Were Walker and the others here? Maud and James’s house was so well built you couldn’t hear a thing once you closed a door.
She went to open the one that led to the hall.
“Don’t you dare,” Win cried, darting over to stop her. “You can’t let Walker see you! We don’t need any more bad luck!”
Avery supposed she was right. She wandered across the large room in the other direction, to the sliding glass doors that led to a wooden deck. The day was beautiful, the light softening now that it was late afternoon. The sun wouldn’t set until nearly nine thirty tonight, and she expected much of the party would spill out into the Russells’ beautiful grounds.
She slid open the screen door and stepped outside gingerly, appreciating the sweet scent on the air from the blooming shrubs that ringed the house. Surely Walker couldn’t see her here. If he’d arrived already, he would have joined the other men in their room that faced the front of the house. A light breeze lifted the tendrils of her hair and cooled her cheeks. She leaned on the railing and took a deep breath.
Too bad she couldn’t stay right here until it was time to walk down the aisle. She needed to go back inside, though, and help her friends. Check and make sure her hair hadn’t slipped.
Get her veil secured to her updo.
As she turned, something caught her eye. One of the strings of fairy lights wrapped around a nearby tree had come undone and was trailing down to the lawn, an almost jarring sight among the Russells’ perfectly manicured grounds.
Avery had no doubt once the sun set, the whole place would be a fairy-tale setting for the reception. She couldn’t wait to dance with Walker after their sit-down dinner. She had to hand it to the Russells and the way they paid attention to every detail. Who would even come back here behind the house? They’d made sure that no matter where their guests wandered, they’d find something beautiful to see.
She stepped down the stairs carefully and tiptoed across the grass to set the fairy lights to rights. She knew if Riley or Savannah saw her, they’d read her the riot act for putting her gown in jeopardy, but the grass was completely dry, and the tree was only a few steps from the deck.
She bent to pick up the end of the trailing lights, straightened—
A hand clamped over her mouth. An arm hooked around her waist. She was lifted in the air.
Everything went dark.
“Finally,” Boone said. “I can’t believe we’re pulling this off.”
“This time tomorrow we’ll have it made,” Jericho said.
“Hell, in about seven hours we’ll have it made,” Kai said, checking the time on his phone.
“Midnight can’t come fast enough,” Angus said.
They were putting the final touches on their wedding outfits, the Revolutionary War uniforms they’d worn for every ceremony so far. Walker knew Sue would think it ridiculous, but he didn’t mind. Traditions formed in all kinds of ways. This was the last time he’d wear one, most likely. The show was coming to an end.
“You did it.” Boone clapped Walker on his shoulder. “Wasn’t sure if you’d sort out things with Elizabeth in time, but you got it done.”
“Thanks to all of you.”
“When does Elizabeth’s testimony start?”
“She’s the last witness. She thought it would be late afternoon, but sounds like things got started late.” Gabe had texted him several hours ago to tell him they’d touched down in Washington. Had texted him an hour later, sounding half-annoyed, half-jubilant that they were finally reaching the capital.
You wouldn’t believe the crowds, he’d written. Protestors everywhere. Avery really got people whipped into a frenzy. The start of the hearing was delayed—some of the senators couldn’t get past the protestors. Elizabeth won’t go on for a while.
Good old Avery. She certainly knew how to get the word out.
“You got the rings?” Walker asked.
Boone produced a small box. “Got them.”
Walker pulled out his phone to check the time just as another text pinged. “Gabe again.” His fingers tightened around the gadget as he read.
“What is it?”
The other men gathered around.
“There’s been a bomb scare at the Senate building. They’re clearing everyone out of there.”
“Is Elizabeth all right?”
Walker kept reading. “He says they’re fine. They’re being taken to another building.” He exchanged a glance with Boone. If they’d been at the capitol tasked with Elizabeth’s safety, they’d both be on high alert. Unexpected events meant a mission could go off the rails. “She could be in danger.”
“I’m sure there’s a ton of security,” Boone said. “All those senators…” He let his thought trail off.
Boone was right. Besides, there was nothing he could do from here. He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure how to proceed. At the very least, he could remind Gabe to be extra vigilant.
He started typing.
“Forty minutes until the ceremony starts,” Angus reminded him. “Time to focus. Elizabeth will be fine.”
A pounding on the door startled them. More than one man reached for a holster.
“Boone? Walker?” It was Riley. “Avery’s gone!”
“…can’t believe you fucked things up this bad.”
“Can’t believe you missed your shot, asshole.”
“… hell to pay when…”
“… eyes on the fucking road, Owen, and let me figure this out. The bomb scare will give us more time.”
Avery woke up slowly, blinking several times and licking dry lips before she understood where she was. A plaid blanket, much too hot for this weather, covered her. Her hands were tied behind her back. She was lying down on the seat of a car or truck, bouncing and bumping around as it drove.
She remembered the hand clamped over her mouth, the strong arm lifting
