Chapter 13: The Brother He Refused to Lose

The gunshot did not belong to Julian.

Police confirmed that much fifteen minutes later.

The sound had come from a blank round fired close to the phone.

Malcolm wanted fear, not a body.

At least not yet.

The trace placed the call near an abandoned printing factory outside the city.

Thayer wanted to go with the tactical team.

The police refused.

He went anyway.

So did I.

"This is a terrible idea," I said as the security vehicle followed two unmarked police cars.

"You insisted on coming."

"That does not make it less terrible."

His hand found mine in the dark.

"If something happens—"

"Do not finish that sentence."

"Meredith."

"We decide together, remember? That includes whether we begin dramatic final speeches."

A faint breath of laughter escaped him.

It was the only sign that he was not made entirely of fear.

The factory sat behind rusted gates and broken windows.

Thermal scans showed three people inside.

One restrained.

Two moving.

Police surrounded the building.

Malcolm called again.

"Send Thayer Sinclair inside alone."

The lead officer shook his head.

Thayer took the phone.

"You release Julian first."

"You are not negotiating."

"Then you have no reason to keep him alive."

Silence.

Malcolm had expected desperation.

Thayer gave him strategy.

"Front entrance," the voice said. "No police."

Thayer looked at the officer.

The officer cursed under his breath.

They fitted Thayer with a concealed transmitter.

I caught his sleeve before he stepped out.

"You do not have to prove you love him by dying for him."

"I know."

"Come back."

"I will."

He walked toward the factory alone.

Through the surveillance feed, we watched him enter a wide room filled with broken machinery.

Julian sat tied to a chair.

His face was bruised but alert.

Malcolm stood behind him with a gun.

A second man guarded the side door.

"You ruined everything," Malcolm said.

"Your employer ruined himself," Thayer replied.

"Senator Cross built people. Careers. Families. Power."

"He built obedience."

Malcolm pressed the weapon against Julian's neck.

"Withdraw the testimony."

"No."

Julian closed his eyes.

"Transfer ten million dollars."

"No."

"Cancel the wedding."

Thayer's voice became colder.

"Absolutely not."

Even from the vehicle, I almost smiled.

Malcolm's control began to fracture.

"You think she will stay after this?"

"Yes."

"Women leave when power disappears."

"Then you have never been loved."

Malcolm struck him across the face.

That was the signal.

The tactical team breached the rear entrance.

The second man turned toward the noise.

Julian threw himself sideways, dragging the chair with him.

Malcolm fired.

The bullet struck the floor.

Thayer lunged.

For several seconds, the feed became chaos.

Shouts.

Metal crashing.

Another gunshot.

Then the officers secured both men.

I was out of the vehicle before anyone could stop me.

Thayer emerged through the factory doors with blood on his shirt.

My heart stopped.

"It isn't mine," he said immediately.

I reached him and pressed both hands against his chest anyway.

"You promised to come back."

"I did."

Behind him, paramedics brought Julian out on a stretcher.

He was conscious.

"Next time," Julian called weakly, "just pay the ten million."

Thayer looked toward him.

"You are not worth nine."

Julian laughed, then winced.

The brothers were safe.

Malcolm Reed was arrested on charges of kidnapping, extortion, unlawful surveillance, and conspiracy.

His files also connected several campaign staff members to the threats and leaks.

The network collapsed within days.

For the first time since my engagement, there were no anonymous messages.

No packages.

No threats.

Only consequences.

Julian recovered at the Sinclair family home.

He apologized to Thayer for the years of secrecy surrounding his addiction.

Thayer apologized for treating protection like control.

I listened from the hallway and understood that we were all learning the same lesson in different ways.

Love without honesty became leverage.

Love without choice became a cage.

Two weeks before the wedding, Thayer took me back to the church we had originally chosen.

Security had cleared it.

The red X was gone from the doors.

"We can still change the venue," he said.

"Do you want to?"

"I want whatever makes you feel safe."

"That was not my question."

He looked at the church.

"No. I want to marry you here."

"Then we will."

He took my hand.

"Are you afraid?"

"Yes."

"Of the threats?"

"Of being happy and losing it."

Thayer lifted my hand to his lips.

"Then we will not promise never to lose anything."

"What will we promise?"

"That fear does not get to decide for us."

The church bells rang above us.

My phone vibrated.

A message from an unknown number appeared.

[You stopped Malcolm. You did not stop me.]

Attached was a photograph taken from inside the church.

Thayer and I were standing in the center of it.