Page 14 of Liam (R.I.S.C. Delta Team #5)

It wasn’t until that exact moment that Liam realized the real reason they’d been invited here. It wasn’t so they could have a private meeting without fear of it being overheard, nor was it so he could selflessly aid in her efforts to escape.

And as Liam stared back at the man who’d so brilliantly set them both up, he envisioned punching the bastard square in the face.

“You son of a bitch.” Liam pushed himself up to his feet. “It’s never going to happen, so you can push that shit out of your head right the fuck now.”

“Wait, what?” Allison looked up from where she still sat, her confused gaze bouncing back and forth from him to Knox.

“You want to tell her, or should I?”

Knox motioned back to the couch. “If you’ll calm down a minute, I’ll explain everything to you both.”

“Fuck you and your explanation,” Liam seethed. He held out a hand for Allison to take. “Come on. We’re leaving.”

“Leaving?” She stood of her own accord. “But we just got here.”

“She’s right, Travis.” Sloane took Allison’s side. “What are the two of you not saying?”

Neither he or Knox spoke, prompting Allison to turn her frustration his way.

Her blue gaze searched his with desperation. “What’s going on, Liam?”

“What’s going on?” He took a broad step toward her, pointing his index finger toward Knox. “He wants to use you as fucking bait, that’s what.” His rage-filled gaze met with the other man’s. “Never going to happen.”

“All right,” Knox drawled. “Why don’t we all just take a breath and?—”

“I don’t need to take a fucking breath, and neither does she,” Liam informed him sharply. “In fact, the only thing we need to do is leave.”

He spun on his heels and headed for the door, but Allison didn’t follow.

“Hold on.”

The firm order stopped him in his tracks.

Liam turned as Allison pushed her shoulders back and faced Knox. “Is that true, Detective?” She looked him square in the eyes. “Did you bring me here to convince me to become bait for my husband?”

The other man filled his lungs before releasing a loud exhale. “Well, when you say it like that, it sounds really shitty.”

“It’s shitty no matter how I say it,” she bit back.

Liam would have smiled if he wasn’t so pissed.

“Fair point,” Knox agreed. But I promise, you will be protected the entire time.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?” He intervened. “Thomas Gallo terrorized and beat her on multiple occasions, not to mention damn near shooting her kid in the head. And you want her to willingly put herself out there in hopes that he’ll go after her, just so you can make an arrest?”

“You were special ops, Cutler,” the other man pointed out. “You understand how an investigation of this magnitude works. We need something solid. Not speculation, not circumstantial evidence, but something impenetrable that we can pin on this guy.”

“You mean you need him to get caught in the act of assaulting her so you can buy yourself time to finish doing your damn job. Well fuck that and fuck you.” Liam shook his head vehemently, not caring that this man was a friend of Jagger’s.

“That bastard has put her through hell, and I’m not about to let you throw her right back into the lion’s den.

He turned his back on the man he’d hoped could be trusted and started for the door for the last damn time. When he reached it, he paused, glancing over his shoulder to Allison. Liam was surprised when he found her hedging on the decision to leave.

But then it dawned on him that he was acting like a controlling ass. How he’d literally ordered her to leave. A knot of guilt settled deep in his gut, and he suddenly needed to know the decision was hers.

Without a word, he held out his palm, his heart kicking against his ribs as he waited. Allison glanced down, and at first, he was sure she was going to refuse.

A wave of relief fell over him a few seconds later when she slowly began moving across the room. Stopping inches from where he stood, she reached up and slid her palm against his.

Liam kept his eyes on her as he used his free hand to open the office door. Together, they stepped out into the hall. And with their fingers linked with one another’s, he and the woman he’d sworn to protect walked silently away.

“They’re not here.”

Tommy Gallo closed his eyes and hung his head with a sigh. “Where are they?” he asked his man with a calm, steady tone. But he didn’t feel calm. He was disappointed and pissed as hell.

“No idea,” Joey admitted. “Her car’s still across town, at that shelter. Your source was right, though. They’re definitely staying here.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m standing in the middle of their hotel room as we speak.”

“Yes, but how can you be certain it’s their room?” Tommy challenged. “You just said that you and Sal haven’t laid eyes on Allison or our daughter since yesterday.”

“Because I recognize your kid’s pink and purple jacket.” Joey paused. “She either forgot it, or purposely left it behind. Either way, I’m one hundred percent sure it’s hers. Don’t worry, though. I haven’t touched anything.”

“Good.”

Tommy’s fingers tightened their grip on his phone as he ran his free hand over his jaw. Where the hell had his wife run off to now?

The bitch was smarter than he’d given her credit for. But he was through underestimating her ability to stay one step ahead.

He couldn’t give up. Not now. Not when there was so much at stake. Time was starting to run out, and if he didn’t find Allison and Maddie soon, he was going to end up losing everything.

I won’t let that happen.

“I assume you’re wearing gloves?” he asked, already confident in Joey’s answer.

As expected, Joey responded with an immediate, “Hell yes, I’m wearing gloves. But like I said, I haven’t touched or moved anything, so she’ll never know I was here.”

“What about the cameras?”

“I did my research, and I’m wearing a hat. My face won’t be seen.”

It was exactly what he’d hoped to hear.

“Change of plans.” Tommy’s mouth turned upward into a slow, conniving grin. “I want her to know you were there.”

“You…do?”

“Yes. I want the bitch to know the second she steps foot through that door that I’ve found her.”

He was met with a stretch of silence and then, “You’re hoping to force her out of hiding.”

Hell yes, that’s what I want.

“Just make sure she gets the message,” he ordered. “She’ll know exactly who sent it, and then she’ll take off. When she does?—”

“Sal and I will be waiting.”

“I’m counting on it, Joey.” Tommy needed the other man to know. “I’m counting on you . So make it happen this time, yeah?”

“We’ll get it done, boss. Don’t worry.”

“See to it that you do.”