“How bad is he?” Ryan asked before Jayson could.
Lana looked at the group of women for several minutes before looking back at him and Ryan. He knew the news couldn’t be good from the look she gave them.
“If he survives the surgery, the next forty-eight hours will be his next obstacle. If he survives that, then he will have a long road to recovery. He had been badly beaten. He suffered several broken ribs, a punctured lung, and some internal bleeding. They broke his left leg in three places and his right arm and collarbone.”
“The people who did this?” Ryan seethed, his anger clear.
Jayson braced himself when he saw Lana look over at the other women again. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like her answer.
“Alive. And before anyone starts, there was a reason once the actual intel came in. Bryan’s team had been fed false intel for the purpose of going after the Soriano Cartel. The leader of said cartel received a call from the same person who fed Delta Force the false intel saying that the team had gone rogue and were heading his way to take him out because of a deal with Colonel Hubbard gone bad. They were both set up. Had Ortega taken out the entire Delta team, this person would have used it to starta war. A war that would cost countless losses of lives. All for ratings and to cover up their past criminal history.”
“Our brother is…”
“Alive and aware of the deal. All five of them are. Be pissed at me all you want, but I did what was best and guaranteed your brother’s return,” Lana cut Ryan off before turning toward Jayson. “I’m going to the house to get a couple of hours of sleep.”
Lana didn’t wait for his or anyone’s response. She hugged and kissed the kids bye with a promise she would spend time with them after her much-needed nap.
Jayson felt confused about why she chose not to acknowledge him when she left. He figured they’d discuss it when he took the kids home.
Now was not the time. Jayson went about helping his parents get ready to head to Ft. Bragg.
An hour and a half later, his parents were on the road with their hotel booked and a full tank of gas. He packed up the kids and headed home to his place, only to find it empty.
Jayson:“Sorry to bother you, but is Lana still there at her dad’s house?”
Sgt. Bueller:“Yes, she’s passed out cold. So are Rocky, Cullen, and the other women with her. She didn’t trust herself behind the wheel after she dropped everyone off.”
Jayson:“Thank you. I was worried when I didn’t see her at the house. Let her know we are home now. I don’t want to wake her with a text.”
Sgt. Bueller:“I will. Jayson, there’s a storm coming. A huge one. Trust Lana and the rest of us. What she doesn’t tell you is for your safety. But you need to trust her with everything that you have.”
Jayson:“Always.”
Jayson put his phone down and went about making dinner for the kids. Something about Buller’s message kept tingling at the back of his mind.
Now he wondered exactly what they had discovered on the op to rescue his brother. It was days like this that he hated not being in the vault.
When eight o’clock at night rolled around and still no word from Lana, he had to admit he was getting pissed. When he received a text at nine-thirty letting him know he’d slept longer than planned and to give the kids a hug and kiss for her, he was livid.
CHAPTER
FIFTY-SEVEN
Lana put her phone down and closed her eyes. She hated what she was doing, but it was for their safety.
To her, Jayson and their kids’ lives meant more to her than her own. For the next several days, this case was going to test the strength of their already fragile relationship.
“Target one headed your way at full speed ahead.”
“You need to tell him what’s going on, Ice.”
“I will, Rocky. After we nail Ashley. We need this part to be authentic. Jayson would be too on guard to allow what needs to happen, happen.”
“You really think she’ll make a move on Jayson tonight? How will this unravel everything?” Rocky asked in a huff.
“Because she’s obsessed with Jayson. She can’t stand that Jayson wants nothing to do with her. Especially now that I’m back in the picture. She’ll beg and plead with Jayson. She may even try to make a deal to save face with him.”
“I hope this doesn’t backfire on you, Ice. You two are good together.”
