Oliver (Project Arma Book 7)
Oliver: Chapter 29

Tori’s eyes threatened to close but she refused to let them. She was tired—no, she was exhausted—but she needed to remain awake for when Oliver finally opened his eyes.

He still hadn’t regained consciousness. Her normally strong and fierce man, so still beneath the sheets.

Sage was the only doctor who had attended him. She’d said the bullet had narrowly missed his heart, but he’d lost blood. A lot of it.

Luckily, Asher and Bodie were both the same blood type and were able to donate. Sage had done everything in her power to save him. Now it was up to Oliver.

At the sound of the door opening, Tori scrubbed away any residual wetness on her cheeks. She’d cried a lot of tears; it would only take one look at her to see that. Still, she felt the need to dry her cheeks.

A hand touched her shoulder. “How are you doing, Tori?”

Kye. Of course it was. The man had been amazing since carrying her from the building. He’d remained by her side most of the time and ensured she had access to Oliver.

“Sage says he should wake soon—”

“No.” Kye kneeled beside her. “How are you doing?”

Her? She was exhausted. Drained in every way possible. And so scared for the man she loved. “Physically, I barely feel where they stitched up the knife wound. Emotionally, I feel guilty. Sad. Angry.”

And so much more.

Kye placed a comforting hand on her knee. “I feel all those things too. We’ve never come so close to losing one of our own.”

Tori could see the shadows under the man’s eyes. The strain on his face. He looked like he was only just keeping his emotions in check.

“What’s keeping me going,” Kye continued, “is knowing he’ll be okay. Because he will. Every time I walk in here, his heart is beating a little stronger. There’s more color to his face. Our boy’s strong. He’s going to survive this.”

Oliver was strong. The strongest man she knew.

Leaning over, she hugged Kye, so grateful to the man for keeping her sane the last twelve hours. “Thank you.”

When Kye pulled away, he gave her a small smile. “I’m gonna get home for some rest. Luca just arrived and is in the hall if you need anything.”

She nodded. She wasn’t surprised the guy didn’t try to convince her to go back to Oliver’s home and get some rest too. He knew she wouldn’t.

He was just turning when she touched his arm. She’d asked him this question already…but maybe this time, his answer would change. “Any luck replaceing Samantha?”

He sighed, and she already knew. “No. Not yet. But we will.”

Tori bit the inside of her cheek to stop the disappointment from showing. If anyone could replace her, it was these guys. She needed to have faith.

Nodding, she watched Kye leave before turning back to Oliver. She lifted his hand in both of hers. “There’s something I never told you.” Tori stroked her thumb back and forth over his knuckles, feeling every indent and scar. “I fell for you long before I was ready to tell you I did. If I’m being honest, it was probably after our first night together. It’s crazy. I know it is. Falling for a stranger. I remember thinking it was just attraction. It would fade when I drove home. It didn’t.”

She swallowed, her fingers moving to the veins on his hand.

“I tried so hard to stay detached that day. To view you as a job, not a man who set my heart to racing. You made it impossible. With your smile. Your humor. Your light touches that made me crazy. Every time your body grazed mine, my skin felt like it was burning up.”

That was something that hadn’t changed.

“When I finally decided to trust my gut, to trust you, it was like a weight had been lifted off my chest. My plan was to return to you. Convince you that I was someone worth dating.” Her finger touched a scar that ran diagonally across his hand. “I was afraid though. I knew you were a bachelor. I wondered if I would be enough to convert you to a relationship guy. Enough for you to take a chance on.”

What would have happened if she hadn’t developed amnesia? If she hadn’t needed Oliver’s protection? Would he still have spent time getting to know her?

“You’re more than enough…”

At the sound of Oliver’s voice, Tori’s eyes shot to his face. He was awake. His green eyes open and looking directly at her.

The hand she’d just been stroking lifted, touching her cheek. “You’ve been crying.”

She tried to smile, but it was wonky as hell. “I was so worried!”

Oliver’s hand curved around her cheek. Tori immediately leaned her face into his touch. “I was always coming back to you, Tori.”

She held his wrist with both hands. Turning her head, she pressed a kiss into his palm. “Thank you.”

For protecting her. Coming back to her. For everything.

“You don’t need to thank me, honey.” His thumb stroked her cheek, wiping away a tear she hadn’t realized had dropped. “How long have I been unconscious?”

Too long. “About twelve hours. The bullet just missed your heart, but you lost a lot of blood. You got a transfusion with Asher and Bodie’s blood.”

“Ah, it’s good to have brothers.”

When Oliver sat up, Tori immediately leaned forward, about to attempt to stop him. Her quick movement caused a shot of pain to her knife wound. She ignored it. “Oliver, what are you doing? You need to rest.”

No pain or discomfort crossed his features. “I feel fine. I wouldn’t be surprised if the wound is just about healed.” His brows pulled together as he scanned her midsection. “How are you?”

“I’m okay.”

He gave a soft growl at her quick response. With strength he shouldn’t be using, Oliver lifted her onto his lap.

“Your injuries—”

“I told you. I’m fine.” Once she was across his legs, his hand returned to her cheek. “How are you feeling?”

About the knife wound? The gun to her head? The fall off a ten-story building? Or about seeing him get hurt?

“I’m okay.”

Mostly, she just couldn’t get that moment out of her head. When she realized he was bleeding out on the roof and wasn’t getting up.

He was silent as he studied her face. “You’re a warrior, Tori. So strong and brave. And god, do I love you.”

Her heart fluttered at his words. The smile she’d been unable to fully form moments before now touching her lips. “I love you, too.” She cradled his face with her hands. “I was so worried that you’d never hear me say those words.”

He shook his head. “Nothing was going to stop me.”

He dipped his head and kissed her. The weight of the last few days suddenly felt a bit lighter. The heartache, the uncertainty, faded.

In Oliver, she found refuge.

“I can’t believe he’s dead.”

Oliver lifted his beer to his lips. Bodie’s words held the ring of disbelief that each man on the team felt.

Luca nodded. “It doesn’t feel real.”

It really didn’t. It was difficult to put into words what Hylar finally being gone meant to them. A huge weight had been lifted off Oliver’s chest. He could breathe again.

His eyes sought out Tori. They were at AJ’s Bar. She was sitting on a stool with the rest of the women surrounding her while Oliver sat in a booth with Mason, Bodie, and Luca.

Her smile was almost convincing. No one would see the strain behind it…except him.

“It’s been a week since he died,” Oliver said quietly. “Yet we haven’t located Carter or Samantha.”

And it was killing Tori. Carter had managed to escape, taking Tori’s best friend with him.

Mason ran a hand through his hair. “The asshole must have gotten past us somehow.”

The storm had been loud. It wouldn’t have been that hard for someone with Carter’s abilities.

“Why would he take her?” Bodie asked, frowning. “As far as we know, he has no more men. No resources. You’d need both to achieve what Hylar was trying to accomplish.”

Luca lifted a shoulder. “Maybe he plans to sell what Samantha created.”

Oliver ground his teeth at the thought. Any chip that could control a person’s actions, take away their free will, should not be in existence. “It’s killing Tori,” he said quietly. “The women are like sisters. Tori hasn’t said it, but I know that she feels guilty that she got out and Samantha didn’t.”

He wished he could reassure her that they’d replace her friend, but there was no way he could guarantee that. There was a very real possibility that once Carter realized his team was gone, that Hylar had died, he’d kill her.

Oliver watched as the women laughed at something. Tori smiled. It was like she couldn’t muster a laugh.

Damn Project Arma. The program was still messing with people, even after it was over.

Pushing his beer away, Oliver stood and headed over to his woman. He didn’t say anything as he gently pulled her away from the group. He wrapped his arms around her and moved gently to the music. Tori rested her head on his chest.

“I’m sorry she’s still missing.”

Her arms tightened around him. “You don’t need to say sorry. I know you and the guys are doing everything you can to replace her.”

They were, but dammit, it wasn’t enough.

He lowered his mouth to her ear. “Have I told you how beautiful you look in that dress?” The woman was always beautiful. But tonight, in her tight black dress, he was having a tough time taking his eyes off her.

“You have. Multiple times, actually. But you can say it a hundred more times and I’ll never tire of hearing it.”

“You’re beautiful.” He pushed his nose into her hair. There was something else he wanted to tell her. Something he should wait to say, but he couldn’t. He wanted to see a real smile on her face tonight. “Tomorrow, I have a surprise for you.”

She looked up at him. “A surprise?’

Gently, he pushed some hair behind her ear. “I was going to wait to tell you, but I’m a selfish man and I want to see you happy.”

He hated the pain in her eyes. Hopefully, this would bring some of the light back.

“We found Charlie.”

Tori stopped moving. Her mouth opening and voice softening. “What?”

“I asked Evie to look into it. A hiker found Charlie wandering through the national forest the afternoon you were taken to the hospital. He’s been with the guy who found him ever since. We’re going to drive down and pick him up tomorrow.”

Tori was silent. Her eyes studied him like she was trying to work out whether to believe him or not. Then she buried her head in his chest.

“Thank you.” Her words were so quiet, they almost got drowned in the music. “Thank you so, so much.”

He hugged her tighter, at the same time being careful of her healing knife wound. “I’m glad he’s okay, honey.”

Tori had told him how much Charlie meant to her. He’d been her mother’s dog and was a daily reminder of her mother’s love. Oliver was glad he could help ease some of Tori’s pain.

They remained on the dance floor for a while, swaying to the music and just holding each other. It wasn’t until his phone rang from his pocket that he finally stopped.

Oliver pressed a kiss to her head. “I’ll be back, I’m just going to answer this.” Stepping away, he answered the call. “Cage. What’s going on?”

“I’ve got a tail.”

Oliver tensed, quickly returning to the booth where his brothers sat. “Where are you?”

“Driving home from Marble Protection. They’re—” Kye suddenly cursed through the line.

Dread filled Oliver’s gut. “What is it?”

Mason, Luca, and Bodie stood.

“They’re not trying to remain hidden anymore.” Kye’s voice was raised. The sound of his car engine loud. “Fuck, they’re fast!”

Mason whipped his phone out. “I’ll track the GPS on his phone.”

There was more cursing on the line, followed by a loud bang.

“What was that?”

Mason and Luca started moving toward the exit. Bodie remained with Oliver.

Kye took a second to answer. “The asshole hit my car with his. I think he’s going to—”

Glass shattering echoed through the line. Then the sound of tires squealing.

Another bang. Louder than the one before.

“Cage? Talk to me.”

There was silence.

Oliver’s heart raced as he listened for something…anything.

There was the sound of metal scraping metal. Like the car door was being pulled off.

The line went dead.

Oliver swore under his breath. “I’ll follow Eagle and Rocket.”

Bodie nodded, looking as grim as Oliver felt. “I’ll stay with the women.”

Oliver raced outside and jumped into his car. He brought up the tracking software, immediately locating Kye’s phone. Oliver hadn’t been driving long when Mason’s call came through.

“Are you with him?” Oliver’s words were rushed.

“He’s gone.”

He pressed his foot harder on the accelerator. No, that wasn’t possible. “He can’t be. I’m almost there.”

Oliver hung up. Refusing to believe it. A couple minutes later, he stopped behind Kye’s crashed vehicle and jumped out.

His feet came to a quick stop beside Mason and Luca. The car was in bad shape. One of the back tires was flat, the back window was smashed, and the car had hit a tree hard. The driver’s door had been pulled off the vehicle and there was blood splatter on the seat.

Mason was right. Kye was gone.

If Oliver had to hazard a guess, he’d say someone had shot something through the back window, hitting Kye in the neck or shoulder. Once the car crashed, they’d taken him.