Page 52 of When We Collide

With all the evidence we have on him, he’ll be transported back to Russia and serving a life sentence with no parole. As he stands there, trapped by our efforts and those of his former comrades, I’m fully relishing in his downfall.

Justice is finally being served for all those innocent people he has wronged over the years.

For the suffering Jeyla and I had to go through and every single second I had to spend away from my son and my family while running from him.

I smirk as the special forces officers handcuff Viktor. “Viktor Lukin, you are under arrest for the abduction of a minor, fifty-six counts of manslaughter…” And the list went on and on.

I stumble out of the chaotic scene, my body battered and bruised, but somehow still intact. I turn to face Jack, my partner in this dangerous game, and he extends his hand towards me. “Reyes,” he drawls with a grin, “Congratulations. That was one hell of a bust.” His grip is firm and reassuring as we exchange a one-armed bro-hug.

“I couldn't have done it without you,” I tell him sincerely. “Knowing you were around to keep an eye on DJ through all of this meant a lot.”

“Ah, don't mention it,” Jack replies humbly. “It's all part of the job. And I have to say, you kept your cool in there. I would have done far more damage than break a couple of his ribs if he even dared speak about my wife like that.”

“I could have killed him, believe me.” I admit with a wry smile, but suddenly feel a sharp pain in my ribs, causing me to hiss.

“You should get checked out, bro,” Jack advises with a smirk. “You look like you went ten rounds with Tyson.”

“Nah, I'll be all right,” I assure him through gritted teeth. “Thankfully the asshole couldn’t kick for shit. Though, I must admit, I’ve never been more grateful for all those gruelling body conditioning exercises they made us do.” I sigh. “I’m just looking forward to going home to my girl and kid and collapsing into bed for a long overdue sleep.”

Jack guffaws, “Tell me about it. Make sure you rest up though when you get back home. As my wise mother once said, nothing heals a man faster than crawling into the arms of the woman he loves.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” I murmur as Jack pats my shoulder in a brotherly manner uttering a ‘bye’ before walking off tojoin the group of our crew members who are now engaged in conversation. Now the bounty on my head has been dealt with, my body is starting to relax, every muscle that has been taut with tension slowly loosens as the stress and adrenaline leave my system. With each step I take, I feel a throbbing sensation pulsing through my body from head to toe. It's as if every nerve is coming back to life after being numb for so long. My breathing slows and deepens as my senses begin to fully awaken, taking in the world around me with newfound clarity and relief.

I know deep in my soul that it was only by the grace of God that I am standing here, alive and victorious. Our mission was perilous and filled with danger at every turn, but somehow, we managed to outsmart Viktor and his allies. His thirst for blood and need to hunt me down led him to make careless mistakes, giving us the upper hand. And when our brothers from across the pond at the U.S Navy joined forces with us, commandeering a shipment of nuclear weapons hidden in crates of baby formula that Viktor was trying to smuggle across, along with other incriminating evidence fed to us from Jack—who has been deep under cover—we were able to bring down the fucker once and for all.

I’m fucking free. No more running, no more looking over my shoulder. I can finally go home and be with my family. The weight of the world feels like it lifts off my shoulders as I take a long deep breath and let myself believe that this nightmare is truly over, and our victory is real.

As the Globemaster’smassive wheels finally kiss the tarmac at the airbase, my hands tremble uncontrollably. I can barely keep myself together, my heart racing with anticipation. The ten minutes it takes to taxi to a stop feel like a lifetime, my body thrumming with the desperate need to see Jeyla and DJ. I don’t even know if she’s been told I survived; if she’s been spared the agony of thinking I was killed. But I know one thing, those last words I said to her, before we lost communication, would have devasted her.

The boys chant the lyrics to Sweet Caroline as we roll to a final halt, their voices bursting with exhilaration. We stand to disembark, each of us riding the high of a mission accomplished. Today, every single one of us stared death in the face and lived to tell the tale. The rush of survival, of beating the odds, surges through us all. The boys are buzzing, already talking about the celebration that’s sure to come.

But for me, there’s only one thought—one need—that drives me forward.

As we step off the plane, the roar of applause and cheers from the ground crew, squadron members, and our superiors washes over us like a wave. The sound is deafening, a symphony of relief and respect. We’re welcomed back as heroes, but all I can think about is finding Jeyla in this crowd, holding her, reassuring her that I’m here—I’m alive.

“You look like you've been through hell, but it’s great to see you, Captain.” Chief Scott praises, holding his hand out for me to shake. I take it and give a firm squeeze while offering a quick nod of acknowledgement. My eyes scan the area in search of my girl, but she is nowhere to be seen.

“Sir, where are Jeyla and my son?” I ask over the deafening racket in the background. Chief Scott looks over my shoulder and gestures behind me. My eyes follow his and immediately lock with those captivating green orbs that floored me when I first saw them twenty years ago. The emerald irises of her eyes overflowing with tears seem to sparkle in the dim lighting around us, drawing me in with their magnetic pull. Fuck me, she’s a beautiful sight. The crowd parts for us and for a moment, it feels like we are the only two people in the world, lost in each other's gaze amidst the chaos around us.

A look of relief washes over Jeyla's features, causing a sharp pang in my chest. My heavy duffel bag slips off my shoulder and thuds to the ground as I drop it to the floor of the airbase. In seconds, Jeyla is racing towards me from across the hangar, her long hair flying behind her like a dark banner. The sight of her makes all of my injuries fade away and I brace myself as she throws herself into my arms with such force that I almost stumble backwards.

“Oh, my God.” Her voice is muffled against my neck as she weeps, her small frame shaking in my embrace. Despite the pain in my fractured ribs, I hold onto her tightly, feeling whole for the first time in what feels like years. My right hand curls around the nape of her neck and I press soft kisses along her shoulder, trying to soothe her trembling form. “Dean, I was so scared, I thought that he had killed you.” Jeyla's words are choked with emotion as she pulls back to scan my face. “What has he done to you?” Her delicate fingers brush along the cuts and bruises that cover my face, souvenirs from the yearlong battle we fought and won.

My forehead presses against hers. “I’m alright, baby girl,” I assure her. “It looks a lot worse than it is.”

Jeyla gazes into my eyes and I use my fingers to brush away the endless stream of tears. “Is it over?”

I nod, “It's over, baby. He’ll be looking at a life sentence. He’ll never the see the light of day again.” A look of relief floods her pretty face before she cups my face gently and brushes a kiss on my lips. “Where’s DJ? Is he okay?”

Jeyla nods, “They had a doctor check him out. He’s a little malnourished where he hasn’t been fed properly, but he’s on a drip right now, the doctor said he’ll be fine by tomorrow. He’s asleep inside. I’m just so relieved to have him back.” She explains and presses her forehead to mine and adds, “To have you both back.”

“Hey, come on baby girl, no more crying.” Jeyla sobs even harder and I hold her tighter, my arms a safe haven for her. “I’m right here, we’re all together.”

“I know,” she whimpers, sniffling adorably as she buries her face into my chest. The gentle tremble of her body matches the soft sound of her tears falling onto my shirt. “I think these are tears of reprieve. I’ve been mentally preparing myself for the worst for so long and now it’s all coming out of me at once, I think.” I'm familiar with that feeling all too well; the overwhelming release of emotions after holding them in for too long.

“I know, I feel the same, but we’ve both suffered enough. It’s time we focus on us because I’ve fucking missed you like crazy, JJ.” My voice cracks with emotion as I pull away slightly to look at her tear-stained face.

Jeyla sighs, pressing loving kisses over the bruises on my face. Her touch is gentle and filled with so much love and tenderness that it almost brings me to tears again. “I’ve missed you too,”Jeyla whispers, brushing a kiss over my lips which my body immediately responds to. I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her closer as we share a passionate kiss filled with months of longing and desire.

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