Page 67 of Redemption

You found me in hell and held onto my soul when I wasn’t strong enough to know how tired it was. You gave me the strength I needed when I was building myself again, and that has to be the basic foundation of the most honest friendship I have ever had. Thank you.

All My Heart,

Victoria

P.S. Thanks for all the OOOOs. That was a lot of fun too.

Powerless to fight their circumstances, he ran his hand over his face, half-smiling from the postscript, half-numb from the rest. There was nothing left to do now but work.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ryder revved the engine one last time before he powered down the sports car in the underground parking garage at Titan’s headquarters. The emptiness in his chest still held its paralyzing grip, making his limbs ache with heaviness. This was what Delta did. They saved people, rescued them, returned them to their real lives. And then Delta disappeared like a wisp of smoke, never to be seen again.

Already, Brock and Jared made a special exception for him, and maybe that had been the wrong move. He dropped his head back against the soft leather headrest, closing his eyes, and he breathed in the extravagance of the vehicle. Nothing about this car, this life was what he ever expected.

The passenger door opened, and Ryder startled to attention as Brock eased himself into the Audi. Maybe Ryder should’ve taken something a little less flashy, but he needed speed, and this baby had a serious set of wheels and get-up-and-go packed under the hood.

“She make it on her flight okay?” Brock asked, likely already knowing the answer.

Ryder’s last text from Victoria had been from her seat. A selfie. She also gave him a quick update on who she thought was traveling as a federal marshal in plain clothes. Then she had to power off her phone. He donned a placating grin and forced it to stay long enough to be believable. “Flying back to the heartland.”

“Do you know why we recruited you?”

Ryder snorted, not expecting that turn in the conversation. “Because I’m a hell of a shot and had no one.”

“Because you were a hell of a shot and were going to spend the rest of your life in prison.”

Ryder’s eyes narrowed, and he sucked in his cheeks, not daring to say a word.

Brock cleared his throat but didn’t carry the conversation either. No one knew what he had done.No one.He wasn’t going to prison, and there wasn’t proof—no evidence, no witnesses. Nothing.

“Was that part of your decision?” Brock finally broke the silence. “To take the job with Delta?”

Ryder’s molars ground down. Of course not! No one knew! Delta team was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do amazing work, something that mattered more than his piddly shit at home. “Not sure what you’re talking about, mate.”

“It was a deciding factor in hiring you.” His boss frowned in thought, lines deepening against his forehead.

Irritation scraped under Ryder’s skin, testing his limits as memories percolated. “Whatever you’re talking ‘bout, I’m sure blackmailwasn’tone of the things I thought you hired me for.”

Brock shook his head. “On the contrary.”

Ryder glared, teeth steeled together, his nostrils flaring as he tried in vain to control his response.

“You were a top contender for recruitment.” He shifted in the passenger seat, crossing his arms. “As you know, we learn everything. Nothing happens that we couldn’t find out.”

Ryder’s heartbeat slammed in his chest. Bile churned viciously in his stomach. “What are you getting at?”

“A sniper is as good as his kill shot. His accuracy. But we didn’t want just the best. We wanted someone worthy of being on the team that carries out Delta operations.” Brock tilted his head, his severe dark eyes grabbing on to Ryder’s and not letting go. “You were thoughtful, thorough. Calculating and premeditated. It was justified.”

Ryder couldn’t breathe. His lungs seemed at capacity as his nostrils flared with each drowning inhale. Even if he wanted to respond, his jaw had sealed. Nothing was moving except the jumping, thumping pulse at the veins in his temple. Brock knew. Titan Group knew.

“You’re just a kid, Ryder. But life didn’t give you a childhood.”

Sweat trickled down his back, and he willed his heart to slow the hell down. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“Because then you wouldn’t have hadher.”

He looked away, his throat burning at the memories of the past, wondering why they were even having this conversation. “What’re ya getting at?”

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