Sworn to Protect (Vows of the Heart) (21 page)

Again Nathan gazed at her a long moment. “Yes,” he said finally. “And you remind me of her.”

Bethany blinked at him, startled.

“My wife, Ana.”

“You are married?”

Soul deep pain flashed across his features. “I was married…she died.” His voice cracked.

“I am so sorry, Nathan.”

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, Bethany saw him wiping away tears. “I fell hard for Ana, it was a whirlwind romance.”

“Your family didn’t approve of her?”

“Oh they did,” he said. “Even she and Ethan got along. Ethan was my best man at the wedding and was so supportive I began to think our past was behind us. Ana and I went to Aspen for our
honeymoon, we both loved to ski. Four days after our wedding, Ana went to ski the new snow pack. There were rumors that it was unstable but nothing official. I asked her not to go but she went anyway. I woke up that morning and she was already gone.”

“What happened?”

“Avalanche....I tore that mountain apart searching for her.” He hesitated staring at her. “Bethany, I even called in my SEAL team to help. We hit that mountain like an international incident…I found her GPS tracker and one of her skis, but I never found her body.”

Bethany’s heart twisted at what he must have suffered. Such a short period of happiness ending in tragedy. She impulsively reached out and grabbed his hand. “And what Ethan said...about you giving up. Oh God, you had to give up on the search.”

His fingers squeezed hers, but his gaze remained distant and unfocused. “Four days of paradise, I never even got to fight with her, but was already so in love with her, she took my heart with her when she died. It hurt like hell...it still hurts like hell. I crawled into the bottle because it was the only way to escape the pain. I got kicked out of the SEALS because of my drinking, so I really can’t blame Ethan for his attitude. The SEALS gave me an honorable discharge because of my past service and my CO understood. Ethan tried to pull me out, but he couldn’t, that’s why he hated me so much. That’s when I told him he’d never understand what I was going through until he fell in love.”

“Until he fell in love? You think he’s in love with me?” Her heart reeled with this revelation. “I must admit there is something very powerful between us...but love?”

“It was the same with me and Ana. I think the men of our family find their soul mates and latch onto them before they even realize what’s happening. My parents did the same thing. But with Ethan I saw it in his eyes, the way he reacted to you. Something has changed in him. The only reason I recognized it was because it happened to me when I fell in love with Ana.”

Bethany remained silent. Something within Ethan had changed. Could it be true? Was he in love with her and she with him? She shook her head. She couldn’t think about that, not right now. Not while Cordova held death over their heads.

“Bethany,” Nathan said gently. “I say this only so my brother doesn’t suffer what I went through. Watch yourself. Don’t take any unnecessary risks and for God’s sake don’t get killed. It would destroy my brother.”

“But why did you think him capable of taking a hostage?”

“I knew he’s been on the edge for some time. Bethany, I’m not saying this to scare you, but working so long undercover can be terribly hard on a man. Ethan was under too long without the proper support.”

“Ethan said what happened to him was due to a breakdown in his support team.”

Nathan arched an eyebrow. “I’m glad to hear he’s finally recognizing that. He blamed himself for what happened. Ethan doesn’t know this, I went to the hospital right after they brought him in. I sat with him while he came out of the anesthesia. He was so out of it, he didn’t know I was there, but he started talking.” Nathan paused and shivered. “He was staring into the abyss, Bethany. I feared he wasn’t going to make it back.” He hesitated a long moment. “You don’t know how hard that was, to just stand beside his hospital bed, afraid he was going to die, knowing there was nothing I could do to help him, thinking of all the wasted years when we were at each other’s throats and not being able to get them back.”

“Nathan, why didn’t you tell him you were there?”

“I couldn’t then, but now…now he will listen. You pulled him back from the abyss, Bethany. He might not recognize that on a conscious level, but his heart does. I just thank God you were there when he needed you.”

She remembered what Ethan told her right before they arrived. “Nathan,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “I understand you believe you still need to take care of Ethan, to protect him. But you have to realize he’s an adult now, highly trained and capable. Respect him for his talents and abilities.”

Nathan’s black mood faded a bit. “I try, Bethany, I really do. But every time I try to convince myself of that, I see him as an eight year old kid, standing on the roof of our garage with an old sheet tied around his neck. He jumped because he wanted to be like Superman and fly.”

Bethany choked on a laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

He shook his head, his eyes shining in mirth. “He did it, and the little bastard walked away with only a sprained ankle and a bruised ego. Nearly gave me a heart attack because I dared him to do it. I never imagined he would go through with it. I never dared him to do anything else again. Mom nearly had my head over that one.”

Bethany could clearly see the picture he painted for her. Dear God, how could she look at Ethan with a straight face again? “Now I’m going to see him with that sheet tied around his neck.”

He chuckled. “You do have a point, Bethany. Ethan is all grown up now. I resented him when he tried to take care of me after Ana died.”

“He cares about you, Nathan. He wanted to be there when his brother needed him.”

“Yeah, but all I wanted was Ana, the one person I couldn’t have. I’m sorry I took my anger and pain out on him. Maybe someday, somehow, I’ll be able to repay him.”

“I know a way to start.” She pointed to the
tequila bottles on the table.

Nathan grimaced. “You don’t ask for much, do you?”

Bethany simply arched an eyebrow at him.

“I’ll...think about it,” he said with a sigh.

“Good enough.” Although Bethany wanted to push the subject, she sensed he would resent that more than anything and balk like a stubborn mule. She had to respect his ability to choose for himself. It was his life, no one could live it for him.

Bethany’s cell phone rang and she jumped. She pulled it from her pocket and relaxed. “It’s Ethan.” She pressed the button and held it to her ear, winking at Nathan. “Hey, handsome.”

Ethan chuckled. “Hey, beautiful, how’s it going?”

“Slow. How about you?”

“Same here. Has Nathan managed to get in yet?”

“No, he thinks it will take some time.”

“I’m in a stake-out situation here, so it’s more hurry up and wait. Do me a favor, will you?”

“Sure.”

“When Nathan gets in, I need either him or you to give me a call.”

“Okay,” she said dubiously.

“Thanks, love, talk to you soon.” The phone clicked off.

Bethany frowned at the cell phone and returned it to her pocket.

“Being a busy-body as usual?” Nathan asked.

“Yeah, but I don’t know why. We already said we’d call him as soon as you made any headway.”

“That’s my little brother for you,” he replied and continued to work.

A bit later, Nathan jumped out of his seat. “I think I found a way in!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yup,” he said, grinning like a kid in a candy store.

Bethany immediately hit the speed dial on her phone. Ethan answered it after one ring. “He’s got it, Ethan.

“Fantastic. Thanks, sweetheart.” The line went dead.

“Damn,” Nathan growled. “They’ve got things pretty well protected. I’m going to have to be very careful not to set off any alerts. This is going to be harder than I thought.”

Bethany peered over his shoulder and held her breath.

Nathan scowled, but his fingers never hesitated. “What in the hell is going on?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, just some usual permission protections, but...God this is weird.”

“What do you mean?”

“Not now, I gotta concentrate.”

She fell silent and simply watched him work. The clock ticked away the minutes. Bethany itched to ask her questions
, but didn’t want to interrupt him.

“Damn it!” Nathan snarled. “The longer I stay online, the more visible I’m going to be. There’s too much activity on this computer for what normally happens right now. I think I’ve overstayed my welcome.” Again his fingers flew.

“I’m surprised they haven’t found you already.”

Nathan allowed a grin to escape. “I’ve got some programs running that should cover my tracks, but that won’t last too long. Compliments of my classified buddies, of course.”

“Yeah, right.”

“You know our government, especially the military, loves to screw with people’s heads. I’m messing with theirs.” He nodded toward the screen and kept working.

“How do you have this stuff? You’re not with the SEALS anymore.”

He snorted
, but didn’t look up. “Who do you think helped create them? Santa Claus? Now, shut up and let me concentrate.”

Ethan had borrowed some clothing from Nathan and was grateful they were the same size and build. In the Suburban, while waiting for Bethany’s phone call, he changed into a black shirt and pants. Looking like a professional thief out of a movie, Ethan tugged on his gloves, slung a backpack over his shoulder, and made certain his Colt was secure. He carried one of the
Glocks as a backup weapon.

A modern office building loomed not far away, its security lights turned on in the growing twilight. Its locale was unexpected. Instead of being built in the city, it was in the middle of the woods. A modern building with a neatly manicured landscape intruded upon miles of trees and wildlife.

Ethan had parked a short distance away from the building and hid his vehicle in the trees. The security lighting was poor over here. He vaulted over a chain-link fence and hurried toward a service doorway, pulling out a few of Bethany’s lock pick tools.

Damn, he really should have reconsidered bringing her. This was her skillset, not his. But he couldn’t place her in such danger…he just couldn’t.

While working undercover, Ethan had made it his job to know everything about this building. The floor plan, the security, the rotation of the guards, camera locations...everything. This office was Cordova’s headquarters, a legal corporation covering his illegal dealings.

Within moments, Ethan let himself in and glanced at his watch. Creeping silently down the hall, he remained alert for the roving guards. Nathan wasn’t the only one who knew his way around a computer or how to pull off a covert op.

Now, all Ethan had to do was make it to the janitor’s closet and wait. He found the stairs and quickly ascended.

Continuing to avoid the cameras, Ethan entered the proper corridor. He would lay low until Nathan mad
e it into the system and then Ethan planned to hit Cordova’s computer. The security cameras up here had a few blind spots. Nathan had given him an extra laptop, one he had installed specific programs in accordance with their plan. Ethan carried it in his backpack.

Ethan waited for an eternity. Finally, his phone vibrated in his pocket with Bethany’s call. Time to rock and roll.

He glanced into the corridor. As the camera made its sweep across the hall, Ethan stepped in its wake and quickly entered a security code he had memorized on the keypad by the door. The light turned green and he entered. Fortunately, Cordova didn’t have any security cameras in his office.

Can’t imagine why he wouldn’t want anyone staring over his shoulder while he worked
, Ethan thought with a smirk.

A large panel of security screens covered one full wall, allowing him to keep an eye on several points in the building. Ethan spotted the screen which showed the network operators at their stations and turned up the volume.

Quickly, Ethan hooked the laptop into Cordova’s computer and went to work. He checked the time again. The network operators should be aware of Nathan’s intrusion at any moment. Once they were busy tracking his brother, Ethan could move about in the system unnoticed.

Ethan didn’t have long to wait as a few warning signals went off with new activity. He watched his screen closely, waiting for his opportunity. Voices echoed from the monitor on the wall as the operators jumped into action. His screen flashed and Ethan started working.

It didn’t take him long to realize that Nathan encountered far more trouble than either of them had expected.

Come on, Nathan, hang in there just a little longer. I’m searching for the files now.

Ethan regretted involving his brother like this. But if he had tried to access the computer network from within the building without the diversion, he would have been discovered in a heartbeat. Now with the alarms going off he would be just another blip on the radar, harder to see because of Nathan’s intrusion.