Deadly Obsession Page 15

  “Well played Sweets, well fucking played.” She actually fucking curtseys.

  “Thank you! Now we have a meeting to get to.” She still has a massive smile on her face.

  “Yeah, let’s go to the meeting. We will be talking about the fact you told me you loved me when we get home.” Her smile falls from her face, and she looks terrified. “Don’t worry Sweets, you won’t be the only one saying it.” I see the shocked look on her face as I walk out of the office. I have a woman I love to protect so it’s time to get this meeting started so we can get this motherfucking asshole.

  I walk into the conference room and am surprised to see Connor and Asher here as well as Luke and Steven. I thought Luke was working. Winter walks in behind me, and Steven stands up and walks over to her. He puts his hand on her shoulder, I can see by her face she’s trying her best not to flinch. Steven then pulls her into a hug, he leans down and whispers something into her ear. It’s so low that I can’t hear what he is saying. I look around the room and see everyone is staring at Winter and Steven.

  I take a seat and so do Scott, Luke, and Nathan; It’s the first time this conference table has been at its fullest capacity. There are thirteen people in this room and only twelve seats. Once Steven pulls away from Winter he takes the last seat. Winter looks around the room, and surprise is evident on her face. It’s as if she didn’t see everyone in the room before Steven descended on her. She bites her lip as she sees there is nowhere for her to sit, I stand, and she smiles. She walks over and kisses my cheek before taking the seat I just vacated.

  “Right, now everybody is here so we can get started. The first thing I want to say is Winter, I have spoken to Detective Yates about finding the cameras and the mics, also the exact location in which they were found. Now as you all know Oscar found out where these mics and cameras were being streamed to, NYPD will be searching the house.” Ryder says, and I know I’m missing something, he has a smirk on his face. “We’re not allowed to be part of that search, I call bullshit.” Ryder states and I know he’s up to something.

  “Now son, you can’t go messing with the investigation, it could be detrimental to the case,” Steven says, and I know he’s right, but I want to be there and see what they find.

  “Anyway, we will be doing the search in an hour. Winter you are staying here along with Sophia, Luke, Oscar, and Dwayne. The rest are coming with us. Steven, you stay here with Winter. Sam will be talking to your apartment manager and see if we can get the security footage. Now does anyone have any questions?” Ryder asks we are all shaking our heads when Winter speaks.

  “What’s going to happen when you get to his place, and he’s long gone? I don’t think he’s stupid enough to stay in the house when he knows that the cameras have been found. How are we going to find him?” Everyone is watching her, but she’s staring right at Ryder.

  “I promise you, Winter, I won’t stop looking for him until he’s either behind bars or six feet under.” He means it. The conviction on his face is evident.

  “Um you may want to ease up on the threats there son, I am in the room,” Steven says, but he’s smiling away. That fucker agrees with everything Ryder has just said.

  “Dad, this fucker deserves to die, I’d be happy to be the one to put that fucker down,” Luke growls.

  “Stop it. I don’t want anyone to kill him. I don’t want that on anyone’s conscience. I don’t want to have it on mine.” Winter says, and I see she has tears in her eyes again.

  “They won’t. The only reasons that fucker will die is either he dies in prison, hopefully slowly and painfully or in self-defense, none of that would be your fault okay.” Soph tries to reason with Winter.

  “Okay, does anyone else have any other questions?” Ryder asks and again everyone shakes their heads. “Okay everyone gear up, we’re leaving in ten.” He walks out of the conference room. I walk to Winter and take her hand and take her to my office.

  “You okay Sweets?” She nods and wraps her arms around my waist, resting her head on my chest just where my heart is.

  “Be safe Sammy.” She’s worried about me, I haven’t had anyone worry about me in a while.

  “I will Sweets, I’ll be back before you know it, then we can go home okay?” She pulls me closer to her, and I kiss the top of her head. I pull away and walk over to my desk and take out my SIG Sauer P226 Equinox and place it in my side holster, I look at Winter whose eyes are wide and attached to my side where I just put the gun.

  “Sweets, I’m always going to have a gun on me or near me. You’re going to have to come to terms with that.” She nods but is still wide-eyed. I walk over to her and kiss her lips. “Sweets, how are you scared of guns when you grew up around Steven and are best friends with Soph?” She shrugs.

  “I don’t know; they never actually took the gun out in front of me before. I’m sorry I freaked.” I pull her back into my arms.

  “It's okay Sweets, we have to go, you’re going into Oscar’s cave while we are gone, Soph will be in there anyway so you can be too. Just don’t leave the building and don’t leave Soph’s sight okay?” She nods instantly.

  “I will, I promise. Just be safe okay.” She pleads with me.

  “I will,” I promise her and lean down and gently kiss her lips, she sighs against my mouth and opens to allow my tongue access. I keep the kiss slow and gentle, I finish the kiss just as quickly as it started, and she pouts.

  “Don’t pout Sweets, there’s plenty more of that later.” I kiss her lips once more, and we walk out of my office and into Oscar’s cave. It’s surrounded by computers and equipment. Fuck if I know why he needs so much. Just as we clear the door in walks Ryder.

  “Everyone is ready, we’re leaving now. Oscar, we will all be wearing mics, keep us updated on all that is around us, I don’t care what systems you have to tap into, do it! I have a bad feeling about this.” With that, he walks out, and Soph walks in.

  “Go, Sam, I’ve got her,” Soph says, and I know she does, I will still worry about her but not as much if Soph wasn’t here. I look down at Winter, and she smiles at me and kisses my cheek, with that I walk out of the cave and into the hall. Ryder hands us all the mics, and I put mine into my ear and the speaker onto the collar of my t-shirt.

  We spread out between two vans, and I must be the unluckiest fucker in the world because I’ve ended up sitting in the back with Connor. The guy that has kissed my girlfriend! I keep my head forward during the drive, but I can feel him staring at me. It’s almost as if he wants to say something to me. This continues for about fifteen more minutes before he actually man’s up.

  “What’s your problem with me?” Damn, he wants to start this now?

  I turn to face him, “You called my woman a slut that is my problem with you.” He actually isn’t the worst person in the world. He’s a great guy, he just made a mistake.

  He at least looks sorry for saying it. “Look, I love Winter, she’s like a sister to me. I was wrong to judge her. I’m so grateful that she forgave me. I would die for that girl. That is how much she means to me.” I believe him. You can see the admiration he has for Winter in his eyes and the love he has for her is in his voice. Winter has so many people around her that would do anything for her, she just needs to see it.

  “Um guys, we can all hear you,” Soph says through our mics. She sounds pissed. I don’t blame her. I’m fucking pissed at myself, I forgot about the mics and that Sweets could hear everything.

  “Winter.” That is all Connor gets out before he’s cut off.

  “It’s okay Con, we sorted that out a few years ago. I forgave you, just as you forgave me. Leave it at that okay?” She has so much hurt in her tone. Fuck. I can only imagine what she’s feeling, she may say she forgave him, but by the tone of her voice, she hasn’t forgotten it.

  “We’re almost here, how about everyone shuts the fuck up from now on,” Ryder says, and I bow my head and take out my phone.

  Me: Sweets, I’m so sorry, I never meant for you to he
ar any of that.

  Sweets: It’s okay. You never said it!

  Me: Fuck no, and I never would. I want to snap his fucking neck. The prick.

  Sweets: Don’t! I’m okay. Honestly, it was a long time ago. Don’t kill him, I don’t want to have to visit you in prison for the next 25 years.

  I laugh. Damn this woman knows how to cheer me up and get my head back in the game.

  Me: I’ll be back soon. Be good.

  Sweets: Always! Be safe.

  Me: Always.

  Sweets: x

  I don’t text her back. I put the phone back in my pocket. As we get closer, I understand what Ryder was saying. My gut tightens the closer we get to our apartment complex, something feels wrong, almost as if we’re walking into a trap. We pull up outside the apartment this fucker was saying. As we exit the vans, all hell breaks loose.

  Chapter Eleven

  Sam

  I hear a gunshot followed by a grunt. My heart starts to speed up, and instincts kick in as another gunshot rings out. I start to duck, as I do I see Connor fall back against the van and slowly start to fall to the ground. Fuck. My adrenaline spikes and I rush around the van, staying as low as I can as even more gunshots ring out. This time, we’re returning fire.

  I look at the ground, and my heart sinks at the sight before me. Connor is lying on the ground. There is blood everywhere. Damn, his vest is beside him. He didn’t put it on in the van. Shit. I kneel beside him, and he turns to me. Thank god, he’s still alive. My brain is saying for how long, though? And I will it to shut up. “Hey man, you hanging in there?” I ask, trying to mask the worry I’m feeling, but my voice betrays me.

  “Barely. The fucker got me good.” He starts coughing, and I know that he is in bad shape. He’s right, the shooter got him good, center of his chest. He’s lost too much blood already.

  “I’m going to bring you to the other side of the van.” He nods and his pale face has a wet shine to it. I get into a crouching position and throw his arm over my shoulder. He grunts, and I know that I’m hurting him. I finally get to my feet and start half carrying him, half dragging him around the van. The gunshots are still ringing out around me, and I feel the heat from a bullet as it barely misses my ear. I make it to the other side of the van, and I gently place Connor on the ground. I take my vest off and pull off my t-shirt, quickly putting my vest back on as I ball up by tee and place it over his wound trying to staunch the blood flow, I feel the blood seep through my tee and onto my hands.

  “Sorry man. I don’t swing that way.” Connor says, and I can’t help but chuckle.

  “Dude, you’re too pretty for my taste,” I say flippantly, and we both start chuckling, he stops abruptly and starts to cough, I watch in horror as blood spurts out as he does.

  “I want you to know, what I said about Winter. I didn’t know her and I judged her. I’m sorry. She’s amazing. You should know that she’s too good for you.” He has a grin on his face as he says it.

  “I know that you’re sorry, I also know that she is too good for me, but I make her happy. I’m glad she chose me, man.” I hear a noise, and I see Nathan coming towards us, the hail of gunfire is still ongoing and I wonder how much ammo the guys have left. As Nathan reaches us, I see the devastation in his eyes at the sight of his best friend. Nathan’s face is pale, and his eyes are watery, and I know he’s fighting back the tears. He bends down and takes over from me to try and stop the blood flow.

  “Damn, it Con. Where the hell is your vest?” Nathan asks, his voice is full of sadness, and I bow my head and listen to Nathan and Connor talk.

  “I was just putting it on when the bastard got the shot in. Have they found out who it is?” Connor splutters. Talking seems to be making it worse. “Look, Nathan, I want you to know, I never intended to upset Soph, I also couldn’t have picked a better person for you. I just wish she didn’t hate me.”

  “Soph doesn’t hate you. She likes to give you shit because you’re an easy target. Now stop talking nonsense.” Nathan growls out, I get it. He doesn’t want to face the reality of what’s happening.

  “Thank God, she’s amazing and slightly intimidating.” We all chuckle at that, but that dies when I hear Connor coughing again, the there is a lot more blood now and I look to Nathan, who lifts one of his hands off Connor and wipes his eyes leaving a trail of blood on his face. “Do they know who the shooter is?” Connor asks Nathan once he stops coughing.

  “Yeah, it’s David. He’s in Winter’s apartment. It was actually Winter who worked out where he was shooting from.”

  How the hell did she do that? I’m about to ask when there is another grunt and I can hear a growled ‘motherfucker’ then silence, no more gunfire. I look to my left and see Asher and Scott holding a pissed off looking Ryder. They bring him to where we are, and I see that he too has been shot. He’s taken a bullet to his leg and isn’t bleeding as bad as Connor, but it’s bad. It doesn’t look as though he’s taken a hit to his artery. “Where the hell is Skye?” Ryder asks as his eyes scan the area.

  “She stayed back, she said she wanted to make sure he was gone,” Asher says tentatively, nobody wants to upset the beast. When it comes to Skye, that is what he becomes, and he won’t even admit that he’s in love with her.

  “She got a death wish or something?” He growls, more to himself than anything, he does that a lot too, talking to himself.

  “Why has he gone silent? Did one of you hit him?” Connor asks, and I see them all wince when he starts to cough.

  “No, he shot Ryder, then nothing. Sam, Winter’s worried about you. For some reason, they can’t hear you.” What the hell? I just realized that I can’t hear them either.

  Ryder gives me his gear, and I pull my ear piece out, and I can hear them talking. I can tell Winter is on the verge of tears. “David’s in Sammy’s apartment. How did he get in?” She says and her voice cracks when she says my name, and I know she is worried about me.

  “How the hell did he get a key to Sam’s?” I hear Dwayne ask and damn, that bastard and his games.

  “I’m going to kill him when I get my hands on him,” I growl into the mic, and I hear Winter sobbing. I try and block that out as I focus on the here and now. “Oscar, how far out is that ambulance?” I ask, getting extremely worried by the look of Connor, his eyes have taken on a glassy look, and he’s shivering.

  “The cops aren’t letting the EMT’s through until S.W.A.T have given them the all clear,” Dwayne tells me his voice hitching as he does, he is worried about Connor, these guys have worked alongside each other for nearly as long as our team has.

  “Shit, okay, tell them I’m coming in the van. They’re both in need of immediate medical attention.” I turn to Asher and Scott, “I’m going to need you to help me lift them into the van. We’ll put Connor in first, then as you carry Ryder, I’ll start the van.” They nod, and I call out to Skye. “Skye, hold your position, we’re getting Connor and Ryder into the van.”

  “Affirmative.” She says quickly and fiercely. I know she’ll stay there until after I leave, her gun drawn, watching and waiting to take out the threat.

  I nod to the guys, and we lift him as Nathan lets go of my t-shirt and stands back. He needs to clean up a bit, he can’t let Soph or Winter see him like that. Once we get Connor into the van. Asher, Scott and Nathan get Ryder as I run around the van, opening the door, so they can put Ryder in without stopping. I jump in the driver’s side and start the van. “You’ll be at the hospital soon Connor. Hold on okay!” I say loudly so he can hear me. I hear the guys put Ryder into the van and feel the van shake as they slam the side door closed. My foot is on the accelerator and I’m driving off.

  “I don’t know if I’ll make it Sam. Can you do me a favor? Will you tell Winter that I love her? That she is the most amazing person I have ever met. That I meant what I said to her, she is my sister. Will you do that for me?” He coughs and I can hear the blood spurting out of his mouth as he does.

  “Tell her yourself man
. You’ll be able to tell her yourself.” I can’t help the tears that fall, because even as I say the words I know that he might not be able to tell her.

  “Please.” He croaks out.

  Winter can hear what he said, so I repeat what she tells me. “She can hear you man; she’s crying listening to you. She says that she loves you too. That you are a good man and that you are one of the best brothers she could have asked for.” Damn, my voice cracks at the end, and I spot the Ambulance not that far ahead of us. “We’re here. The EMT’s will look after you.” I come to a screeching stop, and I rush out and open Connor’s side of the door. He turns to me, and he smiles, I see his teeth covered in blood. “I know that everyone can hear me. I don’t have much time. Nath, it was an honor to have you as my brother. I love you, man. Soph, thank you for making him happy. Winter, please be happy. Stay strong. Never let the bastard get you down. I love you. And Sam, treat her right.” That’s all he says before the EMT’s are pushing past me to get to him. I hear Winter sob in my ear, and my tears are free flowing now. I can’t stop them. I watch as they put Connor and Ryder into the back of the Ambulances and drive off. Leaving me standing here, praying that they both make it out alive.

  Chapter Twelve

  Winter

  We make it to the hospital and Soph goes up to the desk, Luke and I take a seat. “They’ll be okay, won’t they?” I ask Luke, my voice hoarse from crying. Connor absolutely gutted not only me but Soph too.

  “I don’t know Wints, I just honestly don’t know.” I swallow back a lump in my throat. I see Soph come back to us, she has tears streaming down her face.

  “I just spoke with Connor’s dad. He was pronounced D.O.A.” Oh God. I break down. I sob my body bucking with every intake of breath. This is all my fault, Con’s dead, I’m never going to see him again. I think back to the day Connor re-entered my life.

  ~*~

  My phone beeps and I look down and see a number I don’t recognize.