Читать книгу Anything for His Son - Rita Herron - Страница 7

2:00 p.m., August 2

Seventeen hours into the blackout.

Finn Shea smiled as the afternoon temperature in the city began to climb. People were frantic. Traffic jams clogged the streets; subways were stranded. A half-million people were without power. Businesses had closed or were trying to run on auxiliary sources. Tempers had flared and violence had broken out, escalating crime.

His father, Liam, had set his plan in motion last night, now it was in full swing. The target—the men who once belonged to a select coterie of Special Forces servicemen.

The so-called band of brothers had performed highly classified, highly dangerous missions for the military, all flawlessly.

Except for their last.

Ten years ago their mission had been to rescue hostages in civil war-torn Barik, a small Middle Eastern nation.

A mission that ended his father’s brilliant career.

And ruined his life.

Now his father was out of jail, back in control. And ready to mete out punishments to the men who had betrayed him and stood idly by while he alone took the fall for the disastrous mission.

Tom Bradley, who had been in command of the mission, was dead now. But the other six men had moved on, had lived good lives while his father had suffered.

Shane Peters, security expert. Chase Vickers, engine expert. Ethan Matalon, computer ace. Ty Jones, demolitions man. The only non-American, Frederick LeBron, a language specialist and a prince from the tiny alpine nation of Beau Pays. And last but not least, Grant Davis, then the tactical expert—now the damn vice-president.

Thanks to his brothers, Finn knew actions had already been taken against Shane Peters and Chase Vickers. As for Vice-President Davis…well, Finn knew he’d soon come to an explosive end. Ethan Matalon was next on the hit list. Finn’s target.

Yes, his father was finally exacting his revenge.

Because Liam Shea had been innocent. Nevertheless he’d been court-martialed, dishonorably discharged and incarcerated anyway. And his family’s life had been destroyed. His wife had filed for divorce. Hoping to escape the publicity and shame, she’d dragged her sons from their Massachusetts home to that god-awful small town in Oregon.

But they hadn’t escaped at all. Liam had been tormented every day in prison. And Finn and his brothers had paid the price, as well.

Liam’s team was to blame.

And now each of them had to face the consequences.

Finn stared at the photo of Ethan Matalon’s son, Jesse. Five years old. Without a full-time father. Scared of the dark.

Finn forced a steel wall around his heart. He couldn’t care about the kid. Wars caused casualties, he reminded himself.

And Ethan’s Achilles’ heel was his son.

It was only fair. Finn’s father had lost years with his boys. Now Ethan would lose his own, too.

And his pain would be their revenge.