rent space in an office building so she could meet some people and get to know her way around the city.
Though she would miss the mountains and all of her friends, from a career standpoint, the move was exciting. She figured just story ideas she got from The Max could keep her busy for weeks.
“Time to go,” Bran said.
A limo was waiting for the trip to the airport, a big black Cadillac Denali SUV. The driver, a blond man who flashed a mouth full of white-capped teeth, opened the car door and Jessie slid into the backseat.
Bran slid in beside her. “I can’t wait to see the look on my family’s faces when I walk in with you on Thanksgiving Day.”
She was excited to meet the rest of his family and friends. “You really think Chase will be surprised?”
“I think he and Harper will be happy. They seem to want everyone to end up in the married state.” His beautiful blue eyes locked on her face. “Not that I’m trying to rush you or anything.”
She leaned up and kissed him. “You are the most amazing man. I can’t imagine how I ever said no to you.”
They pulled into the Signature Executive Terminal and the black SUV rolled to a stop. The driver opened the rear passenger door, then went around to the back, unloaded their luggage, and set it on the asphalt.
Bran’s cell phone rang.
Jessie’s heart jerked and nearly stopped when emergency alarms all over the airport started shrieking and the entire terminal erupted in chaos.
* * *
“Bran, it’s Ty. I got trouble.”
His fingers tightened around the phone. “Alarms are going off everywhere. What the hell’s going on?”
“Hostage situation. We’re in Concourse A, gate 48, down at the far end. They’ve got pallets of munitions set all around this end of the terminal. They’re wired with explosives, Bran.”
“Jesus.”
“They took all the cell phones, but I gave them Chris’s and hid mine.”
“Make sure it’s set on vibrate.”
“It’s done.”
“Just keep a low profile and do what they say. I’ll assess the situation and figure my best approach. I’m not that far away, but I’ll need intel. How many of them are there? Where are they? How are they armed? Anything you can tell me will help.”
“I’ll call you back.”
Bran grabbed his gear bag off the asphalt, tossed it into the backseat of the SUV, and slammed the door.
“Was that Ty?” Jessie asked anxiously, hurrying along beside him. “What’s going on?”
“My guess, we’ve found the chemical weapons.”
“Oh, my God.” The alarms were deafening. Distant police sirens, racing toward the terminal, had joined the cacophony.
“Ty needs help. I’ve got to go.” Bran kissed her quick and hard. “I love you, baby.”
“No! Don’t you dare say that to me now! You can say it when this is over!”
Bran just leaned down and kissed her again. With emergency sirens blaring, the limo driver was back in the driver’s seat, getting ready to leave. Bran hauled him out of the car and took his place behind the wheel.
“Wait a minute!” the driver yelled.
Bran ignored him. Jamming the car in Reverse, he started backing up when the passenger door flew open and Jessie slid into the seat.
“You can’t come, Jess! Not this time! You’ll only be in the way.”
“Drive,” she said, strapping on her seat belt. “I won’t go in with you, but those are my friends, too. I’ll do whatever you need done.”
He swore foully, slammed the SUV into Drive, and the vehicle heaved forward, tires screeching as the Denali blasted across the parking lot, jumped the curb, and charged onto the jet runway leading from the executive terminal to Concourse A.
“Call 911,” he said. “Tell them you’re at the airport. Tell them there’s an army ranger named Tyler Folsom among the passengers in Concourse A who can provide intel on the hostage-takers. Tell them Brandon Garrett, former Special Forces, is heading inside. Get a name, someone you can talk to. Get his direct line and tell them I’ll call him back.”
She did exactly what he told her. She was calm and completely in control. She was there to help, and he was suddenly glad to have her with him.
“Tell Sergeant Ramirez that Brandon will call him directly,” she said, and ended the call. “Ramirez is SWAT. They’re en route.” She entered the sergeant’s number into his cell and set it on the center console.
The SUV roared down the runway. Bran dodged a light jet coming in for a landing, swerving around it as the plane touched