Chapter Sixteen
Hannah knocked on Cora’s door lightly. The door was cracked open, but if Cora didn’t want to talk to her, she wouldn’t push her. She knew all about wanting to lick her own wounds in private. She had done it more times than she could count. She understood Cora’s upset, but Hannah knew Ben had done what he had done for a reason. No one liked to be kept in the dark abouta plan especially when it concerned her safety but she trusted Ben and Cora needed to trust him too. So now she was here to try and talk sense into her friend. It wouldn’t be easy. Cora had been fighting her feelings for Liam for a long time and now that she finally was opening back up to him to have him keep something like this from her was a lot for her to take in. Ben had kept things from her inthe past too. He never told her that his ex-commander had ordered her away but kept her at his house instead. He had never told her how he really felt about her when they were younger. Hannah didn’t want to see Cora throw away her chance at happiness over this. She was living proof that life can change at a moment’s notice and a chance at happiness shouldn’t be squandered. Hannah thought about thepast hour and how much had already changed.
Sitting in the computer room watching all the fighting had frightened Hannah. She had wanted to run upstairs and help, but she didn’t know how. Sure, she fired a gun once when she was being rescued from Panama, but she didn’t think she could do it again. She watched in horror as Alejandro’s men climbed the walls and several being electrocuted beforeothers rammed the gate. She jumped and screamed when explosions went off, and vehicles blew up. The computer didn’t have any sound, but she could still hear it above her. The monitors shook, and a picture fell off the wall. Several more explosions erupted, and each scared Hannah more and more. Then she heard the gunfire. Hannah couldn’t take it anymore, she got up and ran towards the walls, feelingfor a groove in the wall that would indicate a tunnel but stopped. She couldn’t leave Cora. Cora was fighting up there with Charlie and his men. She couldn’t abandon them. What if they needed her? Ben would want her to stay and be strong. Alejandro would never take her back. Ben wouldn’t let him. She had to stay. Hannah slowly walked back towards the monitors. It was still dark on that half ofthe house, but the monitors had night vision on them. She had to do a double take when she saw seven men come out of the tree line. Something about them seemed familiar. It reminded her when she was being rescued in Panama. “Ben,” she whispered to herself. She covered her mouth with her hands and sobbed happy tears. He was home. She had no idea when he came back. It didn’t matter. All that matteredwas that he was back. She watched in fascination as the men spread out and took out one enemy after another. They were all perfectly synced as they killed an enemy and dropped them slowly to the ground before tracking the next. They used knives instead of their guns, so the enemy didn’t know they were there until it was too late. Watching killings before sickened her, but watching Ben she wasmesmerized. He was so lethal and yet so gentle with her. Who would have guessed? It should repulse her, witnessing so much death, but this was what Ben did for a living. She hated that, so many people had to die, but they had brought their war to their doorsteps. Why couldn’t Alejandro just leave her alone? What was so special about her to him? All he ever enjoyed doing to her was inflicting as muchpain as possible before she would blackout.
Her smile died when a bright light slashed across the screen, and the roof of the house blew up. “Oh my god, Cora,” Hannah screamed at the screen. She had never felt so useless right now. She stared at the roof thinking there would be movement or something to alleviate her fears but knew that hope was in vain. There was fire and smoke covering everyinch of the roof. Hannah fell back into the seat and shook her head in denial. No, it couldn’t be. Cora couldn’t be dead or Ortiz. “My fault, my fault, my fault.” It was all her fault. If she hadn’t been rescued and helped Ben and his team find the informant none of this would have ever happened. They were dead because of her. Hannah pulled her knees to her chest and dropped her head down on them."I am Hannah Grace O'Connell. I’m in love with Benjamin Grant. My newest best friend…was Cora St. James. And I am the cause of her death.” Another friend died because of her. She was in the same position when someone came racing down the stairs.
“Hannah,” a deep voice called out.
Hannah looked up as Ben ran to her and took her in his arms. “Are you okay, baby? Why are you crying? Are you hurt?”
“They're dead,” Hannah croaked. “They're dead because of me. Cora was on the roof with Ortiz and…it-” Hannah couldn’t finish. She buried her head in his shoulder.
“Goldilocks, stop.” Ben pulled her back up to face him. “She’s fine. They’re both fine. I just saw Cora upstairs.” Hannah sagged back against Ben’s chest in relief. They were alive.
“Everyone is okay? No one died because of me?”
“No, silly. Everyone is fine. I told you before. It would take a lot more than these floozies to take me down or any of these guys.” They had gone upstairs in time to see Cora run up to her room.
Hannah knocked on the door and only had to wait a moment to hear Cora call out. “Who is it?”
“It’s Hannah. Can I come in?”
Hannah heard foot shuffles before the door opened fully. Cora looked aroundto make sure it was only Hannah before ushering her in.
“You want to talk about it?” Hannah asked her as she closed the door behind her.
“What is there to talk about?” Cora flopped back on her bed.
“You’re obviously upset with Liam.”
Cora scuffed. “That’s putting it mildly.”
“You didn’t seem so upset with him before you risked your life.”
“Liam and his team got back early yesterday.Charlie warned them that Alejandro’s army was moving in and they waited for them and didn’t tell anyone. Just sat in the trees waiting to attack.” When Hannah’s features remained passive, Cora became angry and jumped up. “You knew? Did everyone know but me?”
“Cora, please calm down,” Hannah said gently and placed a hand on Cora’s arm. “I didn’t know they came back early. I saw it on the computerscreens as they came out of the trees.”
Cora forgot about the security cameras throughout the property. “Why aren’t you mad that Ben came home early and didn’t tell you?”
“Because his mind was focused on a mission. If he had told me he was here I would have gone looking for him or worry, then he would have been worried about me and could have endangered himself. He knew that I would be safehere in the house, and trust Charlie and his team to keep us safe. I can’t be angry about that.” Hannah made it sound so simple.
“So, you’re saying I’m overreacting?”
“I never said that. All I’m saying is you taught me that I must trust Ben to come home, and not to let him see my worry, because then he’ll lose focus on the mission. Think what it would have been like for him knowing you wereon the roof firing a gun and almost blown up.”
Cora remembered Liam’s face when he found out. He had been furious. If he had known she had been up there, he never would have been focused on his job. He would have tried to get to the house, to get to her, and could have cost someone their life.He has to stay focused on the mission.She had told Hannah that. Cora had been so worried about herown feelings, she hadn’t thought what it had been like for Liam. She was overreacting.
“I’m going to guess by the look on your face that you’re no longer angry at Liam.”
Cora smiled and hugged Hannah. “No, thank you for coming to talk to me.” She needed to go apologize to him. Hopefully, he hadn’t gone to sleep yet.
“I’m glad I could help. And again, I’m so sorry for getting you involvedin my problems.”
“Think nothing of it. If it hadn’t been for you, Liam and I might not have ever gotten back together.”
“And are you? Together that is?” Hannah gave her a teasing smile.
“If he’ll have me.” She had a lot of apologizing to do.
“Oh, I have no doubt that he will.” They sat on the bed and talked for a while until Hannah excused herself, so she could spend some time with Ben.Cora made her own plans to see Liam. He was most likely tired after getting home from a mission and fighting another battle he was probably already asleep, but she needed to talk to him. She had to make this right now.
