B00MV3HMDW_EBOK (36 page)

The men exited the car and it was obvious they’d made quick stops at home to change into suits for their part of this assignment. Taryn wasn’t sure how Crest or the team would react to what she was about to do, but she needed Ethan by her side. As the two men got closer to the group, she took a few steps away and wrapped her arms around Ethan’s waist. He pulled her close to him and held her for a brief moment. It was all she needed.

Taryn finally pulled back and when she faced the group there was nothing but acceptance written across their features. Crest was the only one who wasn’t standing where she’d left him. He was now speaking with the pastor who was a contracted agent that had been hired for this undercover role, and starting what everyone hoped would be the final end to this assignment.

“How are you holding up?” Ethan whispered as everyone took their seats. Taryn sat beside Ethan in the first row, Jax and Emily sitting to her left. Kevin, Elle, Connor, and Lauren taking the second line of seats. Even Lach had joined in this task, although he was one of the agents in the field. Crest was the only one to remain standing off to the side as the
pastor
started his sermon. “Is your arm healing all right?”

“I took the stitches out myself this morning.”

Taryn ignored Ethan’s frown, but it wasn’t like she was going to take an extra trip to the doctor’s office for something she knew how to do herself. In addition, it wasn’t like he could follow that up with a reply. The eulogy was underway and Taryn felt a twinge of remorse that she wasn’t paying attention to the words. This technically wasn’t a funeral, yet it should be. Sabrina had never really been laid to rest. Someone should grieve for the little girl that hadn’t been allowed a childhood and not the killer she’d become.

Twenty minutes went by and the pastor glanced Crest’s way, obviously waiting for a sign to bring this thing to an end. Taryn knew that wouldn’t happen. Tension could be felt from everyone as they all waited for the moment that Crest assured them would happen. He’d been working closely with Fallon and although she was back at the office, the woman was positive that Ryland would show up today. They’d needed more ground covered to make sure they would be able to take him when the time came and Crest had used his valuable resources to make that a certainty. As Taryn predicted, the
pastor
kept speaking.

“Do you hear that?” Ethan asked, his already tense body becoming stiffer. Taryn’s stomach lurched at the thought that this could be it. Were Crest and Fallon right? Had this brought Ryland out of hiding? Taryn had a hard time imagining that he would just stroll up to the gravesite and think he’d be able to turn around and leave without any attempt to stop him. “Fuckin A, if that’s not the son of a bitch right there.”

Another rumble of a V12 engine could be heard and when Taryn sought out the driver, Ryland was behind the wheel of a Bentley Continental GT in classic diamond black. He cut the engine and sat there momentarily, studying them as if he wanted to ensure himself of their intent. He had to feel the animosity pouring from each and every one of them. Honestly, she was stunned that Ryland actually came here expecting to walk away. Everyone stood in unison, hands on their weapons as Ryland finally opened the car door. He unfolded his frame as he placed a hand on his suit jacket to ensure its proper position. Once he took his time in securing his vehicle, he then leisurely strolled closer. This was it. This was the time they’d all waited for. She ignored the palpitations in her chest as well as the perspiration on her palms. It wouldn’t stop her from drawing her weapon.

The man’s appearance was immaculate. His black hair was perfectly trimmed and the suit he was wearing rivaled Crest’s. Taryn had no doubt that he was perfectly manicured down to his nails. The lethality of the way he walked was in direct opposite of his appearance, but there was no doubting the threatening aura he emitted. His eyes finally met hers and she tightened her grip on her holstered weapon.

“Had this been an authentic funeral for Sabrina, that would have upset me dearly.” Ryland’s flawless gray eyes continued to caress her face and she felt disgusted by the intimacy. Taryn remained silent though, wanting this confrontation to end and be put behind them. She also needed the extra time to swallow the lump around her throat at his veiled threat. The sooner he had his say the sooner they could take him down. He was bound to try and draw his weapon. Why would he place himself in front of them had he known all along this was a setup? Taryn’s nerves strung a little tighter. “I debated coming today, but seeing as there were events that unfolded that were beyond my control, I could see this was in my best interest. As it stands, I’m in agreement that this game of chess comes to an end and I’ve grown fond of you, Taryn. I think it’s time we made amends.”

“Amends?” Taryn couldn’t stop the contempt that laced her voice. Her gaze never wavered and she made sure that he saw no weakness in her body language. “There’s nothing to discuss, Ryland. The damage that you’ve done to this team and me needs to be rectified. The only way that will happen is when you’re locked behind bars for the rest of your life.”

“You’re being overly dramatic. It must run in the family.” Ryland calmly looked over the people standing behind her, making eye contact with each and every one of them. Taryn could just imagine the anger and disdain that Jax felt, knowing that the man standing in front of them would have no hesitation in pulling the trigger and seeing each of them dead. “The fact that I’m still standing here alive goes to prove that all of you lack the ability to serve true justice. Ethan? I took care of your retribution for you. We wouldn’t want to dirty your hands.”

Taryn placed her fingers on Ethan’s arm. She wasn’t sure if he moved or if he would have, but she didn’t want to take that chance. She could just imagine how he felt about the man who shot her because she felt the same way. There was still a right and a wrong way to hand down a sentence. There also had to be a damn good reason that Crest was allowing Ryland to continue to speak.

“As for you, Jax, you’re well aware that the contract that had been issued on Emily was just business,” Ryland said, continuing whatever spiel this was. Taryn didn’t dare take her eyes off of their target to see Jax’s reaction. These men could handle themselves. “There should be no hard feelings. With that said, Crest and I have some things to discuss.”

“Ryland, you’re currently covered from every compass point possible.” Crest stepped forward, placing himself between them and Ryland. His weapon wasn’t drawn, but then again neither was Ryland’s. Taryn would have said they had the upper hand, but they all knew not to underestimate a man of his talents. “This is either going to end with your surrender or your death. Seeing as there’s an empty casket behind me, feel free to choose the latter.”

“You really don’t have a well developed sense of humor, do you?” Ryland asked, reaching into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. The movement spurred everyone to draw their weapons and Taryn’s heart rate sprinted. He raised one eyebrow at their actions. “I’m retrieving a piece of paper that your superior might have an interest in. If it’s all the same to the rest of you, I’d like a word with Crest alone.”

As if he didn’t already have numerous target sights on him, Ryland casually walked back toward his vehicle and supported himself against the trunk. He even had the audacity to cross one ankle over the other, as if this was a relaxing day in the park. If she didn’t like the fact that Crest was now slowly closing the distance between Ryland and him, taking him farther away from their tightknit group, the rest of them weren’t feeling too comfy regarding that fact either.

“This is fucking ludicrous,” Jax muttered from his position behind Taryn. “Why the hell are we even letting this guy talk, let alone bait us?”

“Ethan, my six,” Crest called out, not bothering to look over his shoulder to see if his order was carried through.

Taryn didn’t like the fact that Ethan was the one summoned to join this little meeting and although he squeezed her hand in reassurance, it didn’t make a damn bit of difference. He would be in position to hear what was transpiring between the two men, but Taryn wasn’t comfortable with the vulnerability it placed any of them in. She quickly looked around the area, taking in the other agents closing in around the perimeter. There was absolutely no other way this could end other than with Ryland’s arrest. They also knew the precautions to take since he’d escaped from the federal maximum-security prison once before.

“You know as well as I do that Ryland wouldn’t come here without some kind of guarantee that he could walk out a free man,” Kevin said.

“Why come then?” Taryn asked in a low voice, not taking her eyes off of the three men. “If he knew we’d staged this entire fucked up funeral, then why come at all?”

“He wants something,” Emily said softly.

Fuck. Were they right? Was Ryland once again going to go free? Taryn harbored a deep-seated anger that no one else could understand, with the exception of Jax. Ryland had done his best to eliminate Emily and any chance of a future Jax may have had with her. Regardless that Jax and Emily were now parents and would live out their hopefully long lives, it still didn’t give Ryland a reprieve for what he’d put them through. As for Taryn, to know that he’d purposefully taken an innocent teenage girl—her sister—and trained her to have no humanity instead of getting her the help she needed was unacceptable. As for the lives he’d taken in the name of money, those victims deserved justice.

*   *   *   *

Ethan once again came face to face with the one man who was the bane of the team’s existence. Ryland had become a way of life for them for the last two years and it was time this was brought to an end. Taryn had suffered most of all, but from the satisfied glint in this man’s eyes, it was only going to get worse.

“My terms are simple, Crest.” Ryland held out the piece of paper, and not a single tremor could be seen. This man was confident in whatever he was about to request. “In exchange for the priceless information I have, you obtain for me full clemency from our government.”

“
Our
government?” Crest didn’t take the sheet, but instead slipped his hands into his pockets as he continued to carry on this conversation. Ethan’s gut had tightened instantly at Ryland’s request. “You betrayed my government the second you deserted all those years ago, let alone given the fact that you assassinated numerous officials that faithfully served this country.”

“Point taken,” Ryland conceded, taking a brief moment to make eye contact with Ethan. He was looking at Satan himself. “Nevertheless, I’m ready for retirement. I don’t want to have to look over my shoulder every waking hour and you and I are in a unique position to help one another. I’m a gentleman, of course, which is why we’ll push aside our game of chess for one a little less cutthroat. You help me…I help you—or should I say, together we’ll keep Jessie out of harm’s way.”

Ethan doubted Ryland observed the change, but the suit jacket Crest was wearing smoothed out slightly in the back, indicating the tension building in his shoulders. Threatening Jessie had just signed this man’s death warrant. Ethan’s fingers were wrapped around his weapon and should Crest give the signal he wouldn’t hesitate to draw it. This needed to come to an end. Surprisingly, Crest reached out for the paper that was still being offered.

The only sound that Ethan could hear was the leaves ruffling in the light breeze. Not even the birds dared to chirp. The air had suddenly become thick and a threatening tension enveloped them as Crest read the typed words on the paper. Ethan couldn’t make them out and he resisted the urge to look back so he could set his eyes on Taryn. He was so in tune with her that he could feel her anxiety over what was happening and he would have given anything to reassure her that this was going to end the way they wanted it to. Unfortunately, he no longer believed it would.

“You have to be cunning in your line of work,” Crest said in a tone laced with steel. It cut through the dense quality of existence that surrounded them. Ethan went cold at Crest’s next words. “Keep in mind I can be just as ruthless. Regardless that I now have to lower myself to your level, don’t think that when this is all over you won’t be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your miserable life. I promise you your time will come—one man to another.”

Ethan wasn’t sure what the hell had just happened, but no good could come out of any of it. Crest took his time in folding the paper and slipping it into the pocket on the inside of his suit jacket. When he turned to face the group, his face was set in stone and his green eyes were hardened like a bullet.

“Ethan, see that Ryland gets checked into a penthouse suite at the Ivy as a guest of CSA while I make some calls. The feds are not to touch him, although put Connor on him. He’ll be set up at the hotel, close enough to our offices where we can keep tabs on him.” Crest looked at the rest of the team members, every one of them having disbelief written across their features. Taryn looked as if she was going to be sick and Ethan didn’t blame her. “Once I have confirmation on what’s just been given to me, we’ll congregate at the office tomorrow for a full debriefing. I trust each and every one of you. I expect the same in return, so when I say that Ryland is with
us
unless I give instructions to the contrary, I need you to follow my lead. Dismissed.”

Chapter Thirty