. I fire three rounds in rapid succession. Each one finds its mark, dead center in his chest.

Fucker.

Christopher stumbles backward, the life draining from his face as he collapses to the cold concrete floor. His gun clatters next to him, the metallic sound echoing through the warehouse, final and absolute. For a brief moment, there’s silence, as if the whole world is holding its breath.

I kick the gun away from his limp hand, out of reach, just to be sure. My heart is pounding, but I push it aside, kneeling down to check for a pulse. My fingers press against his neck, but I already know the answer. There’s nothing. He’s gone.

He’s dead.

I let out a breath, one I didn’t realize I’d been holding, as the weight of everything settles over me. The threat that’s haunted Eva, Nate, and so many others is neutralized.

I glance over at Vin. He’s already slapped cuffs on Enzo, who’s kneeling on the ground, defeated but alive. Enzo glares at me, his eyes burning with hatred, but he doesn’t say a word. He knows this is over, too.

"Enzo’s secured," Vin calls out, his voice steady but with an undercurrent of relief. He shoots me a quick glance, nodding in silent acknowledgment.

We did what we came to do.

Now it’s time to go home .