Dominance Never Dies (Masters and Mercenaries #11)(81)

“I don’t have a girlfriend. Mother hasn’t matched us yet.”

Mia could hear the slightest hesitation in his voice and she pounced on it. Every second he stayed here with her was another chance for Case to find them. “You do have a girlfriend. She loves you so much. Erin. Her name is Erin. Theo, she just gave birth to your son. You have a baby boy. He’s a week old. His name is Theo, Jr. Please remember. Please. They need you. Case needs you. You have to remember your family. You died on an island in the Grand Caymans.”

He stilled behind her. “Why do I remember Tennessee? It plays through my head at the oddest times. I think I was in Tennessee before Mother saved me.”

It was all bubbling under his surface. It was still there. She just had to find the right way to punch through all those drugs that bitch had fed him. “No. You were trying to save a man named Tennessee. Tennessee Smith. He was your commanding officer. You belonged to a black ops team in the CIA before you went to work for your brother’s company. McKay-Taggart. You have three brothers, Ian and Sean and Case. And you have so many people who love you. She didn’t save you. She took you away from your family.”

He breathed in, a long deep inhale, as though taking in her scent. She hadn’t even thought about it when she’d smoothed the body lotion on after her shower. It had been an impulse to send Erin a Christmas gift. Almost an apology. She’d sent Erin a box of chocolate covered cherries after finding out they were her favorite treats. She hadn’t expected anything back since she and Case hadn’t been speaking at the time. And then she’d gotten a box of body lotion Erin claimed was the best and a note that stated Taggart men suck and that Mia should hang in there and not take any of Case’s shit. Erin had explained in her own unique fashion that Case would come around.

Now she stood very still and prayed that little gift Erin had sent could reach across the space between Erin and Theo, could bring him back.

“I think about a red-haired girl,” Theo whispered. “I think about her, but I can’t see her anymore.”

“Erin.” Maybe if Mia said her name enough, it would break through to Theo.

There was a spatter of gunfire right outside the door, and Theo moved behind her, his hands releasing. Mia shoved away, turning. She was about to run when she saw Theo pale, his free hand reaching for his head as though he was in pain.

“Are you okay?” She knew she should run, but this was Theo. She’d never met him, but he was so important to Case. It was worth the risk. “Please come with me. He’s right outside. I can take you to Erin and TJ. Your son needs his father.”

He pulled the earpiece out of his ear and threw it to the ground, grinding it under his boot.

He was coming. She was going to give Case back his brother.

He leveled the gun right at her head. “I don’t want Mother to hear this. I prefer to follow orders. It keeps my head on my body. I don’t know who you are. Maybe you’re a test. I don’t know, but you’re lying. I don’t have a brother and I don’t know who the f*ck Erin is. I like redheads, that’s all.”

“I bet you can’t even bring yourself to touch another woman.” She couldn’t lose him now. Play to reason. To logic. Surely the drugs couldn’t change his reasoning skills.

“I wouldn’t…” He stopped, but the gun didn’t lower. “Stop talking or I really will kill you. Come here.”

She started to take a step back, but he was on her in an instant. He dragged her to him, stepping behind one of the shelves.

“She can’t see us here. I can’t bring myself to do what she wants me to.”

Mia didn’t understand everything Case was saying. “You couldn’t kill your brother. You knew it was him. That was why you didn’t shoot to kill.”

“I made a mistake.” He shoved her to the ground.

Mia hit the concrete floor, her knees banging against it, sending pain flaring through her. Still, she turned, imploring him. “It wasn’t a mistake. Somewhere deep down, you knew. You recognized him.”

“I’m leaving now. I need you to understand something. I’m following my brothers. If I see your partner again, I will kill him. I won’t have a choice and I won’t hesitate. She told me you would show up one day. She told me you would lie and try to get me to turn.”

“Then why aren’t you killing me?”

His face tensed and for a second she waited for him to pull the trigger. “I’m weak. I won’t be if I see that man again. I’ll be waiting behind that door. I’ll wait and when it opens, I’ll shoot him in the head. So whether he lives or dies is your choice. Do you understand me?”

His words made her shiver because she believed him. “Yes.”

“Don’t move. Not an inch.” He stepped back so his body was out in the small space between the shelves. He fired the weapon, the sound deafening.

Mia screamed, but the bullets didn’t hit her, lodging instead in the wall behind her.

Her whole body shook as she watched Theo disappear behind the secret door.

He’d almost hit her with those shots. She’d felt a bullet scream past her head. Had that been an accident, too? Or had he been trying to terrify her?

The door burst open and she heard Case yelling.

“Mia!”

“I’m here,” she managed.