A Dom Is Forever (48 page)

She got to her knees, her back to Nelson. There was something else he would have kept in here. His phone and his tablet. Nelson would take the whole thing, but she was going to make a play for the backup. She wasn’t about to allow this man to just walk away, and if he betrayed them, MI6 would find it and Simon would break the code.

The files were right there in the side pocket beside his tablet.

“Well? Do I shoot Mr. O’Donnell again?”

“Don’t give him anything, Avery,” Liam growled.

She slipped the tablet out and onto the floor. She grabbed the files and stood. “I have them. There are three here.”

“Excellent. I’ll take the whole bag.”

Deep breath. Stay calm.
The tablet was black. If she was careful, he wouldn’t notice it. She slipped the files back inside and turned, her hands shaking. She couldn’t fight him physically, but she wasn’t going to let him win. She tried to walk a straight line so her body hid what she’d left behind.

Nelson took the bag with a wink. “A deal’s a deal. I’ll leave you two lovebirds here.” He started toward the door. “I took care of your brother’s goon. You’re all alone in the house. Oh, by the way, your brother was very good with explosives, and he never liked to leave anything behind. He wired this whole town house to blow in the event that he wasn’t coming back. I set the timer. I believe you’ll find you have less than three minutes to get out. I think it will be interesting to see if Miss Charles stays with her lover or runs. And if you do survive, let Ian Taggart know I’m not done with him yet.”

He turned and walked out, and Avery ran to Liam. She got to her knees. He was so pale. “Was he serious?”

He’d lost so much blood, but his eyes were open. “He was. Get the bloody hell out of here, Avery. That’s an order.”

She wasn’t losing him. She would rather get her ass blown up in this damn house than live without trying to save him. Death didn’t get to take someone else from her. Not one more person she loved. Not today. She would go down with him. She would pray there was something beyond this place because she wasn’t staying here without him.

“Come on. Can you walk?” Avery looked down at his leg. She couldn’t see his pants for all the blood soaking them. It spilled over onto the carpet. She bit back a cry. He looked so bad.

“I can’t walk, love. Get the hell out. I mean it. I’m going to spank you so bad if you don’t get the fuck out right this second.”

That was a Dom. “You’ll have to spank me in the afterlife if you don’t get a move on.”

His hand gripped hers. “I can’t, love. Baby, you have to run. I love you. You have to live. Please.”

Her heart hurt, but she couldn’t let begging work this time. She got up and pulled on his arm. She was weak. She knew it, but she couldn’t let it stop her. She had to get him out of here. She had to be the strong one now. He’d taken those bullets for her. He could have gotten away at the apartment, but he’d reached out for her. He hadn’t left her alone. He would never leave her alone.

“I’m not leaving, Liam. I’ll stay here with you,” she choked out. “I’ll sit right here and hold you until those minutes are up. I won’t ever go without you.”

“Fuck all, woman. Give me some room.” He gritted his teeth and turned over, forcing his knees to move. A low groan came from his mouth as he pushed up and got to his feet. He held on to the desk, his face a sheet of pure white. “Did you find the tablet?”

She nodded and scurried to grab it. She tucked it under her arm.

“Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are?” He swung an arm around her shoulders. “I love you,
darlin
’. And I will spank you in the afterlife.”

She wasn’t going to the afterlife. She held on to him and moved to the window. It was the fastest way out. Three agonizing steps and they were there. She forced the window open.

“This is going to hurt, baby.” She couldn’t imagine the pain he was going to go through.

“Push me out and then follow me.” His face was set.

He barely groaned, and she forced him through the window. He hit the bushes outside and rolled. Avery followed. How much time was left?

She started through the window, but a big hand reached out to grab her. She shrieked as she was pulled out of the house and lifted into strong arms. She looked up and saw Ian Taggart’s face staring down at her.

“How are you here?” Avery asked.

“When Nelson didn’t show up, we figured out something had gone wrong on this end. We found a dead thug at your place and couldn’t get Li on the phone. This was the first place we thought to check. Alex? You got him?” Ian didn’t seem to even notice her weight.

“I got him,” a deep voice shouted. “And if he’s not insane, then we need to fucking run. He says the whole place is going to blow, and we need to get him to a hospital ASAP.”

She looked over Ian’s broad shoulder and saw that Alex McKay had slung Liam over his shoulder.

Ian took off, catching up to his partner and running through the garden gate. Jake was waiting, holding the gate open.

“Fuck, is Li alive?” Jake asked.

“Move, Dean. There’s a fire in the hole,” Ian yelled as he ran past. “Take cover.”

She was suddenly on the ground, Ian covering her with his big body. She couldn’t breathe, but she felt another weight on her. Jake Dean lent his own body to protect her. In the moonlight, she managed to move her head, looking for Liam. Alex covered him. Liam reached out, his hand threading among the protective bodies to find hers. He gripped her hand.

She wasn’t alone. She would never be alone again.

A loud boom filled the world and the night lit up. Avery held on to that hand as the world exploded around her.

Three months later

Dallas, TX

Liam looked down at the little scrap of humanity wrapped in a pink blanket. It was actually pretty cute, but it was so damn small. Given who her father was, he’d expected more substance to the kid. “Are you sure she’s yours, Sean?”

He grunted a little as Avery’s hand came out to slap him in the chest. His wife didn’t mind telling him when he was being dumb. “That’s horrible, Li.”

Sean just rolled his blue eyes. “It’s not entirely unexpected. Marriage hasn’t curbed your sarcasm, man. It’s kind of refined it.”

Marriage had refined everything. He looked over at his gorgeous wife, his lover, his best friend, his sub. “I’m better at everything now.”

He was certainly better at pleasing her. It was his job in life.

Avery laughed, her eyes rolling. He bloody loved that. It was her way of telling him she was amused. He was also very good at amusing her. “Listen to him. He’s so arrogant.”

He wasn’t arrogant. He just knew his place. It was by Avery’s side, and she was the smartest damn woman in the world. She was also pregnant. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. He was on top of her most of the time. “Do you think our kid is going to be that wrinkly?”

Grace frowned from her hospital bed. The room was filling up fast. Grace had given birth just twenty-four hours before, but she was already back to smiling and beautiful as she held her tiny girl. “She’s not wrinkly. She spent a lot of time in the womb. Give her a little credit.”

Serena stepped up. “Baby
Carys
isn’t wrinkly. She’s gorgeous. Look at those little fat baby legs.”

Adam moved behind his wife, his hand covering her slightly rounded belly. “She is beautiful, sweetheart.”

Jake took his place at her side, too. “Our son is going to be gorgeous, too.”

Jake and Adam were sure the baby in Serena’s belly was a boy, but Liam didn’t give a shit. He just wanted a healthy baby. It sort of freaked him out. He still wasn’t sure he was father material, but he loved his wife so much he had to try. That baby would be a part of Avery. The baby would get all her goodness. The baby would be the best thing he could put into the world. While he was scared out of his mind, he was also okay because Avery was with him. Avery was his strength. He pulled her close, nuzzling her hair. This was where he lived. Avery O’Donnell was his home.

“She’s awful cute, love,” Liam offered.

Avery gave him a big grin. “She is.”

The door opened behind him and Ian, Alex, and Eve walked in. The gang was all here. Ian had a wary look on his face as he entered the room. He was a little awkward carrying a massive teddy bear.

Sean stood up straighter, his jaw going just a little hard. He hadn’t forgiven his brother yet, but he dealt with it for Grace’s sake. Liam had talked a little to Sean about Rory. He was kind of hoping that his good-for-nothing, arms dealing, rapist, killer brother would make Ian look good. Sean needed to know that he had it easy when it came to blood family.

Grace gave her brother-in-law a glorious smile. “Do you want to meet your niece?”

“Yes.” The answer came out in a rush, Ian flushing slightly. He shook it off. “But she’s so…little. I think I might break her.”

Big Tag stood over the tiny infant looking utterly helpless.
Carys
kicked her baby legs and managed to break free of the bunting they had wrapped around her. One tiny fist came free, and there was no way to miss the proud little smirk that hit Ian’s face.

“Just pick her up, man,” Sean said, sighing. “She’s tough. She’s a Taggart.”

Liam had never seen Ian flush before, but he did as he looked down at that little day-old girl. His big ass paws came out to lift the infant up.

“She’s beautiful. I think that’s from Grace, though. Not you, Sean,” Ian said, looking down at his niece.

A broad smile broke over Sean’s face. “Yeah. She looks like her momma.”

Liam hated this part, the part that made his eyes water and his stomach roll. Emotion. It still kind of made him want to puke, but he would do anything for these people. His real family. He was a bloody lucky man. He’d gotten to pick his family, and they were amazing. He pulled Avery close. His wife. His better half. He’d lost his brother, but he’d found his soul.

Ian smiled down at the girl. “I’m going to meet all of your boyfriends.”

Grace shook her head. “The poor girl. She’s never going to date. Sean already has plans.”

Ian gave the baby to Sean, handing her over carefully. The baby was precious. He turned to Liam, gesturing to the door.

Liam followed him out. “What’s up, boss?”

It had been a quiet couple of months. His marriage to Avery and the birth of
Carys
had been the big events in their lives. It was a wonderful way to live.

The door closed, and Ian turned to him. “I already told the others, but MI6 just apprehended the first of Nelson’s buyers.”

A fierce satisfaction flooded his veins. His wife had made that happen. She’d taken down a terrorist with smarts and good sense. She hadn’t backed down. She was a warrior, his girl. “Fucking brilliant. Did they get Nelson?”

Ian’s face went blank. “He didn’t show. He got tipped off somehow. Thanks to Avery, we have the code. Weston broke it, but we can only hope Nelson shows his face soon. He has people inside the Agency. It’s obvious. But we’ve shut his arms dealing down for the moment and MI6 has arrested the
UOF
employees who helped your brother. Thomas Molina’s accounts have been frozen, and MI6 is sure they’ve tracked down where Rory stashed the cash he’d stolen from the
UOF
.”

Cutting off his access to funds would only make Nelson more dangerous. “He told me this is all a game, and he intends to beat you.”

Liam still had the scars. He’d been taken to a hospital and spent the better part of a week there. He had a bunch of new scars to show off, but he was alive because of Alex and Ian and Jake. His wife had gotten his ass up and moving, and his brothers had saved him. His brothers had covered him and Avery with their own bodies as the world blew up around them. Just as his blood betrayed him, he’d found his real family. The old Liam would have pulled into himself and shut everyone else out.

Avery’s Liam had opened up. He’d embraced his family. He was a loving husband, a proud brother, a protective uncle. He’d held Avery’s hand as they visited the grave of her first husband and her first baby. He honored them because they had such a place in his love’s heart.

And he’d visited her in-laws. It wasn’t perfect, but they were talking. His wife was too lovable to reject. She’d opened the world for him. She’d taught him to forgive himself.

Ian slapped his arm. “I’ll take care of Nelson.”

Liam was so fucking worried about his friend. “I think Nelson is planning on taking care of you.”

A savage look came over Ian’s face. “Then he should bring it on.”

“He’s going to come after us again.” Liam had no doubt.

Ian nodded. “I know. I’ll try to take care of it. I’m bringing on a new member of the team, by the way. I hired him yesterday. We’ve got a bunch of family men now. I need a smart agent who won’t get squeamish about handling a dirty op.”

“Who? Did Alex approve?” Liam had come to appreciate Alex’s opinion.

“Alex is in agreement, and you won’t like him.” Ian shrugged a little.

Liam groaned. “Not Weston. Please. Doesn’t he have a kingdom to run or something?”

Ian’s smirk told him he was right. “He left MI6 because he screwed up. I think he won’t do it again, and he was the one who figured out the cipher. We shut down Nelson’s money because of him. Damon says he’s a little haunted because he took Nelson’s data. I promised I would take care of him. We’ve all trusted the wrong people. I think he could be helpful.”

He would be a pain in Liam’s ass, and if the bugger looked at his wife wrong, he would take Simon out. But otherwise, he was on the team. “I’ll show him the ropes, boss.”

He owed Ian. He owed them all. Simon Weston would have the chance to prove himself.

“Thanks, man.” Ian looked around, his discomfort palpable. “Tell Grace good-bye for me. I love the kid, but I don’t know how to deal with her. I have a trust already planned for her school if that makes a difference. I won’t have any kids. I figure I can help with Sean’s.”