LOGINShare
Chapter 208
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Aegis Group Chapter 209
LUKE DIDN'T WANT TO BE AWAKE.He didn't want to be alive.His bladder had needs.He cracked one eye open.Light streamed in around the blackout curtains, which meant it was probably early afternoon or later.Fuck, when had he come home?Drinking at Marco's had turned rowdy. He was pretty sure they'd broken at least one piece of furniture before Luke had passed out.Christ, he shouldn't drink.He pushed the comforter down. Paper crinkled. He frowned and felt around until he touched a piece of crumpled paper.A note from his mom.God, he was an awful son.He squinted at the words, his still-fuzzy brain puzzling their meaning out. All that really mattered was one: groceries.Luke tossed it onto the nightstand and stared at the ceiling.He'd thrown a pretty epic one-man pity party for the better part of a week. He'd been more drunk than sober for most of it. All the booze did was make him angry-at Mossad, at Baron, at the media, at himself. Nothing could dull the
Aegis Group Chapter 210
ABIGAIL HAD NEVER SEEN anything more beautiful than Luke. The way he looked at her... How he made her feel... And to think, she'd cursed Baron for giving her this life. Without it, she'd never have met Luke. All the hardships, the years, they'd led her here. To him."Abigail?" He stroked her hair, her face. She didn't care about the muscle twinges, the pressure on her shoulder or the throb of bruises. He was touching her."I hate Baron, but...""There's no But' about it, he better stay across the damn ocean.""He arranged it all.""What?""My death.""I'm supposed to thank him for that?""I'm dead, Luke. Think about it."He stared at her, his gaze a little unsteady. If she had to guess, based on the state of the house, he'd been in mourning. For her. And here she'd wondered if he cared, if her coming back from the dead was a good idea or not."You look awfully alive to me," he said."Yael is dead. No one is looking for her.""So what?""It means I'm done. I d
Aegis Group Chapter 211: Epilogue, six months later.
"HEY, BLISS? HANNAH? WHERE you want this ice?" Luke hefted a couple bags up under his arms. The cookout was in full swing, and he'd drawn the unlucky straw to replenish the ice mid-celebration. Probably for the best, since he was among one of the only sober ones in attendance. It was going to be one hell of a night, that was for sure."Oh, just through there, please?" Bliss pointed at the doorway leading into the laundry room. "Did you see who Molly Turner brought? Who is that guy, Luke?""Not sure." The last thing Luke wanted to talk about was Ethan's widow with someone else.He shouldered through the door. Several empty coolers sat up against the walls, drinks and bottles stacked on top of the washer and dryer. He let the bags drop before ripping open one bag.Life was...good. Work had cooled off, staying mostly uneventful, though he was pretty sure the admiral was keeping him close to home after the fiasco six months ago. Abigail was settling in nicely. They had a routine.
Aegis Group Chapter 212: Dangerous Protector
Volume 5: Dangerous ProtectorMARCO BENALLY SWIRLED THE ice cubes in his glass, each clink ratcheting up the tension coiled between his shoulder blades.She should have been here already.His source had put his mark here every Friday at five, like clockwork.So where the hell was she?The downtown Denver bar was full of the young, trendy office crowd. They didn't need shit on them to smell. Most of the ones clustered around the bar worked for NueEnergy, a company that touted themselves as the second coming for green electric alternatives.NueEnergy was about as green as what came out the back end of his Harley.He turned, surveying the happy hour crowd in their designer suits and fashionable hoopla.When sludge started coming up out of the ground a couple acres from his parent's place in Moab, they'd trusted the authorities to get to the bottom of it and fix things.That was nearly four years ago.The sludge was still there, and his family had been forced off the
Aegis Group Chapter 213
FIONA'S HEAD BUZZED.What did she want to say?"My boyfriend dumped me a week ago because I'm boring." She curled her hands around the pint. Okay, so that wasn't what she wanted to say, but she needed to say it to someone. Another living, breathing person and not just her own reflection. A stranger at the bar would have to do."Boring?" The biker guy's gaze stroked down her body. "Sweetheart, I don't want to be disrespectful, but I'd be willing to bet he's the one who lacks imagination."Fiona shouldn't preen. She wasn't. She was just...sipping her beer and not smiling."You love this guy or something?" The biker's face scrunched up over the word love, as though it were distasteful to him."Scott? Hell no." She set the glass down, sputtering a laugh."Then-what's the big deal?" He was the real rough-around-the-edges type. Big. Wide shoulders. Hands large enough to...be scary. Long hair, scruffy beard. Sharp eyes. He was dangerous, but also...under control.She shrugged.
Aegis Group Chapter 214
MARCO GRIMACED AT THE front of Cooter's Chop Shop Saloon. Of course his cousin would be in a classy place like this. The fucker.If Danny weren't his cousin, if his mother hadn't specifically asked Marco to make sure her son was okay, this was the last place he'd be. Danny couldn't stay out of trouble to save his life, and that was the problem. Still, Danny was family and Marco couldn't turn his back on his cousin, even if he was a stupid kid.He swung his leg off the Harley and tried to wipe the scowl off his face.His phone buzzed up a storm. He glanced at it, but the number was unknown.Ghost was always calling him from another burner bounced through various satellites.Shit.If Ghost was calling him, it was probably important, but he was already here to handle whatever shit-storm Danny had started in the point-zero-one seconds he'd been out of prison."Hey, make it quick," Marco said into the phone. He peered through the grimy front windows, the scent of hash in the a
Aegis Group Chapter 215
SCOTT JABBED AT THE keyboard, anger simmering low in his stomach.How much longer was he going to get jerked around like this? He'd done his part, now the corporate goons were supposed to back off. He'd let the coast clear and then-then Brat would be his to deal with. Eliminate. Finally!Her name was Fiona now.Scott only remembered her handle.b4dbr47.BadBrat in non-leet speak.Everyone had called her Brat back then. She'd been one of the lemmings, the idealistic children staged to take the fall.Instead, she'd taken them down.The bitch.It'd taken a long time to find her after he'd emerged. Two years in hiding, watching his back, wondering if the feds were coming after him. Two years for her to burrow into the shithole that was this new life.Did she even hack anymore?Scott couldn't find Brat's trail anywhere.He'd only found her again by chance. Because that stupid ass who recruited her had a thing for leggy teenage girls and hadn't been shy about sharing
Aegis Group Chapter 216
FIONA'S HANDS SHOOK SO badly she could barely hold onto her keys. Marco had his palms braced on the door, blocking out the light, pressing in behind her. Her whole body vibrated from the Harley ride. She was still warm from his touch. She could still feel of him pressed against her between her legs.He bent his head, nuzzling the side of her neck.Besides being on the bike, he hadn't yet touched her.Yet.As soon as she got these damn keys sorted though...Ah-ha!She jammed her key into the deadbolt and twisted it free. She shoved the door open with one hand and punched the alarm code with the other.The system emitted a double-beep the same moment Marco's hands wrapped around her arms. He kicked the door shut and turned her toward him. She pressed her back against the wall and stared up at him.Maybe this was a mistake...but if it was, she didn't want to know that. Not right now.Marco leaned in and she flattened her hands against the wall, her gaze on his mouth."
Latest chapter
Aegis Group Chapter 490: Epilogue.
Two months later. Ekko's Apartment, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.EKKO STARED AT THE table with the spread of food laid out.Was there enough? Did she need more? Would Coco and Paxton like it?She reached out and adjusted the tray of cheese so it was at more of an angle instead of perfectly aligned to everything else.It looked too neat."Stop." Silas took her hand and spun her toward him, capturing her against his chest with strong arms around her waist."It looks like I'm trying too hard." She smoothed her hands up and over his shoulders."Stop. It's just Paxton and Coco.""Your best friend and his fiancé, who I haven't met yet.""What?" Silas' face scrunched up. "You've talked to her dozens of times.""In the background of you and Paxton talking. That doesn't count." She pulled away from him and proceeded to turn dishes a little this way and that."You do realize Coco spends most days digging in elephant shit and stuff, right?""Silas." She scowled at him."What?" He gr
Aegis Group Chapter 489: Thursday. New York Hospital, New York.
IT FELT LIKE THE weight Silas had been carrying around in his gut had now attached itself to his eyelids. He floated in darkness, no longer asleep but not yet awake. Someone had called this twilight once, though he couldn't recall who. Something wouldn't let him go back to sleep. There was something he needed to do. It was urgent.What the hell was it?That nagging question hounded him as he ever so slowly gathered his strength.He wasn't aware of time or how long it took to wrestle one eyelid open, but at long last he peered out of his darkness into...more darkness.Well that was just dandy. What the fuck?He blinked that one eye again, letting his vision adjust. He was in a room and there was a light on, it just didn't do much.Machines beeped and whirled around him.That was a sound he could never mistake and it told him the first piece of his puzzle. From there the others fell into place, one after another.He was still in the hospital.He'd been hurt.There was a fight.
Aegis Group Chapter 488: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
EKKO CLUNG TO THE stretcher bearing Silas out to the parking lot.She hadn't realized how bad his injuries were. He was barely keeping his eyes open. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she kept pace with the two paramedics. Silas covered her hand with his as they came to a stop at the bumper of an ambulance.Paxton, Brett and Vito were sitting inside. They were worse for wear and grim, but seemed okay.All around them police were marching uninjured people they'd arrested to sit in a line next to a chain-link fence blocking the sidewalk. The night was lit up with swirling lights that made her head spin."Where's Chayan?" she asked. Her heart was tearing in two, aching for both men.A little distance away an ambulance took off, sirens blaring. She hoped it was the one with Pasley in it."Ma'am, I need to look at that wound," a paramedic said to her.She held tight to Silas' hand. "What about Chayan? Older man, little taller than me? Salt and pepper hair?"Silas had said he was fine.
Aegis Group Chapter 487: Wednesday. New York City, New York.
IGNEY PACED IN A circle, looking down each hall in turn.Where were they? Had he miscalculated? Were they willing to lose the woman so long as they got the man?His orders were clear. Get both the man and the woman.The woman was a symbol. Too many young people had taken to the streets because they listened to others like her.The man though, he knew things.Killing the woman was personal. Chasing her had cast him in a bad light. But the man was more important in the grand scheme of things."Fuck," Igney muttered. He glanced at a pair of men striding for the doors. "You. Come here."The men never glanced at him. Because they didn't understand him?He whirled to face Alban. "Where are the others?""I don't know where Delem and Michil are." He grimaced. "I haven't heard from them since we split up to search the building."That wasn't good.Igney had heard a lot of gunfire. Was it possible the other men he'd brought with him were dead?If both Chayan and Pasley escaped, leavin
Aegis Group Chapter 486: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
EKKO'S ONE OFFENSIVE ATTEMPT was an utter failure. Her head spun and she was going to be sick.This wasn't good.She felt like a ragdoll being drug around, first by Igney then another man she didn't recognize. He spoke Daurian though which could only mean one thing.He was London DSS.Her body chilled. Was that from fear or the blows to the head? She didn't know anymore."Come find me, Pasley, or your little bird dies," Igney cackled into the radio.She tasted bile.Pasley had called her little bird back in the park.Igney cackled like a bad movie villain. The man was enjoying this. He was getting off on torturing them all.What about Silas?Pasley was with him.If Pasley told Silas, if he knew, they would come for her. Silas was determined to bring them all home and to keep her safe. But if he did, if he came to her rescue, Igney would kill them. Igney needed her and Chayan. Which meant he couldn't kill her here and now. It was an empty threat. Wasn't it? Did she dare belie
Aegis Group Chapter 485: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
SILAS PUSHED HIS GROUP hard as they traversed the second floor. The sun had fully set, plunging them into complete darkness where there weren't windows or other lights.This building was a damn maze, and every turn they needed was blocked by too many people to fight their way through.There had to be more than the fifteen or so they'd estimated. More like thirty.This wasn't good.What about Ekko? Where had the others gone to?He'd hoped getting down here meant they would find her and Paxton, but so far all they'd found were a few bodies. At least they knew Paxton and Brett were eliminating the other side. But no one had taken the ammo or guns. Why? When resources were this precious, why not take them?Could they have gotten free? Did he dare hope?Something thumped in the darkness. Like a heavy footfall.Silas cursed himself as he skidded to a stop. He didn't see anything, but his gut screamed at him. He pivoted and threw himself at Chayan, shoving the other man aside. Silas w
Aegis Group Chapter 484: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
THE DARKNESS FELT AS if it were swallowing her.Ekko clung to the back of Paxton's shirt like he'd directed. She couldn't shake the sensation that there were hands out there reaching for her. That Igney or one of the others were biding their time and waiting for the chance to kill her.Where was Silas? What about Chayan and the others?They'd been separated before she realized what was going on.Behind them a burst of gunfire spurred her on, shattering the silence.She knew it was Brett. Was he trading gunfire with someone? Those shots all sounded the same to her. She hoped he was safe. He was only one man and they had no idea how many were behind them."Stay close." Paxton reached back and pressed her hand to his back.Her head pounded with each and every step. It hurt so bad, but she didn't want to say anything. Her pain was minimal compared to what could happen."Will you cut that out?" Paxton yelled behind them.He side stepped and sort of skipped through a narrow gap betw
Aegis Group Chapter 483: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
SILAS GRIT HIS TEETH to keep from telling Paxton to hurry the fuck up. It wasn't like Paxton was slow. The knife on his belt tool was small and no doubt dulled after cutting through several sets of thick, plastic restraints.Sitting like this it felt as though there was a ten pound weight sitting on his guts. He didn't know what the knife had cut, but Silas knew from the woozy feeling and blood making his jeans sticky it wasn't good. He had to get the others out of here before his clock ran out."Which way did they bring you up?" Silas asked Brett instead of chafing at how long getting free was taking.Brett stood by the door, a discarded piece of wood held as a weapon. "We came in some doors, up a stair to our right then a long walk down here. You?""Different way." Silas grimaced. "Do we retrace our path, or avoid it? How many people were with you?"Brett grimaced. They'd been hooded when they arrived. "Hard to say.""Let's assume at least the three that came in here plus one o
Aegis Group Chapter 482: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
EKKO STARED IN SHOCK, her head spinning as the men left the room again."S-Silas?" she whispered so softly she barely heard herself.He slumped sideways groaning.Had that man-that monster-just stabbed Silas?"Man, Silas, dude, talk to us." Paxton had scooted forward, his arms extended behind him, attention on Silas."I'm fine." Silas' voice was strained. "Brett, Vito, how are you two?""Alive," Brett groaned."Vito? Man?" Silas shook his head and sat up straighter."Fine."This was it.Ekko swallowed.They'd done everything and in the end, they were outplayed.The DSS would kill them. She wasn't sure why they hadn't already, but she didn't doubt that death was the final move. All of these people, they were going to die because she'd been arrogant. She'd thought she knew what she was doing, when in fact she hadn't a clue.A sob tore out of Ekko making her already aching head pound harder."Ekko?" Silas called out. "Ekko, listen to me, this is going to be okay. Pax?"A ch
