Defiance (The Protectors #9)(87)

Nathan nodded. “Brody said you found proof that the girl…Megan…that she knew my father.”

“She went to church with your parents. Your father approached her to see if she wanted to help with your campaign…it was while you were still planning to run on the Republican ticket.”

Nathan nodded in understanding. “I don’t remember meeting her,” he murmured.

“You didn’t. There’s no record of her having ever worked on the campaign. Your father used it as an excuse.”

“To seduce her,” Nathan said.

“Yeah,” I acknowledged. “She got pregnant and went to your father. At that point, his mental health had started to decline. Your mother found out about her and paid her off using a forged check from the funds left over in your campaign. Clint and his father found the check among Megan’s belongings along with a suicide note that said she didn’t want to live if she couldn’t be with the father of her baby. They assumed she was talking about you because of the check.”

Nathan shook his head in disbelief. “All the lives he destroyed,” he murmured.

I figured he was talking about his father, but I didn’t comment.

“Brody said Aunt Verona is okay, right?”

“Yes, your aunt was out of town visiting a friend at the time. Yates had his guys attack your parents and had them do a conference call with Brody to make it seem like he was with your parents when he spoke to you. Since he couldn’t reach you, he figured Brody would tell him where you were, or he’d get his hands on Brody and force you out of hiding.”

I helped Nathan stand so I could work the sweats off his body. I tried to ignore the bruising on his body, since all it did was piss me off that I hadn’t gotten to him sooner. Not to mention it made me want to hunt Clint down and put a bullet through his head. If Nathan hadn’t needed me, I probably would have done it right there in the warehouse. But the man was Ronan’s problem now, and since he’d nearly killed one of Ronan’s men, I doubted he’d get off easy…or at all.

“I knew you’d find me,” Nathan murmured as I straightened and helped him get his shirt off.

“I’ll always find you when you need me,” I said softly, right before I kissed him.

His arms went around me and I just held him for a while. But when his body began to get heavy, I sat him back down and then quickly undressed myself. I got the shower going and waited for the water to warm up before I helped Nathan to his feet and got him in the shower. I held him against my body as I carefully washed his body, and when it came time to wash his hair, I sat him down on a small bench in the shower. When I was finished cleaning him, I put my arms around him and just held him under the hot spray of water for a while.

I was still reeling from the close call myself.

After Cain’s call, I’d immediately checked my app to figure out where Nathan was, but when I’d gotten an alert that the watch was offline, I’d completely lost it. It was Gage who’d managed to keep it together long enough to get me and Clint to the airport. We’d been airborne with the intent of going back to Seattle when the app had alerted me that the watch was back online. By the time we’d crossed the border into Washington state, we’d had to veer south to follow the signal to a remote area in Central Washington.

Nathan’s injuries had been pretty bad, but not enough to warrant a trip to the hospital. I’d gotten him on Ronan’s plane and headed back to San Juan Island, leaving Gage to deal with the authorities. I’d had to call in another favor with the FBI director to let him know I’d left another body in my wake. Like he’d done with the shooting when we’d gone after Ethan’s ex, the man had smoothed things over with the local authorities. While I still needed to give my statement, it was nothing more than a formality at this point.

I pressed kisses against Nathan’s neck as I held him. The relief at having him back in my arms was bittersweet, and my heart ached at what I needed to do.

“I love you, Nathan,” I whispered into his ear. I heard him let out a harsh sob and felt him nod against my neck. I had a feeling he knew exactly why I was telling him here and now because he wrapped his arms around me even tighter, a move that I was sure cost him what little strength he had left.

“Love you,” he said as he pulled back a little and kissed me. He pressed his forehead against mine. “Please, Vincent, we can figure this out.”

Pain exploded in my chest at his plea and I felt tears stinging my eyes. “Baby, remember your promise,” I said, my voice catching on the last word.

He let out a whimper and then crushed his face against my neck. I held him a while longer, and then got him out of the shower and dried him off. We didn’t speak again until I’d tucked him under the covers. “Go change the world, Nathan,” I said softly, right before I kissed him again. He closed his eyes after that.

Probably so he wouldn’t have to watch me walk away.

I barely made it out the bedroom door before the tears began to fall. I wiped them away and straightened. I came to an abrupt halt when I saw Brody watching me from the top of the stairs.

“Take care of him,” I told him, but I didn’t give him time to say anything back. I hurried down the stairs and grabbed my bag, which I’d left at the base of the stairs.

“Vincent.”