Page 42

Chapter 42

Liam

I trace circles around a patch of freckles on Fleur’s naked back. The sun is just peeking in the cabin, revealing the floating dust around the room.

Sleep evaded me most of the night. Even after Fleur fell asleep, all I could think about was how I was going to tell her about my mission and keep her safe while doing it.

Restless, I sneak out the door and down the hall to the bathroom. A quick splash of water on my face relaxes me, and I stare at the mirror, smiling at the memory of last night. Fleur’s hands on me, her body beneath mine, trusting and pliant.

Smile fading, I rip the door open to the medicine cabinet and dig in my hiding spot for my phone. After powering it on, I check for any incoming intel and type out the new gate code I got from Darrin last night. Leaving Fleur in bed frustrated me, but I was able to make quick work of checking in with D and retrieving the newest codes.

My messages are empty, and I slam the phone on the counter, a crack splintering over the glass in front.

Nothing. Not a word from Wilson.

I shove the phone back in the cabinet and pull on my running clothes. Once down the cabin steps, I take off for the woods, skipping over roots and weaving through trees until I burn.

I push my body while running over the conversation I plan on having with Fleur. I need to tell her who I am, and that soon this life for her will be over. Wrestling through it, I rehearse how I want to tell her that once this is over, I want to be with her, and her, me.

My skin tingles as every brush of her lips caressing me replays in my mind. The thought of never having that again, hearing her laughter, seeing her in my damn hat picking out items at the farmer’s market.

With a conversation mapped out, I head back home.

Fleur stands in the kitchen, freshly showered, making eggs over the stove. I move to her, wrapping my sweaty arms around her middle, and bury my face into the crook of her neck. She smells divine.

“You’re addicting,” I say into her shoulder. With a small peck, I pull away to find her beaming at me.

“You’re one to talk.” Fleur plates me some eggs next to a piece of toast, and we both stand there, leaning against the counter to replenish the calories we lost last night.

The last thing I want to do is ruin our high with a specific conversation, but I never want Fleur to feel like I’m hiding something from her.

“Listen, Fleur. I want to tell you something and—” My phone ringing in my pocket interrupts me. She offers me a smile, before loading our empty dishes into the sink while I pull out my phone.

Darrin.

“Yeah,” I answer.

“Warehouse basement, now,” he says, then hangs up.

The fact I’m not just playing house somewhere makes me pause. I need to tell Fleur off compound. I’m so focused on sharing my life with her I didn’t stop to think how speaking so freely here could be dangerous. I’m distracted and it’s showing.

Shaking my head, I round over to where she stands, hands deep in the soapy water.

“D called. I need to shower and head out. Let me take you to dinner tonight.”

She smiles, but it fades too quickly. “You don’t have to, Liam. I don’t expect?—”

“Stop right there. We’re going to dinner,” I growl. What is her hesitancy?

She nods and I turn to the shower.

After I finally leave the cabin and pull open the door to the warehouse, the steady hum of workers bagging product and weighing pickup crates for the dealers echoes off the walls.

Trip and Goff walk around, inspecting, both of them sporting dark circles under their eyes from a late night last night. Goff’s hands shake and I know he’s fighting getting a fix until this meeting Darrin called is over.

“Hey,” Trip calls out. I lift my hand in a wave and move toward them.

“What’s going on this morning, guys?”

“D-Darrin’s got something big,” Goff says.

I narrow my eyes. “Did he tell you what?”

Trip shakes his head, pointing to the basement door. “Gotta go find out.”

The basement is not somewhere D likes to host meetings. If it’s establishment business or just partying to have a good time, we’re at the clubhouse. Product meetings for our dealers or off-loading trucks, that’s done at the warehouses. But the nasty shit, that’s what happens down below.

Smooth concrete turns into rough, pebbled cement on the stairs. Small lights hang every so many feet down and they’re all on, meaning a few of the guys are already here. Trip leads while Goff and I follow, the short ceiling brushing against the top of my head.

Uncomfortably small, the stairs narrow into a straight hallway that bends to the right at the end. More lights flood out from the opening and when I turn the corner, my stomach bottoms out.

I stiffen, my mouth suddenly dry but threatened by the instant nausea tossing about.

Son of a ? —

Goff runs into me from behind, prompting me to move farther in the room, but I keep my eyes pinned on Agent Wilson.

Terror laces his gaze, but I hold it only long enough to assess, then I move, looking around the room. Raven, Darrin, and Blitz all stand there, while a few men I don’t recognize line the back wall of the cement room. They must be Raven’s men.

“Shit, D. What’s this?” Trip says, motioning to where a surprisingly calm Agent Wilson is tied to the metal support beam anchored to the floor. His lips are split open, and bruises pepper his face. I quickly look away, willing myself to act unresponsive.

“Raven’s men here found him snooping around the compound last night. He was scouting about a mile out and round.”

I clench my jaw, mind working overtime to try to figure out what the hell he was doing out here. Is he alone? This wasn’t the plan.

My head snaps when Wilson rattles his chains, trying to sit up farther against the pole.

Raven eyes me, then reaches into his pocket to pull out a badge.

Shit, shit, shit.

“He’s DEA,” Raven says and tosses the badge at Trip, who fumbles with it in his hand before spitting on it.

“Kill him,” Blitz yells, staring at Darrin like it should’ve been done already.

I keep quiet, eyes flicking back to Wilson. He’s blinking erratically, eyes wide. Sweat drips down my back and I can’t think. I’m armed, but I’m positive all of Raven’s men are as well. The only one not carrying is Darrin for his own screwed-up personal reasons, but that still doesn’t give me a shot at fighting my way out of here and securing Agent Wilson.

I shift, slightly, trying to give myself a better vantage point in the room.

Wilson’s eyes widen even more, and I realize it’s not out of fear, but trying to get my attention. Barely, just barely, he shakes his head and I stop. Swallowing I glance up to find Darrin watching me.

“Interesting, isn’t it?” D says, eyes trained on me. My heart pounds. And while I’m nervous for how this is going to go, I’m also annoyed. If they know who I am, they need to say it and stop dancing in circles for show.

But Goff answers for me. “How so?”

“Raven here says he’s seen this man before, hanging around Ruin. Says he looked like an insurance salesman or something.”

Wilson scoffs, earning a kick in the head from Blitz, who is pure rage and thirsty for blood. He crumples to the floor, and I twitch to check on him. He’d kill me if I did.

Raven steps forward. “Clearly not a salesman. But I wonder, how is it he got so close to your men, Darrin? It’s rather simple, really. You have a mole.”

I’m going to kill Raven and his infiltrating ass. Why is Darrin listening to him?

“You’re an ass, Raven,” Trip says. “We don’t have a mole. You’re just trying to stir shit up.”

Darrin doesn’t say anything. He’s calm and quiet, and I have no idea what he’s thinking. It’s almost as if he’s checked out.

“What’s your angle?” I ask Raven.

Wilson gathers his strength and continues to blink at me.

Ten .

“Oh, Liam. Loyal Liam.” I flinch at the cooing words coming from his mouth. “What better way to prove my worth in the Cartel than to expose you.”

“What’s he talking about?” Blitz bites.

Nine.

Hell.

Fleur.

Damnit, I need to get to her. My eyes flick to the door, but two of Raven’s men have already migrated there. My gaze snags on Wilson again.

Eight .

“Is this a friend of yours, Liam?” Raven continues.

I don’t react. Instead, I back up, placing space between Wilson and me, and look at Darrin. He looks … sad. Betrayed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I reach behind me.

“Don’t even think about it,” one of Raven’s men says from beside me.

Seven .

“Tell them. Tell them who you are, Liam. I’ve had men on you since your bother came to me with his predicament.”

My nostrils flare. He did? Was I too distracted to notice a tail while meeting with Wilson?

“Leave my brother out of this.”

Six .

Trip laughs. “Liam? A mole? He’s one of the six, been here for years. Darrin are you really letting this man take over?”

Darrin crosses his arms, eyes moving over to the wall to ignore Trip’s question.

Blitz frowns at his leader’s response and he pulls his pistol from his back. He moves to Wilson, aiming the gun at the back of his head. Wilson blinks several more times. I freeze, watching Blitz snicker. “If you’re not one of them, Liam, then you won’t mind if I kill Mr. Agent here, would you?”

Five .

“You’d kill him before getting any information? Just to see if I flinch, Blitz? Come on, you know me better than that.”

Blitz scowls. “You were always too much of a prick, but that doesn’t answer my question. If the death of this one here”—he taps on Wilson’s temple with the barrel of this gun—“doesn’t tempt you enough, what about your sweet wife?”

Four .

“Perhaps I should go get her and have her persuade you to answer. I’ve always wanted my hands on the woman.”

“I’ll kill you before you could lay a finger on her,” I say.

Blitz laughs. “Oh, Liam, you’ve got it bad.” He cocks his gun and I snap, reaching behind me for my weapon.

“Don’t.” Darrin’s voice is smooth and unaffected—a warning. It’s then the three barrels come into focus in my peripheral—guns ready to fire.

Three .

I fist my pistol at my side, each breath turning out faster than the last.

Fleur .

Two .

Damn. I love her, and I wish I’d told her.

Blitz tightens his finger over the trigger and Wilson’s blinking finally stops, eyes closing as his body shakes in fear. I lurch forward, and Blitz takes his eyes off Wilson for a second. That’s all I need.

One .