“And me?” Nate asked, his gaze remaining on Jory.
Matt nodded toward the stairway. “Go check on Audrey and the baby before coming back down. Your mind has to be in this, Nate.”
“It is.” Nate crossed solid arms.
“Then go check on her for me.” Matt turned toward the stairwell. “This is my first nephew or niece, and all of this morning sickness is scary.”
Nate visibly relaxed. “Oh. Well, okay. I’ll take her some ginger ale.”
Shane rolled his eyes at Jory.
Jory smiled. “Just in case, I have to tell you guys—”
“No.” Matt strode toward the stairs. “There’s no thank-yous, no platitudes, no good-byes. No more fucking good-byes. I am so done with that shit and with all of us sacrificing our lives. We’re fucking done, and we’ll all fucking live. The first guy who tells me good-bye ever again, even if he’s just going to the fucking grocery store, gets a fist planted in his fucking face.” He disappeared once upstairs.
Jory retook his seat and glanced at Shane. “That went well.”
Shane shook his head. “There’s no Dean brothers without you, Jory.” His gaze turned stark. Dark and unlike Shane. “So whatever we have to do… we do it. Never alone.” They’d lived and nearly died by the mantra from childhood. They didn’t have a father, definitely no mother. But no matter what, they’d always have each other.
Emotion clogged Jory’s throat, and he turned back to the computer screen. “Never alone.”
Piper finished toweling off her wet hair and stepped into the bedroom, stifling a scream at seeing a man sitting on the bed.
“Sorry,” Matt Dean said, not looking sorry at all.
Thank goodness she’d dressed in her jeans and one of Jory’s shirts after her shower. Jory’s big brother was made of solid muscle with a hard-ass face. Handsome but deadly.
He was the kind of guy who’d put you in the ground and whistle while doing so—if he felt like whistling.
“Can I help you?” she asked as evenly as she could.
“Yes. Can you save Jory?” Matt asked, all badass soldier and, she could admit it, Dean brother sexy. He sat quietly, but his hands clenched into fists on his thighs.
She took a deep breath. “I don’t know, but I’d like to keep trying.” Turning, she tossed the towel behind her onto the bathroom counter. “There are different frequencies still to find. But the risk is that the chip is dead, and what if I reactivate it?”
Matt rubbed his chin and stood to pace around the room. “The frequencies of the chips are too low for even us to discern, so first we need to find out if the chip is dead.”
“Yes.” This would all be so much easier to deal with if the chip had gone inactive.
“Okay.” Matt stopped moving and towered. He probably didn’t mean to tower, but with the serious expression and his size, he just did. “Your focus, no matter what Jory says, is to work on his chip.”
Piper frowned, even while her heart gave a happy hop. It was nice to have an ally in saving Jory’s life. “Jory wants to save you three and then concentrate on his chip.”
Matt nodded, and granite had nothing on his jaw. Hell. Granite was Jell-O compared to this man’s jaw. “Jory can keep working on the codes, because his brain is there now, and I can’t pull him away from the puzzle if I wanted. He’s motivated, and I understand that since I’d die for him, too, but you’re motivated to save him, not me.”
Actually, she’d like to save them all.
Matt cleared his throat, hard gaze softening. He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels like a kid unsure of himself. “Since your mother is the one who shot him and nicked his chip…”
Piper put her hands on her hips as her face heated. “There’s no need to try guilt in motivating me.”
Matt peered down a very long way. He blinked and seemed to hold his breath. “What does motivate you?”
She paused. He was damn serious. “Why?”
“Because I’ll do whatever it takes. Money? Long life? Tour of the world? You ask for it, and I’ll do it—if you save my brother.” His voice cracked, and steel-filled determination glittered in his eyes along with a heartbreaking fear. Just like that, Matt seemed human. Frightened and determined.
Piper touched his arm, offering comfort. “I want to save Jory because he’s Jory. But the second he realizes I’m working on his chip and not yours, he’ll get pissed.”
Matt moved a shoulder the size of a boulder. “Jory doesn’t get pissed—he gets even.”
Why did that sound worse? Even more, why did Matt sound so proud of that fact, even while in sorrow? “I’m not sure how to respond to that.”
“No response necessary. Just saying that Jory will take action when he needs to… and if he’s alive, you can handle him then, don’t you think?” Matt clasped his hands behind his back, his lips twitching. “You love him, right?”
Her mouth opened and then closed. She swallowed. “I’ve known him less than a week.”
“So?”
“So a week is too fast to fall in love.” Her voice emerged way too wimpy to deal with a guy like Matt Dean, even as she told the lie.
“Ah.” Amusement lit his eyes. “Our lives have been surrounded by death from the beginning. We faced it, we fought it. Hell, we’ve even dealt it. Time doesn’t mean a damn thing. If you’ve got something good, fight for it.”
She bit her lip even though she agreed with every word. “You’re still trying to motivate me.”
“How am I doing?”
“You’re kind of impossible.” She smiled. “But likable.”
“Yeah, I get that a lot. I’m the nice one.” He didn’t crack a smile, but the irony was there. “For now, let me handle Jory the second he discovers what you’re doing.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Jory’s bigger than you.”
“He’s taller by one inch—I’m broader. Besides, I’m meaner.”
She shrugged. “Maybe usually. But he’s fighting to save his brothers—you—and I don’t think you’ve seen mean yet.”
Matt grinned. “Listen to you defending your man.” He turned her toward the door. “Let’s just hope I don’t have to put him in another coma to save his ass.”
She paused, facing the door. “I do love him,” she whispered.
“I know,” Matt said softly from behind her, his breath brushing her hair. “Welcome to the family, Piper.”
The words slid inside her skin and pierced her heart. Home. She shut her eyes to shove down tears, and then lifted her chin. “Let’s do this.”
“Yes.” He propelled her through the house to the kitchen, where they found a prowling Chance.
“Where’s the passageway to the secured areas?” Chance asked, gray eyes curious.
Piper eyed the boy. Was he delusional?
Matt leaned around her and slid open a hidden panel before typing in a code. “Zero-eight-zero-eight,” he said. “For future reference.”
A panel in the wall opened, and a set of stairs became visible. Piper gasped and stepped back.
“What’s down there?” Chance asked.
“Go and see,” Matt said gently.
Chance eyed him and then glanced around the kitchen.
Matt’s chin lifted, and understanding filled his eyes. “Our younger brothers are safe here, and you can take a moment to explore. You have my word.”
They studied each other. Piper’s breath quickened, while her heart ached. Matt and Chance looked so much alike—same eyes, same chin, same large frame. Those poor boys.
All of them.
Finally, Chance nodded. “Okay.” Then he turned and cautiously made his way down the steps.
Matt let out a slow breath.
Piper turned toward the stairs. “It’ll take time, Matt.”
“I know.” His gaze remained thoughtful.
She hoped they had time. Following Chance down, she emerged in a long cavern surrounded by solid steel walls. A bank of computers t
ook up one side, while a makeshift hospital room took up the other side. Chairs were scattered throughout. “Wow. Quite the panic room.”
Jory turned from one of the computers and flashed a smile that turned her insides upside down. He patted the chair next to him. “Come put that incredible brain to use, would you?”
She couldn’t help smiling back, even in the intimidating environment. It was nice to be admired for her brain—as well as her ass. He did say he liked both. “Love to.”
Matt dropped an arm over Chance’s shoulders. “I’ll show you the escape routes, the weapons systems, and the armory.”
Chance stilled. “Really?”
“Of course. You’re one of us now—all three of you are ours. There are no secrets here among family, and you need to know how to defend and protect your family, right?”
Chance swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Um, okay. Thanks.” Bewilderment and hope slid across his face and broke Piper’s heart. He nodded. “I need to go back to the compound.”
Matt frowned. “Why?”
“My brother is buried there. I can’t leave him.” Chance’s jaw hardened and looked exactly like Matt’s.
Matt slowly nodded. “Your brother is my brother, buddy. We’ll get him. I promise.”
Chance bit his lip, and tears glimmered in his eyes.
Piper sat down, and next to her, raw emotion glinted in Jory’s eyes. Swallowing, she began to punch in keys.
To save him. God. She had to save him.
CHAPTER
26
JORY KEPT TYPING away, trying to ignore the woman at his side and the emotion clawing at his gut. He’d seen the second that Chance had almost believed he had a family, one that would protect him, and he’d felt Piper’s response.
The woman was all heart and brains… and he wanted her. Not for once, not for a moment, but for all fucking life.
Now he was pissed he didn’t have one to give to her.
For months, he’d been fine with the thought of dying, so long as he could save his brothers. But that was before Piper had stormed her way into his heart, before he knew he could love a woman. The raw need to stay with her, to grow old with her, to protect her from the dangers he knew too well existed in life heated his very blood.
The commander wasn’t done—not by a long shot. Dr. Madison was with the PROTECT group, and she knew every weakness of the Dean brothers. Hell, if the woman broke, she’d tell them everything.
Would she tell them about her unborn grandchild? Audrey was her daughter, and now she carried Nate’s baby. If Nate was an aberration to the PROTECT group, was the baby?
Shit. Jory needed to be alive and protect that baby. And Audrey. And definitely Nate.
So when he’d realized Piper was working on his chip and not helping him find the codes, he hadn’t stopped her. Her dedication and near obsession to save his life hit him square in the heart. Plus, he was minutes away from breaking the algorithm, and he didn’t need help.
She typed away, her concentration absolute, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. She was perfect.
Sexy, smart, and dedicated.
A little wounded, but who wasn’t? He could heal her. If he had the chance, he could show her that good men didn’t leave. Good men protected people and kept them safe.
He could keep Piper safe.
If he lived.
His computer dinged.
He froze, his fingers over the keyboard. Matt glanced up from a computer down the way, where he’d taken over for Shane an hour ago when Shane had taken Chance outside to show him the perimeter. “Jory?”
Jory sat back, his gut clenching. “I’ve got it.”
Piper stopped typing. “What?” She leaned over to view his screen. “Oh my God.”
Fucking awesome. He grabbed her, lifted her right out of the chair, and whirled her around. “We broke the algorithm. There’s the current code.” He hugged her tight, his chest finally loosening. “Mattie—get your doctor. It’s time to cut.”
Piper hugged him and glanced around to the monitor. “You linked to Matt’s chip.”
“I did.”
Piper struggled to get down, and he released her. She launched herself at his computer and quickly typed in commands. A countdown clock came up. “Eight hours. Oh my God.” She swiveled to face Matt. “Your chip detonates in eight hours and three minutes.” She paled and kept her eyes on the clock for several heartbeats. Finally, she breathed out. “Eight hours and two minutes.”
Matt pressed a button on the desk. “Shane? Nate? Get Laney and get down here.” He ripped off his shirt. “I’ll be the guinea pig.”
Jory’s breath caught. He’d been so elated at finding the codes, he’d forgotten the danger in removing them. What if the codes were wrong? What if the commander had set safeguards in place? If he had, they weren’t anywhere in the computer.
But still.
Shane ran down the steps with Laney on his heels and Nate right behind her.
Laney crossed toward Matt, all feminine, all grace. She placed her palm over his heart. “We have the codes?”
“Yes.” He brushed her lips with his, and Jory fought the urge to look away.
Laney turned toward him, her eyes soft. “Thank you, Jory.”
He nodded, his heart cracking with a fear he couldn’t afford to feel right now. “The second you get him on the table, I’ll uncover the current code and will punch it in—it’s active for thirty seconds. As soon as I find the deactivate option, it’ll stop completely. I’ll let you know, and you hurry.”
She swallowed. Fear glowed bright in her stunning eyes.
Matt ran his hands down her arms. “If you can’t do this, I’ll have Shane pull out my chip. He’s good.”
Laney’s shoulders went back, and she drew in a deep breath. “I was a surgeon, and my hands are quicker than Shane’s. Smaller, too. I can do this, Mattie. I promise.”
Jory frowned, doubt heating his lungs. “Maybe she shouldn’t operate on you.” There was a reason hospitals didn’t allow doctors to operate on family members.
Laney wiped away a tear. “Are you sure you don’t want anesthesia?”
“No—there’s no need. You can do this.” Matt smiled. “Right?”
She nodded. “I had a small problem with blood for a while, but now I’m okay. I can do this.” She leaned in and kissed Matt’s jaw. “Trust me.”
He hugged her tight. “More than life, I do.” Taking her hand, he led her over to the hospital bed and then turned to view everyone. “If this doesn’t go well, take care of my Laney. I love you. All.”
Jory swallowed. “Thank you, Matt. For everything.”
Matt sprawled over the table. Laney hustled for the cupboard, while Nate and Shane followed suit. They all donned gloves, and Laney grabbed a scalpel.
She hovered over Matt’s back, her gaze on Jory.
Jory turned back toward the computer. The code was 55yt#@$8tyz. He waited. And waited. And waited.
Nobody said a word. Shit. Was anybody even breathing?
The code changed to o998&%^*@!. He quickly typed in the connecting code, the computer searched, and then he was online with Matt’s chip. He typed in the kill code, and commands came up. DETONATE or RESET.
No, no, no. “Crap. There’s no option to deactivate. Detonate or reset.” He shook his head. He had to take it off-line.
“Reset it,” Matt ordered, his head turned to the side, his eyes firm and steady.
What if it didn’t work? What if he’d waited too long? What if this was a trap?
“Now,” Matt said.
“Wait—” Laney breathed.
“Now, Jory. Now!” Matt ordered.
Jory clicked RESET.
A bright red warning scrolled across the screen. “Shit. You have twenty-five seconds, Laney, or it’ll reset again and detonate.” He leaped to his feet and reached the bed, his hands shaking.
Piper stood next to him and slid her hand into his. He squeezed and tried to think of a pr
ayer. Any prayer.
Laney leaned close to Matt’s back and slowly drew down the scalpel. Blood welled. Then she cut the other way.
Shane held out a bowl.
“Get ready,” Laney said quietly. She must’ve slipped into surgeon mode, because her hand remained steady, and her voice threaded with command.
She cut again.
Grabbing forceps, she leaned in. The instrument hovered above the chip. “God, it’s in there but good,” she hissed.
“Don’t jiggle it,” Jory warned.
“I know.” She reached around, leaning down for a better look. “The chip is cylinder shaped, and it’s… shit… dented.”
One touch, and it might go off, code or not. Jory glanced back at the computer. Fifteen seconds. Fourteen. Thirteen. He couldn’t lose his brother. Not now, not after everything.
Piper tightened her hold on his hand, and he focused on Laney. Should he take over?
She groaned and sweat dripped into her eyes. She blinked.
Shane reached over with cotton to wipe her face.
“Thanks,” she muttered. “The second I clamp this, it might go off. Everybody step back.”
Nobody moved, but Jory did check the countdown clock. Five. Four. Three. “Now, Laney,” he ordered, turning to watch her hands, panic ripping up his throat.
With a soft cry, she dug in and clamped. Sparks flew. Fast as a whip, she struck and yanked the chip from Matt’s body.
The chip clattered into the bowl.
For a moment, they all stared at the quiet cylinder.
Laney staggered back. “It’s out. Oh my God. It’s out.”
Jory glanced down. The rectangular chip was about two inches long and made of metal. Or some type of new plastic perhaps. Smoke rose from it. The device seemed pretty flat, but he didn’t want to pick it up.
The computer dinged a warning.
Steam cascaded from the chip. A spark flew, and it jumped inches. Blades cracked open, unfolding from the base. Slicing hard and fast into the metal.
Everyone stepped back.
“Holy fuck,” Nate breathed.