Chapter 23

chapter

twenty-three

Twenty-four hours was both too long and not long enough. Too long because every second Tectra-X was out there, more lives were at risk. But not long enough to plan a foolproof mission to secure the device and neutralize the core. They'd be going in blind, and that never ended well.

The next several hours were spent planning and strategizing, but without a location, there was only so much they could talk about. Eventually, they were just rehashing the same points, talking themselves in circles.

When Pierce saw Rhiannon hide a yawn behind her hand, he stood and crossed the room to the chair she was curled up in. He felt Rylan's eyes following his every move as he pulled her to her feet and rubbed his hands open and down her arms.

"I'm okay," she murmured sleepily.

He hooked a finger under her chin and lifted it until she met his gaze.

Everything was catching up to her. She was all but swaying on her feet. He signed to his teammates, "We're taking a break." Then he scooped her into his arms and carried her upstairs.

"Pierce," she protested, but it was half-hearted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled in. She was asleep before he reached the door of their room.

He kicked the door open and carried her over to the bed that was still rumpled from their night together.

She surfaced again, for just a moment, as he laid her down, her smile a little dopey with sleep. "We got this. I know we do."

Pierce couldn't help but be struck by the "we." Despite everything, Rhiannon had placed her trust in him, and that realization hit him harder than he expected. He wasn't used to relying on others—or being relied on. And yet, here she was beside him, ready to face whatever came next as a unified "we."

A lump rose in his throat as he tucked her in. Then he just sat there, watching her as she drifted off again. The late afternoon sun slanted through the curtains, casting a golden glow over her delicate features and bringing out the bits of red in her hair. She had the most beautiful hair he'd ever seen. It looked dark at first glance, but it was actually a rich chocolate brown with hints of caramel and auburn that shimmered when the light hit it just right. He could stare at it for hours, mesmerized by the way it shimmered and changed in the light.

She looked so peaceful in sleep. So innocent. So fragile.

He'd never wanted anything as much as he wanted to keep this woman safe, to ensure no harm ever came to her.

He brushed a strand of hair from her face, letting his fingers linger on the silky smoothness of her cheek. She sighed softly and turned into his touch, seeking him even in sleep. It humbled him, the trust she placed in him. Trust he wasn't sure he deserved.

A creak of floorboards had him tensing, his hand automatically going to the knife he'd sheathed at his thigh during all the mission prep. But it was just Rylan leaning against the door frame, his expression inscrutable.

Pierce braced for a battle.

Rylan jerked his head, indicating they should talk out in the hall.

Pierce hesitated, glancing down at Rhiannon's sleeping form, reluctant to leave her. But he knew this conversation was inevitable. Might as well get it over with.

He feathered a kiss over her forehead before following Rylan out into the hallway and easing the door shut behind him.

"Is Raszta safe?" he signed before Rylan could rip into him.

"Yes," Rylan said tightly. "Donovan has him." He stood with his arms crossed, the experimental myoelectric prosthetic that replaced his right arm gleaming dully in the fading light. His eyes, that intriguing mix of gray, green, and golden brown, were hard as he leveled Pierce with an assessing stare.

"You're going to get Rhia killed."

Pierce stiffened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. It was nothing he hadn't thought himself a hundred times, but hearing Rylan say it out loud made it real in a way that twisted like a knife in his gut.

"I would never let anything happen to her."

"You already have," Rylan said bluntly. "You think she'd even be involved in this mess if it wasn't for you? If you hadn't designed that damn weapon in the first place?"

"I can't change that, but I'm trying to fix it."

"Say you do. Say we somehow succeed tomorrow and destroy it. The immediate threat is eliminated, but you still know how to build it. How many others will come after you for that information? You'll never be completely safe. You know that. Are you really willing to risk her like that? She's not like us, Pierce. She's not built for this life. She deserves better than constantly looking over her shoulder."

Pierce flinched as if he'd been struck. Rylan was right. With his past, with the things he'd done, the blood on his hands, how could he ever be worthy of someone like Rhiannon? She was light and goodness and everything pure.

"Ry… You have to know I'd do anything to protect her. I love her."

Rylan's laugh was harsh, humorless. "Anything except the one thing that would actually keep her safe. Letting her go."

Pierce's jaw clenched, his hands moving rapidly as he signed. "You think I haven't considered that? That I haven't spent every moment since she came into my life wondering if I should walk away?"

Rylan's eyes narrowed. "Then why haven't you?"

"Because I'm selfish," he admitted, his shoulders sagging. "Because she makes me feel whole in a way I never thought possible. But you're right. She deserves better."

Rylan's expression softened slightly. "Look, I reacted badly downstairs. It was just that initial gut reaction of a big brother worried for his sister. But now I can clearly see how much you care about her. Under normal circumstances, I'd be happy for you both—once I got past the shock that my Rhia isn't a sweet, innocent little girl anymore." His lips twisted into a wry smile. "You're one of the best men I know, but?—"

"These aren't normal circumstances," Pierce finished for him.

"No, they're not. And, whether she likes it or not, it's my duty to protect her. I'm saying this as your friend and not just her brother—you need to walk away, Pierce. Sometimes loving someone means doing what's best for them, even if it breaks your heart."

Pierce nodded, his throat tight. He knew Rylan was right. He'd known it all along, but hearing it from someone else—someone he trusted—made it impossible to ignore any longer. She deserved better than the silent soldier with a dangerous past. Better than foreboding secrets and suppressed emotions. Better than a life on the run from ruthless shadows that never stopped stalking him. She deserved light and laughter, safety and security - all things he was incapable of giving her.

The thought twisted inside him, bitter and brutal as a knife to the gut.

"After tomorrow's mission, I'll leave. I'll make sure she's safe, and then I'll disappear."

Rylan studied him for a long moment before nodding. "It's the right thing to do."