Darkest Before Dawn

It was becoming hard to breathe, and the pain in his chest was unbearable, whether because of the bullet or the weight of his despair he wasn’t certain. Probably a healthy dose of both.

He’d failed his men. He’d failed his country, though it neither claimed him nor embraced him. He’d failed countless innocent lives. He’d failed himself but most of all, he’d failed the one thing that mattered to him. Not the fucking greater good bullshit creed. Because Honor was the greater good. She was the very essence of the greater good. Of what their creed should stand for. What it should have always stood for.

And now an innocent would be doomed to hell, a place where no angel’s wings should ever be singed by greedy, licking flames, preventing them from flying into the heavens where Honor belonged.

CHAPTER 32

KGI HEADQUARTERS

STEWART COUNTY, TENNESSEE

THE mood was unusually relaxed in the KGI war room. Sam was holding a “staff” meeting, though the others teased that it was just an excuse to get everyone together for Swanny and Donovan to demonstrate their mad cooking and grilling skills.

They hadn’t drawn a mission in four weeks. Four peaceful, blissful weeks they’d spent with their families. Their wives, children, the people they cared about. Good times.

Laughter sounded when Garrett dropped an F-bomb and was immediately threatened by at least three of his men, knowing that Sarah was even more strict than ever now that they had a baby girl and she didn’t want her child’s first word to be fuck.

As the laughter died down, a phone rang and a round of groans sounded. Sam cursed vehemently, more than taking up the slack for Garrett in the swearing department. The secure line had to ring now? Today of all days? When the weather couldn’t be more beautiful. Autumn on Kentucky Lake. The wives all on their way to the central gathering point, Marlene and Frank Kelly’s newly constructed and recreated replica of the house the six Kelly brothers had all grown up in. The new heart of the KGI compound. Now all that remained outside the secured facility was the lone holdout, Joe. Well, and the team members. But of the Kellys, only Joe still lived in Sam’s old cabin, calling it the perfect bachelor pad, and if he didn’t spend too much time inside the compound then he would escape his mom’s and sisters-in-laws’—whom he adored beyond reason—hatching plots for his eventual downfall.

Goddamn it all to hell. Sam had looked forward to spending time with his precious wife. His beautiful Sophie and her mini-me, Charlotte, or Cece as she was lovingly dubbed by her doting aunts, uncles and grandparents. And his baby son. He took the time every single day, no matter where in the world he was, no matter how grim or dire the circumstances, to thank God for the miracle of his family. He still marveled at all that was his, and he knew his brothers and many of the members of his team did as well. Rio, a team leader. Steele, another team leader. Nathan, co–team leader with his twin brother, Joe, who also happened to be the sole surviving unmarried Kelly chick under Mama Kelly’s watchful eye.

KGI had undergone many traumatic events over the years. Things that would have crippled and destroyed a lesser family. But the Kellys were tough, resilient, all qualities inherited from and instilled in all their children—blood or not—by Frank and Marlene, the patriarch and matriarch of the ever-expanding Kelly clan. The very heartbeat of the entire family.

Marlene’s reach extended not only to her birth children but far beyond. She had a penchant for adopting strays, as her sons teased her, a term she took offense at. But she’d taken many under her wing. The now sheriff of Stewart County, Sean Cameron. Rusty Kelly, whom his parents had adopted even though she hadn’t been a minor when the adoption had occurred. But it had meant more to her than anything else in her young, troubled life, and Sam knew without a doubt that his mother had saved Rusty’s life.

Swanny, who’d come back as wounded and suffering as Nathan had after months of captivity when a mission went FUBAR. All the KGI team members, including the leaders, and they didn’t even bother trying to deny it. They could protest and pretend to be exasperated, but they loved Ma’s mothering just as her own sons did.

And Maren Steele, Steele’s wife and mother of their daughter. She, too, was one of Marlene’s adoptees.

He found himself angry as he stalked toward the secure sat phone for disturbing what should have been a perfect day. A day to remember their blessings and revel in them. Simply enjoy living and loving and being the family unit they were. Or maybe he was just getting too fucking maudlin in his old age. Finding the love of your life and then watching her grow heavy with your children had a man rethinking every priority he thought ever held importance.

“Sam Kelly,” he snapped. “And this better be goddamn important.”

“Kelly,” the brisk acknowledgment came, and there was a brief tingle of recognition that flickered through Sam’s mind, but he couldn’t place the voice to save his life.

“You have me at a disadvantage,” Sam said, an edge to his voice. “Who are you and how did you get this number?”

The voice sounded dim. Haggard. Like he’d been to hell and back and was only barely living to tell the tale. “I doubt you’d remember my name, but you’d know my team leader. I’m Conrad. I work for . . . Hancock.”

“Fuck!”

The entire room came to attention. Silence was immediate as every single member of KGI crowded in close, watching Sam’s every movement, his body language, and straining to hear what was being said on the other side.

“And why are you calling me—us—since I assume you aren’t calling to have a personal chat with me,” Sam said bluntly.