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in their mad race down the Alpine avalanche, needing his strength to stay upright. The improbability and perfection of the moment took her breath away.
    No matter she didn ’ t like her dress or the fact that the bridesmaids looked like baby peaches or that she didn ’ t have any family to witness the event. The world shrunk down to just her and Brandt.
    The priest began speaking as Brandt urged her to face the clergyman. Since they ’ d had to cancel the rehearsal last night because neither she n or Brandt was in the country, the protocol was all a mystery to Rebecca. Her future mother-in-law had tried to explain it to her, but anything that happened before Brandt burst onto the altar was gone. Just gone.
    How could she think when the dreams she ’ d had since she was a child were suddenly coming true. Okay, fine , they had to go through a gauntlet of bombs, bullets, and ballistic missiles to get here, but here they were now.
    Nothing could spoil this day.
    Nothing except the sound of feet landing on the steeple of the church. Someone was repelling onto the cathedral ’ s roof.
    Rebecca ’ s head swung around to her fiancé. “ Did you invite anyone else? ”
    In answer, Brandt ’ s hand flew to his hip, only there wasn ’ t a gun there.
    Then the vaulted ceiling above their heads exploded.
    * * *
    Brandt threw himself on top of Rebecca, shielding her from the debris. Why the fuck wasn ’ t he armed? And why the hell hadn ’ t he posted snipers outside? He had two right here, standing next to him. A lot of good that did.
    Well, it did do a little good since the rest of his men did come armed. Davidson was firing up into the Charleston sky as he yelled for the civilians to evacuate , but who knew who heard him above the terrified screams?
    No one needed much prodding , though , as the guests fled the kill zone. Tucking Rebecca ’ s head down tighter under him, Brandt looked to his sisters , who scattered from the altar and joined his parents in the front row.
    “ Go! ” he yelled to his father. “ Get them out! ”
    His father seemed hesitant , though. After serving two tours in the Gulf , you could see him want to help. But given who had blow n that roof, there would be no help.
    “ Now! ” Brandt bellowed, jolting his father out of his indecision. In a flurry of peach and gr a y , his family rushed off.
    Gunfire erupted all around him as his men laid down heavy cover fire. Was it the bullets that kept the enemy from repelling through the breach? And was it just Brandt , or was the enemy not firing back? Had the Disciples not expected them to be armed? Whatever the reason, Brandt meant to take full advantage of it.
    Brandt whispered in Rebecca ’ s ear. “ On the count of three. ”
    She only nodded. He didn ’ t need to tell her what they were going to do. Rebecca reached a hand out and grasped Bunny ’ s. On three , they were getting the hell out of here. Backing themselves toward the other men and their cover fire. From there , they would find a place to make a stand.
    But first they had to get to three.
    “ One, ” he whispered when a sharp piece of debris hit him in the back. That fucking hurt.
    “ Two, ” Brandt slurred as his body slumped against Rebecca ’ s. Hand flailing, he found the source of the problem. A dart. A tranquilizing dart.
    What the fuck?
    As the world spun and compressed down around him, he never did make it to three.
    * * *
    “ Sarge! ” Davidson yelled , but Brandt didn ’ t answer as Rebecca crawled out from under her groom. She checked his pulse and gave a thumbs - up. So Brandt was still alive, but why the hell had he collapsed?
    They were only five seconds into the firefight , and already , things were going sideways.
    “ Cover me! ” Davidson shouted. Before he could even make it a step closer , a harness dropped down from the breach in the roof.
    A blow horn announced from above, “ He has sixty seconds to live. Get him in that harness or he dies. ”
    Davidson