Wren touched his earpiece and looked out the window. “Sir,” he began. Thomas stood and smiled. “It’s Trent and Cami.” He helped Jim up, and they walked outside to greet them. The rest of us followed.

Cami was standing outside the passenger side of her Toyota Tacoma, holding the door open and leaning in, trying to coax Trenton out. She paused, turning to see us all staring at them. She walked up to Thomas and then hugged him, closing her eyes. I glanced at Liis. Olive was standing behind her, still holding Stella. It wasn’t hard to understand their strange predicament, but for fuck’s sake, I’d expect Camille to show some restraint.

“Okay,” I said, approaching them. I pushed Thomas back, and he looked relieved. “You owe us a better explanation. You owe us an apology. All of you,” I said, pointing at Travis, Abby, Liis, and the agents.

Thomas gestured to his colleagues. “Could you give us a minute?”

“Sir,” Wren began.

“Please,” Thomas said. It wasn’t a request, and the agents understood and obeyed.

Camille tucked her silver hair behind her ear. “He’s … It took me a long time to talk him into coming here. The only reason he agreed was so that we could check on Dad.”

Thomas nodded, and Travis brought Jim forward. Trenton stepped out of the truck and walked over, trying his best not to look at anyone else but his father.

“You okay?” Trenton said.

Jim reached out to Trenton. Once he got a good grip on his shirt, he yanked him in for a hug. “You stop this. He’s your brother. You may not understand why he did what he did, but you don’t have to. That’s not what’s important.” He released Trenton and looked around at his family. “What’s important is that you have each other. I’ve said it a hundred damn times. Together, you boys are capable of anything. But you can’t let those bastards tear us apart. That’s what they tried to do with guns. Don’t let ‘em do it with lies.”

Trenton couldn’t bring his gaze up from the ground. Jim hooked his arm around Trenton’s neck. “I’m okay, now that I know he’s okay. Now, I need to know you’re all okay. Hug your brother. Tell him you love him.”

Trenton didn’t move.

“Now, goddamnit,” Jim commanded.

Trenton blinked, and then his eyes trailed up from the ground to Thomas.

“I’m truly sorry,” Thomas said, his eyes glossing over. “You have to know I would never purposely hurt any of you. I had to take a bullet and leave my newborn daughter for five weeks to keep everyone safe, and by God, I did it. Because I love you. I’m sorry I got into this. If I could go back and change it, I would.”

Trenton stared at his brother for a while and then looked at Travis.

“Trent,” Travis said, shaking his head. He held out his hands. “I’m sorry, man. If we had another choice, I woulda taken it.”

Trenton stumbled a few steps and then hugged his brothers. The twins joined in, too. A tear toppled over Jim’s cheek, and the wives were a blubbering mess. An arm shot out from the huddle and grabbed Shepley, pulling him in, too. I covered my mouth, half crying and half laughing.

In the next moment, one of the brothers grunted, and Thomas flew out from the group holding his midsection. Travis and the twins separated, and Trenton went for Thomas.

“No!” Camille cried. “Trenton, stop!”

“That’s your one,” Thomas said, dodging a second swing from Trenton.

The twins looked at each other and smiled, flanking Thomas and attacking. Travis jumped in to fend off the twins from his oldest brother, and the once-hugging pile of Maddox boys was now swinging and bleeding with smiles on their faces.

“Oh! Lord!” Deana said, looking away.

Shepley held up his hands, trying to make them stop while ducking swings and dodging fists.

“Stop!” Ellie screamed.

“Taylor! Stop it!” Falyn said.

Taylor looked at his wife for half a second, only to get nailed by Travis in the jaw.

Falyn cupped her hand over her mouth, and Abby shook her head in disbelief. “You’re idiots,” Abby grumbled.

Tyler swung and hit Travis square in the mouth, and blood spattered Abby from forehead to waist. She simultaneously jumped, closed her eyes, and held her hands up, her fingers splayed.

Travis looked at Tyler. “That’s your one.” He licked the blood off his lip, unbuttoned his shirt, and handed it to his wife. “Just like old times.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, gross.”

The brothers finally slowed, standing with their hands on their hips, panting.

Jim shook his head, and Abby grinned, wiping the blood from her face. “Oh, those Maddox boys.”

 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

THOMAS

ONE SIDE OF MY BUTTON-DOWN had been untucked during the brawl, so I pulled up the bottom hem and wiped the blood from my knuckles before reaching for my dad. I cupped his cheeks and looked into his eyes. He’d been crying happy tears since I’d walked into the house, and now, we were standing on the front lawn.

My brothers and I were covered in blood, dirt, and grass stains like when we were kids, playing outside and either fighting someone else or one another.

“I’m sorry I put you through that,” I said.

Dad puffed out a breath. “You don’t owe me an apology, son. You did what you thought was the best for the family.” He put a hand on my shoulder. “I’m just glad you’re home.”

I brought him in for a hug, surprised at how much weight he’d lost since the last time I’d seen him. He coughed and then wheezed, letting me go to hold his fist to his mouth.

“Maddox,” Val said, rushing toward me. “Headquarters just called. They found Lena. She’s dead.”

“What?” Abby shrieked. Tears spilled over her cheeks, and she grabbed Travis’s shirt. “Our Lena?” She let him go and took a step back.

Travis held his wife. “She was undercover,” he said, numb. “It happens.”

“It happens?” she seethed. “She’s dead, Travis! What happened?” Abby’s eyes danced while she put together what information she had. “Her full name. Cocolina,” she whispered. She glared at Travis, her eyes wild. “Lena is Coco? The one you said the other day you’d lost her location?”