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The outer walls of the addition had already been erected, and Az directed me through the opening that would connect to the walkway once it was built. My eyes roamed around the ample space, taking in the various stages of walls being built in complete awe of the amount of work that had been done since the last time I'd come to the center.

"Some of these spaces being walled off are going to be classrooms, like in the blueprints you had drafted for the original project." Az spoke. "But that's not even the best part. We've arranged for the furnishing and for teachers to be available for every grade level during operating hours."

"Az, this is… It's incredible." I breathed. "This is going to help so many kids."

"Wait till you see what's on the other side of the building." He grinned, pulling me through the large space toward the back wall.

We'd nearly reached the opening opposite where we entered when we heard voices.

"You don't really have a choice here, pig. You either squeal or we take a walk across the bridge."

"Do you think your boss would be happy to hear you're threatening a police officer for information on a woman?" Noah's voice floated through the open doorway and window spaces.

"He would. Whoever can bring him the information that snags the Bristol gal for him will be a made man." A second unknown male voice spoke. "We happen to know you know Ms. Bristol real well. So, you can tell us what we need to know, or we'll use you to send a message."

Unable to help myself, I took a step toward the voices. Az reached out, gripping my hand to stop me just as I moved close enough to catch sight of Noah surrounded by seven armed men in suits. Noah was wearing street clothes, seemingly unarmed, as he stood inside the loose semi-circle they'd formed around him.

"Shit," Az whispered, his chest brushing my back as he stepped closer. "Whatever you're thinking right now, Princess, don't do it. I'm going to text for backup, but you willnotgo out there."

"But Noah is in trouble." I hissed. "We can't just leave him."

"I just said I'm texting for backup." Az murmured, his lips caressing the shell of my ear as he spoke. "There are too many of them for me to save Noah's ass and keep you safe by myself. If I thought there was even a snowball's chance in hell that you'd turn around and go back inside with Mrs. McMillan, I'd send you. But I know you, Princess."

Any thought of responding to him was wiped from my mind as one of the men stepped forward and slugged Noah in the jaw. My foot stepped out again of its own accord, my bodyscreaming at me to help my friend, but I was stopped short by Az's arm wrapping around my waist. Shooting him a glare over my shoulder, I relaxed slightly when I saw his phone in his free hand as he tapped out a message.

"I'm not telling you shit about her." Noah said, spitting a glob of bloody saliva on the concrete. "Whatever the fuck your people think she's done, it's bullshit. She's a fucking innocent."

"That right? The big bad copper Noah Mercer here to protect the innocent." One of the men around him scoffed.

"That's right," Noah replied with a determined look. "I swore to protect and serve the city of Sacona, which means keeping it safe from thugs like you."

"Razor, why don't you give our friendly police officer here a little incentive to do the right thing?" One of the armed men spoke.

A slim, wiry man with long hair pulled back into a bun stepped forward. I barely heard the faint snick of a knife being opened before the sun glinted off the blade. He stalked toward Noah as if he didn't have a care in the world, his weapon held loose in his right hand. As my friend stepped back, one of the other men moved to position himself behind Noah. The man called Razor cackled maniacally, striking too fast for Noah to dodge. A cry of alarm burst free from my lips at the sight. Three of the men surrounding my friend whipped their heads toward the sound.

"Fuck," Az hissed, moving his hand to cover my mouth. "We have to move. Now." Az glanced around before dragging me toward the closest walled-off space. "Fuck, this is bad. The guys are still twenty or so minutes out, and we can't make it to the other exit without being seen."

"What do we do?" I asked in a hushed tone that barely concealed the fear winding its way through me.

"Climb through there and hope like hell they're too stupid to send someone around the building." He replied, pointing toward a low opening meant for a window.

We scrambled out of the building, the sound of footsteps drawing closer.

"I swear I heard something." A male voice, far too close for comfort, spoke. "Check out the window and see if you see anything."

"Shit," Az hissed, his head jerking left, then right, as he searched for cover for us. "Dumpsters, go."

I didn't argue as he pushed me toward the massive brown dumpster near the side of the building where Noah was. He helped me through the sliding access door before climbing in behind me and closing it. Light filtered in through a crack in the other access door, and I moved on instinct to close it. The myriad of scrap wood and materials scraped at my clothing, snagging and tearing it as I tried to pick my way to the other access. Something sharp pierced the skin of my thigh, causing me to bite the inside of my cheeks to hold back a whimper. Blood dripped down my leg as it dragged along my skin when I pressed forward.

My senses were in overdrive, my heart pounding so loud in my chest that I was sure it would give us away before I could close the access door completely. As if he could read my thoughts, Az picked his way through the debris behind me, reaching around me where he could to clear a path. I was near the access door when Noah fell into my field of vision. My body tensed, but I couldn't resist the pull to lean closer and get a better look.

Blood dripped down the side of his face, and the sleeve of his blue polo was ripped open, revealing a long gash down his bicep. I couldn't see his face from where we hid, but the sounds of his ragged breaths seemed to echo through the dumpster.Even with most of my view obstructed, it was obvious that he'd been brutally beaten, and Razor had managed to stab him at least a few times while we fled for cover. Az's hand clamped over my mouth just in time to muffle the sob that escaped me.

Noah struggled momentarily, pulling his elbow under him to prop his broken body up. "You'll never get your hands on her." He said with a sardonic laugh that faded into a pained groan. "As long as she's with the horsemen, you willnevertouch a hair on her head. But I hope you fucking try so those assholes can burn your wholefamigliato the ground."

Noah grunted as a boot belonging to someone I couldn't see connected with his side.

"I'm not happy about Casadei getting the girl either," Noah choked out a sputtering laugh. "But anyone is better than you slimy fucks. At least that prick is a decent man."