Riordan (20 page)

take me in. How about we take this to my office? I’ve some correspondence to answer while you

go on about things you have no knowledge of.” She followed him to his office and blinked

several times when he turned on the light abruptly. Storm sat when he did, him at his desk, her in

the chair across from him.

“Burkhardt confessed to everything…the money he was given, the fact that you’ve been

working with him and Viper for years now.” That made him pale. “You see, we had his wife

brought out here, and when they were in the air, I found his involvement in this little plan of

yours. Holding her and his child hostage wasn’t really something that I’m proud of, but it did the

trick. You really thought that having him watch my every move was going to work?”

“So you’ve caught Burkhardt and Gunning at treason. I’m pretty sure that anything that they

say about me being involved isn’t going to hold water. I’m a decorated officer. A fucking

brigadier general, for Christ’s sake. Who do you think they’re going to believe, me or two men

that couldn’t handle the warfare and had to be shipped home in disgrace?” Storm said nothing to

him. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about concerning the rest.”

“Too late for that, don’t you think? I mean, you’ve already said that you were careful. What

is it that you’re being careful about?” Darcy laughed and told her what he could see on the files

he’d downloaded. He told her about an account that they’d not found. “You’re well-funded,

aren’t you? Twenty million in an offshore account in the Cayman Islands? Oh, and the money

you have in the safe in the basement. Along with fake IDs. You should take better care that you

don’t write this stuff down where someone can get to it. But you know what I really think is

shitty and what got you on my radar? The fact that you were willing and ready to blame someone

that was in the convoy with me. Brewer was in the car with me…the driver, as a matter of fact.

When I told you he took the picture and sent it, you jumped on that. I had no idea who took it,

nor did I have a clue where it was taken until you told me. He was not involved at all, was he?”

“You fucking cunt.” She smiled at him. “You think you’re so smart, don’t you? The

almighty Storm Browning has it all figured out and is ready to jump in and save the fucking day.

I should have had you killed when we found you hanging in that tree all those months ago. And I

would have but for the fact that the president had made it his personal business to come and

rescue you.”

She’d not been told that he was there. To be honest, anyone could have been there when

she’d been cut down and she wouldn’t have known it. But this made some of what was going on

a little less stressful. The president might be pissed at the way she’d done this…there was little

doubt about that, actually. But she knew now that he’d not been involved. That had been her

biggest worry.

“Um, Stormy, you might want to back off a bit. There are others listening in on you and

Blackson. And since I know you can’t answer me, I’m going to tell you. The Feds. They’re

currently trying to get into the computer that I’m using to pinpoint me. I’m shutting it down.”

She wanted to tell Darcy thanks, but Tony reached into his desk drawer.

“I wouldn’t if I were you. I will shoot your ass if you fuck with me.” She was trying to

think. If the Feds were involved, then maybe they had been from the beginning. And if they were

then the president was as well. Her head was spinning at the possibilities of what the fuck was

going on. When her cell phone vibrated, she ignored it. When it stopped, Riordan touched her

mind.

You’re about to get some company, love. And it’s not me. Move away from the door if you’re

close to it.
Storm looked out into the hall where they had been only moments before just as the

front of the house exploded inward. She saw Tony shift, his tux shredding just as he hit her with

his body. Before she could defend herself, even if she thought she could have, shots were fired

and she was hurting. Mother fuck, she thought, am I ever going to be well enough to move?

~~~

Riordan paced the hall up and down twice more before his dad stepped in front of him. He

was so close to losing it that he nearly took his dad’s head off. But the calm look on his face had

Riordan rethinking that. His dad was still his dad, and he had too much respect for him to attack

him.

“Son, why don’t you and I take a walk?” He started to tell him no, he wasn’t leaving her.

“And in case you didn’t get that, it wasn’t a request but a command. Don’t make me have to use

my awesome dad powers on you. The nurses and the rest of the staff are afraid of you. And if

there was some news, you’re more than likely not going to get it because of the way you talked

to them earlier.”

“I told her I was sorry.” His dad nodded but said nothing more. “And I really wasn’t going

to tie her up by her ankles and dangle her from the highest pole I could find. She knew that. I

was a little stressed.”

“As we all are. What do you think Stormy will say to you when she finds out that you’ve

told the entire staff, loudly I might add, that you’re married to her and you’ll…what did he say,

honey?” His dad turned to his mom, and Riordan flushed hotly when she tisked at him. “Ah yes,

you said that when she was better and having your children you’d not trust a one of them with

the task of birthing them. I’m sure that should it come to that, these people will be more afraid of

her than you. Stormy is not a very quiet person.”

He knew that, too. When he’d pulled the dead wolf off her body, she looked up at him with

blood on her chest. Then when she slapped him in the face, it took him several seconds to realize

that he was in the way of the medics.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Surely you’ve seen blood before.” She spread her hand

over her bleeding wound and showed it to him before he could move back. “Blood does not

mean I’m dead. It means I’m hurt and you’re not fucking helping me by standing in the way of

the people that actually know what they’re doing. I’m fine, Riordan. Just shot, but really, I’m just

fine.”

He’d been moved back then and cuffs were put on his arms. He hadn’t been sure why that

was done until he saw the president. The man was moving through the crowd barking orders like

he knew just what he was doing. When he leaned over Storm, he shook his head.

“You just couldn’t let me be the hero, could you?” Storm didn’t say anything as her T-shirt

was being cut away. Riordan nearly passed out when he saw how badly she’d been shot. “You’re

going to get excellent care, my dear, and some time off for helping us out. I’ve also had the Feds

release poor Darcy. The man nearly shifted twice when they thought he was involved in this. I

assured them he was a part of my team. As soon as you tell Riordan that you’re going to be fine

again and make him believe it, I’ll have them release him. I know that he can’t shift with cuffs

on.”

In ten minutes he had been released. Storm was being loaded into the ambulance when he

was taken to the office where the president was. After he was briefed, a limo took him to the

hospital where Storm was already in surgery.

The walk outside did him a world of good. The sun had long since come up and the gentle

rain felt good on his face. His dad said nothing as they walked. Riordan reached into his jacket

pocket and pulled out the small black box that he’d picked up yesterday before all this went

down. He wanted her to marry him today, but it was a little too hard when she was still in

surgery.

“I don’t know if she’ll say yes, but I’m going to ask her as soon as she’s awake. I got her

this.” The ring box was opened by his dad, who whistled. “I don’t think she’s a diamond kind of

woman. It was pointed out to me once that she’s not a chocolate lover either. So I saw this and

thought it suited her more than anything. I had to wait on the jeweler to finish the design I had in

mind. I think it turned out well.”

“It’s lovely. And she’ll love it. Your mom is going to be jealous of it. Perhaps I can find

something for her as well.” He told his dad where he’d gone to get it made. “I know that place.

Nice place, and locally owned, too. I’ll talk to them later.”

Riordan looked at the ring. The vintage design was something he’d seen a long time ago. It

had been on one of those antique shows where someone had picked the ring up for a song. He’d

never forgotten the design and had thought of nothing else since he’d decided to get Storm a

ring.

It was a large emerald that was dark with age. Surrounding it on the base were smaller

emeralds that sparkled brightly even in the dusky daylight. The tiffany setting was platinum and

had emeralds on the posts, too, that were rounded so as not to cut into her fingers when she wore

it. But it was the matching band that he loved most. The jeweler had told him that he’d made it

for someone long ago and they’d not picked it up. He’d never been able to part with it until now.

Riordan showed this to his dad.

The wide band’s center was two rows of emeralds that were balanced with diamonds

between each stone. Then the entire ring had a row of diamonds both on the top and bottom of

the ring that showed well with the engagement ring. He could not wait to see it on her finger and

to be able to truly call Storm his wife. His dad handed him back the ring and asked him if he had

a date, too.

“I did. But since this is going to take a few days, I’ve moved it to next week.” Dad laughed.

“Mom said she’d make sure that the house is ready for a wedding, and the aunts are helping her

with all the arrangements. But I was wondering if you’d be my best man.”

Dad stopped moving and looked back at him. “You should ask your brothers. This is more

suited to them instead of me. It’s tradition that it be a younger man, a friend of yours.”

“Maybe, but since her aunts are going to give her away, I figured that tradition was out the

door. I want you to stand with me when I take a wife. It would mean the world to both of us.

Provided that she doesn’t kill me before hand.” Dad started walking again and Riordan caught up

with him just as he started speaking.

“When I asked your mom to marry me, I remember thinking that had my dad been alive, he

would have liked Bri more than me. He was forever finding fault with things I did. Your

grandmother, my mom, wasn’t much better, and I decided that once your mom and I had

children, we’d raise them the exact opposite of how I was raised.” He looked at Riordan then.

“You’ve done well for yourself and this family. I don’t think I’ve told you this enough, but I’m

very proud of you.”

“I couldn’t have done this without you there to guide me.” His dad nodded. “Dad, I’m going

to change her when we get home. I’m not waiting until someone else tries to kill her and worry

that she won’t live. I know that being a tiger doesn’t guarantee her living, but she’ll stand a better

chance if she were hurt.”

“Good. And even though she frightens me on so many levels as a human, having her as our

tiger will be better.” Dad laughed. “I don’t suppose you’ve talked to her about this, have you? I

mean, tell her what she’ll have to do to be a tiger?”

“She knows. I guess she’s done some research on this, with a few of her buddies in the

service, and has a better handle on it than I do.” Riordan shook his head as they headed back to

the entrance of the hospital. “It’s going to be an adventure daily having her as my wife. But I

wouldn’t have it any other way. And our kids are going to be more than a handful. She’ll be

egging them on, teaching them to curse and to shoot, and no one will fuck with them. I think I’m

going to enjoy that, too.”

“You’re going to make a wonderful father, and Storm is going to be…I was going to say a

good mom, too, but she’ll be more than that. She’ll be the mom that other kids will envy and

parents will dislike but respect.”

As soon as they were inside, he heard his name being paged. His mom was getting off the

elevator just as they were pushing the button to go up. She was smiling, and Riordan felt better

already.

“She’s out of surgery and doing fine. They’re going to keep her under for a little while

longer just to make sure that the stitches stay put. I guess they were warned that she can be a bit

on the feisty side.” Riordan thought that was an understatement. “I thought about contacting you

through the link, but I just needed to….”

His mom hugged him to her, and held him while she sobbed out how happy she was that

Storm was going to be all right and that she was going to be a part of their family. Riordan held

her, thinking how lucky he was that he had such a loving and wonderfully supportive family.

After talking to the surgeon, he was led to Storm’s room. The nurse told him it would be a