Shatter (25 page)

Cash pulled his hand from Keira’s and nodded. “I’ll . . . try to . . . be civil.”

Mitch slapped him on the back, picked up his apple and knife, and rose. His body felt heavy, his chest as dense as granite. He wanted to wind his limbs around Halina, sink into a soft bed, and sleep holding her for . . . days. He wanted to wake up and realize this had all been a nightmare.

Mitch glanced at the room where Halina was getting grilled and sliced another piece of apple, feeling as if his guts were being sliced the same way.

No longer hungry, he turned toward the sink, set the apple down, and rinsed his hands. Kat’s chirp, Dex’s excited bark, and the patter of Mateo’s little feet created a joy-infused chorus coming down the hallway.

“Uncle Mitch, look. Dex can shake.”

He stood there while Kat proceeded to demonstrate the new trick, and Mateo, obviously intrigued by the dog, remained standoffish and hung back.

Mitch couldn’t drum up his usual enthusiasm, but still gained as much relaxation and enjoyment from watching Kat play with Dex as he did from an entire bottle of wine. No, on second thought, he got a lot more from being with the kids.

“Good boy,” Kat praised in her sugar-sweet high pitch.

“That’s pretty cool, Kat. You’ll have to show Halina when—”

The office door jerked open on the other side of the dining room, and Mitch looked over, surprised they were done so soon. But Halina stood there, her hands gripping the jamb, her eyes wide and sharp with what Mitch could only describe as sheer panic.

His stomach went cold. “What’s wrong?”

Her gaze swept the open space, while her chest heaved with quick breaths. “Mitch . . .”

He took a step toward her and she nearly lunged out the door with her hands up. “No! Don’t move.” Panic choked her voice. “Just . . .” Those light, bright, wild eyes took one more sweep toward the windows, then her gaze jerked back toward Mitch, her fear now stark terror. “Down! Dex,
okhrana detey!
” She sprinted toward Mitch. “Get down!”

Mitch didn’t have a chance to get anywhere. Halina hit him at a full run, shoving him down. Before they even hit the floor, an explosion detonated in the living room, shattering the picture windows.

Mitch turned, throwing his body—already partially tangled with Halina’s—across the mound made up of Kat, Mateo, and Dex. Glass sliced through the air. Crashed against tile, furniture, and appliances. And cut into Mitch’s back. He tried to cover Halina as Halina tried to cover the kids and Dex. Kat’s screams were muffled. But Mateo didn’t make a sound.

Within seconds, the glass explosion had cleared, and icy cold cut through the house. Mitch’s ears vibrated with an incessant buzz. He pushed up and glass sliced into his hands. Dex still lay sprawled across Kat, licking tears off Kat’s face and watching Halina for instruction.

Mitch’s gaze searched for Mateo. He was there, but so damn small with his knees pulled into his chest and his head ducked, hiding beneath Dex’s big body like a pup. His dark eyes gazed stoically out from beneath a fringe of golden curls while his tiny hand remained fisted in Dex’s collar.

Halina’s dazed eyes wandered haphazardly before finding Mitch’s. She instantly focused. “Are you okay?” When he nodded, she righted herself and brushed glass off Dex’s fur, feeling over his body while her gaze searched Kat. “Honey, are you—?”

One of the guards, Dillon, swept in, reaching for Kat. Another one stood behind, ready to grab Mateo.

Dex shifted his body to cover Kat’s again. With his lips peeled back, ears flat against his head, he snarled and snapped.

Dillon yanked his hands back, shaking one out with a “Holy shit.”

“
Tikhiy,
Dex,” Halina said, sounding breathless, and Dex transitioned into a whimpering, worried pup again. “Go ahead. Take her.”

Dillon pulled Kat into his arms just as Nelson came out of the office carrying Brady, whom he’d taken from Teague.

Cash appeared beside the second guard and pulled Mateo in to his arm, crouched to check Halina. More snarls rolled from Dex’s peeled lips.

“
Tikhiy,
Dex,” Halina repeated.

A mournful whine ebbed from Dex’s chest. The dog lowered his head, nuzzled Mateo’s hair from his face, and licked him. Mateo in turn wrapped his arms around the dog’s neck and whispered, “Thank you,” with the same simplistic inflection he had for the gift of his crayons earlier.

“Basement,” Teague ordered. “Full security.”

Cash exchanged a look with Mitch. He sent a glance toward Halina before meeting Mitch’s gaze again. “Do you . . . need anything?”

“No. Go.”

He disappeared with Mateo. Dex danced in place impatiently, his gaze darting between the door the kids had disappeared behind and Halina, whining.

“Hold still,” Halina said, breathless, her shaking hands working at his collar.

Mitch’s heart hammered. Keira was already at the windows with a high-powered rifle, scoping out the shooter. Luke, Kai, and Quaid had disappeared into the other half of the house.

Teague crouched beside them. The house was now freezing, even with adrenaline filling Mitch’s veins.

“Baby, his collar is fine . . .” Mitch covered Halina’s hands with one of his. Glass sliced into his skin and he swore, pulling back. He yanked the shard from his palm and sent a questioning glance between Halina and Teague.

Teague read his concern and bent to look into Halina’s eyes. “Halina, are you hurt?”

“No. Help me with his collar . . . my hands . . . won’t work,” she panted between breaths.

Teague unfastened the collar.

Halina released a breath, then murmured, “Go.”

Dex sprinted to the door leading into the basement and pawed at it. When it didn’t open, he jumped, hit the handle with his paw, and when the latch freed up, pushed it open with his muzzle.

“That’s pretty slick,” Teague said.

Halina swept the collar from Teague’s hand and held it tight to her chest. She shivered and her teeth chattered. “Thank you.”

Mitch lowered a questioning brow at Teague and murmured, “Shock?”

“Single white male,” Keira said, voice cool as steel. Mitch turned to find her speaking into a radio. “In a ghillie. Across the meadow on a ridge. Retreating in a dark green Ford F-150.”

Teague turned toward the others reentering the room.

“All clear,” Luke said.

Mitch rolled to a seat, wincing, and helped Halina do the same. He checked her eyes and found them still dazed. Pupils as tight as a pin.

“Halina, let’s get you warm.” He put a hand to her jaw, avoiding the cuts oozing blood down her face. “Can you stand?”

Her eyes, so light they looked almost colorless, made incremental jumps over the destruction and finally landed on his face again. “His working collar. Shouldn’t have it on in the house.”

Only, that’s not what he’d asked. And Dex had been wearing the collar since Mitch had met the dog. He’d had the collar on in both hotels. He’d had it on here since they’d arrived.

Mitch brushed her hair back from her face. “You’re okay. Dex is okay. Does anything hurt bad?”

Her gaze focused and moved over him. And the panic in her eyes rose. “It was him. Abernathy. He was . . . he was . . .” Her gaze jerked down, over Mitch’s chest. Without releasing Dex’s collar, her bloody, shaking fingers started yanking at the buttons. “Take it off. Take this damn thing
off
.”

He looked down. Took hold of her wrists. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“No more.” She violently pulled out of his grasp and ripped two buttons off. She ground out her words. “No more . . . white shirts. I don’t ever . . . want to see you wear . . . a white shirt again.”

More Jerks. More buttons ticked to the floor. The icy air bit into the skin of Mitch’s chest. Tears streamed down her face and mixed with blood.

Mitch fought to get a solid hold on her wrists, every touch ripping at his skin. Finally, he grabbed hold and pulled hard to bring her back from the edge of wherever she’d gone.

“Halina. What’s wrong with white shirts?”

“You’re . . . always . . . in a white shirt . . . when you . . . die.”

“When I . . . what are you talking . . . ?” But then he remembered the car accident. He’d been wearing white then too.

He looked to his right, where bullets had pierced the kitchen island. If Halina hadn’t seen it coming, he and Kat and Mateo would be dead. Already drained of blood on Alyssa’s kitchen floor.

Jesus
. The icy reality cut at his belly.

She’d saved his life. Again.

And she’d risked hers doing it. The way she’d risked Schaeffer’s abuse to try and save his job.

He gathered her into his arms as gently as he could, and she held on tight. Still shivering, teeth clicking together. Her touch shot electric shocks of pain through his body, but he didn’t let go.

“My fault.” She pressed her warm mouth to his bare chest. “All my fault. I told you . . . I can’t be here.”

“Our guys are after them,” Keira said. “Someone else is up on the ridge, but they’re not pursuing. Looks like Fish and Game.”

“I’ll . . . g-go.” She pulled away and met his eyes. The terror was still there, but the daze had cleared. “I’ll go g-get the papers from the apartment. You st-stay with the others.”

“No—”

“I won’t run, I p-promise. I’ll get the box and bring it b-back.” She hiccupped and her beautiful eyes pleaded with him. “I have to get away from here. He wants me and I’m putting everyone else in d-danger. We need to separate.”

He wrapped his hands around Halina’s head and lifted her face until she looked him in the eye. “You’re right, we should go somewhere—”

“No. Not we.
Me
. Just me. He was trying to kill you to make me cave. But he won’t kill me. He can’t. Not until he gets what he wants.” She curled her fingers around his shoulders. “You’re not safe with me. You never have been. I need to go alone.”

The words swirled in his head for a second, needing attention, but he couldn’t focus on that. “Not happening, Halina. I’m not letting you go it alone again.” He put his forehead to hers and whispered. “Together, we’re strong, remember?”

“No.” Something shifted in her eyes. Something edged with resignation and hopelessness. And pain. “Together, we’re dead.”

Halina pulled from him, struggled to her feet, and turned.

“Halina, don’t—”

Mitch reached for her, but she stepped away and by the time he got to his feet, Alyssa stood in his path, her gaze intent.

“Give her some breathing room, Mitch.”

The sight of lingering terror in his sister’s eyes added layers of guilt and stopped him. He pulled the blanket she already held around her shoulders tighter at the neck. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she breathed the word, creating a puff of mist. “Thanks for watching out for Kat and Mateo.”

“That credit belongs to Halina and Dex.” Mitch gave her another squeeze before pulling away. “Go. Get warm with the kids.”

She lifted a hand to touch his face but winced when she couldn’t find anywhere to put it. “Take it easy on Halina. And let Teague take care of these cuts. Otherwise I’ll be coming at you with a needle and thread.”

Mitch winced, which made a smile twitch at her lips and eased his concern. Alyssa disappeared into the basement. Halina had long since disappeared into the bathroom down the hall. Mitch stared down the dark stretch, not sure what to do.

“I won’t get cut, you will.” Luke’s irritable voice drew Mitch’s gaze to the living room, where Luke had grabbed Keira’s hands in the act of picking up a large piece of glass. “Go make sure all the glass is out of your skin. Then check the others.”

Luke released her and carelessly scooped pile after pile of razor-sharp glass into a corner with his bare hands, never receiving a nick. Mitch hadn’t expected Luke to be harmed because of his ability, but Keira and Kai looked pretty good too, only minor abrasions bloodying their arms and faces. They’d been shielded at the dining room table by the angle of the shots and direction of shattering glass. He glanced back at the window, then at the destruction around him.

Mitch couldn’t deny he’d been the target. It certainly hadn’t been Kat or Mateo.

He grabbed jackets from the hall tree and returned to toss them to Luke, who distributed them to Teague, Kai, and Keira. Mitch couldn’t throw one on with all the glass still stabbing his skin, but he pulled out a space heater from the office, faced it toward the dining room table, and turned it on.

Quaid, along with a couple of the security guards, had already set up ladders against the house and created a pulley system with ropes from the eaves. They raised and covered the gaping openings with sheets of plywood.

The cold wouldn’t be rushing in for long. But Mitch moved to the fireplace and stuffed it with three more chunks of oak anyway. The skin of his arms and back pulled and he swore. A headache pressed behind his eyes and pain nudged at the back of his skull, making him realize for the first time that he’d probably hit his head sometime during that fiasco.

“Let me work on your back.” Teague’s voice brought Mitch’s gaze around from the fireplace. His brother-in-law stood there in his thick parka, his face pinched with barely contained fury. “It’s pretty bad.”

“Dude, go downstairs with Alyssa and the kids.”

Cash opened the door leading up from the basement. “No, don’t go downstairs. Alyssa just kicked me out. Said I was
hovering
.”

Teague made a told-you face and gestured to Cash, who took a seat at the table where Teague had set a large first-aid kit. Cash watched Keira wiggle a piece of glass from Kai’s bicep.