Page 103 of Freeing Denver

Do I dare look at the monster?

I can’t help myself.

I need to know who I’m facing.

What I’m facing.

I lift my gaze. One hand is resting on the dinner table, his index finger rising and falling in rhythm. An expensive watch is wrapped around a thick, powerful wrist. He’s wearing a navy suit, the shirt a soft blue, no tie. He’s in good shape, broad shoulders.

Like ripping off a Band-Aid, I snap my eyes to meet his.

I freeze, unable to blink, maybe even forgetting to breathe.

They’re eyes I know.

Neither beast nor monster sits across from me.

Sebastian does.

Chapter 30

Colt

TWO DAYS AGO

“Ican’t tell if you’re kidding or not,” Sebastian says.

I rest my elbow on the mantelpiece, and Ronan is by my side. He’s stronger now, back at work, making his presence as the new head of the McEwan family known. I never thought he was holding back when Finn was around, but it’s clear he was. He hasn’t just hit the ground running; he’s sprinting, finishing the race before most even know it’s begun.

But even I thought he’d gone a little far when he made this suggestion.

“We’re not kidding, Sebastian,” Ronan says. The doctor arrived ten minutes ago, and we wasted no time in pitching our idea.

We know Spider is selling Denver on—to Sal Sinclair, of all people. A distant cousin of Sylas, who opted to live his life in a similar way that I did: in the shadows. His reasons were far more nefarious than mine, though. His anonymity gave him the ability to take women at his leisure, to lure in those who didn’t know any better, to have a face no one would know even if he strolled into a police station.

His reputation is one I don’t dare repeat, because Denver is next on his list, and I won’t let that become her fate.

“Colt,” Sebastian says, light blue eyes on me. “I’m a doctor, not a gangster. They’d never believe me if I walked in there.”

Ranger huffs in the far corner. “For once, we agree on something.”

“If you’re going to be here, keep your opinions positive or to your fucking self,” Sandy snaps. She returns her attention to Sebastian. “Go on, Dr. Whitlock.”

Ronan fails to bite back a smile. Sandy has been making eyes at Sebastian since he arrived.

“It’s about confidence,” I say. “That’s all. You don’t need to say a lot, just act like you belong.”

“Act like I’m a human trafficker?” he asks dryly.

Ranger says, “We’re wasting time teaching Pinocchio here how to be a real boy. We wait until Sal gets close, we take the car, we drive up to the gate?—”

“Security recognizes your very fucking famous face and shoots you,” Ronan finishes for him. “Plan B?”

Ranger looks like he’s grinding his teeth, but Ronan is right. Everyone who works in that building will know exactly who we all are—even me, now. Sebastian won’t have that problem.

“Then let’s just storm the fucking building,” Ranger says.

“And if she’s not there?” I ask, raising my brows. “We risk alerting Spider that we know anything. If she isn’t there, or if we somehow lose her in that building, he’ll move her or kill her. I’m not risking her life because you’re impatient.”