Page 90 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set

“Is Mia still here?” I ask.

“Yeah, she’s back at the hotel waiting for a report from us. It wasn’t easy getting her to remain behind. Her crazy started to show,” Christian answers.

“OK call her on the way to The Graveyard and tell her to stay inside the room. Don’t answer the door, don’t call room service. I don’t like her being there alone. Something in my gut feels off.”

“I can stay with her if you want,” Harris offers.

“Would you? I know you want in on the action, but I think we can all do our jobs better if I had reassurance someone was there with her.” I respond.

“Of course. I don’t have an issue protecting Mia. Whatever makes it easier, I’ll do it,” Harris says.

Christian is pacing back and forth. His hands are clenching and unclenching into fists. He’s torn about what to do. “My cop instincts are saying go with you, but the boyfriend side is telling me to go to Mia. What do I do?”

“Christian, I understand where you’re coming from. You need to do what you need to do. That’s your decision. It’s a tough one but make it fast. We need to get moving and get out of here.” I tell him.

“Since the drop is tonight, why don’t we all go to the hotel, shower, reload our weapons, then go?” Ashley suggests.

“That’s a good idea. Come on, let’s get out of here and get back to the hotel for a quick bite and regroup.” I agree.

We all file out of the apartment and quietly walk down the hallway, watching and waiting for an attack.

This felt way too easy like they wanted us to get Xavier.

The hair on the back of my neck stands on end and something is off.

Once we reach the stairwell, I stop Ramirez. “Do you still have eyes on this place?”

“Yes, boss. We never took them down. What’s up?” he answers.

“Something seems off, this was too easy. For as long as they had them why would they leave him alone when they knew I was here?”

“Maybe they have what they want or they thought you were under their control. Or they’re getting too cocky, thinking they’re untouchable. Either way, it helped us, and we have one back. I’ll keep the cameras up and monitor them when we get back to the hotel.” Ramirez counters.

“Let’s do that. Keep an eye on this place. It feels abandoned like they had no intention to come back. But I want to be on the safe side and know if someone comes back.” I agree.

“I’ll set up a trigger to warn me if someone comes into the apartment. If I set it up here, it’ll constantly go off because of the other residence, but I can set one up at the door. If anyone approaches or enters the apartment, I’ll get a warning. How does that sound?”

“That works. Take Marks and meet us back at the hotel when you’re done.” I order. “Oh, and Ramirez.”

“Yes, boss?” He questions.

“Watch your back. Come back safe.”

“You got it, boss,” he salutes me like a smartass. “Marks come on. We have one final job.”

Ramirez and Marks disappear back into the apartment hallway and I rush to meet up with the rest of my team. Ashley raises an eyebrow and takes my hand. “Everything all right?”

“Yes, just want reassurance no one will be entering or leaving that apartment without us knowing.” I squeeze her hand for support while watching Xavier. The guy has had it rough the last couple of weeks and we need to find Izzy. He’s going to torture himself until she’s back safely.

We walk out of the apartment building and I breathe a sigh of relief as the breezy night air cools my skin and regenerates my mind.

I watch Xavier stand under the street lamp.

His eyes are dull and a frown is upon his face.

He’s stressing about Izzy and I know how he feels.

I felt the same way when Shaun took Ashley, so I know what he’s going through.

Approaching him, I rest a hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his head.

His blue eyes collide with mine and something passes between us.

This is the second time someone has kidnapped Izzy, but this is worse than before.

“X, I don’t know what to say. I feel like everything that’s happened to both of you is my fault.

Marie, now Switch. It all leads back to me and my haunted past. I won’t be mad or upset if you want to blame me for it.

I should have come clean, but I thought I left them behind, this life behind. ”

“Nolan, you’ve been my best friend for a long time.

I really thought I knew you. After this happened, I realized I don’t know who you were in the past,” I lower my head in shame.

My past is ruining a friendship. “But, I know who you are now and that’s all that matters.

If we get Izzy back safely, nothing else matters.

Not what you’ve done here, not who they made you become.

You’ve been like a brother to me since we were eighteen.

I knew there was something in your past you didn’t want to share and I’m fine with that.

What I’m not fine with is these dumb fuckers messing with the wrong guys.

” Xavier’s response shocks me to my core.

I thought for sure he’d be pissed and want to take a swing at me.

“But Nolan, when it comes down to it, I want a piece of Switch. I want to inflict the same torture he did to us. I want to watch him beg and plead with tears in his eyes before me. I want pain and punishment.” His voice is cold and deadly.

He might regret it later, but it’s the least I can do.

“You will be there with me when we take him down and you’ll be there when we get Izzy back. I won’t shut you out of that. Just be careful with what you wish for because sometimes the outcome isn’t something you can remove from your head.”

“I don’t care. I want him gone and that little bitch too. She’s horrible and has no remorse for anything. Honestly, watching the two of them, it felt like she was controlling him. Wrath would snap her fingers and Switch would grovel at her feet.” Xavier reveals.

My head is spinning with this new knowledge. “Let’s get back to the hotel. I have some research I need to do.” We all get into the cars we brought. Harris rides with Ashton, Ace, and Rush ride together and Xavier rides with us. We leave the SUV that Marks brought behind for them to get back with.

As Ashley drives us into the busy nighttime traffic, thoughts overwhelm my mind.

Have I had it wrong the whole time? When I was with them, it was the other way around.

Switch snapped and Wrath responded. Have they been playing me this entire time?

Has Wrath been the one in control since we were teenagers?

If so, why would they reverse roles? What does she have on him to give her the power?

They didn’t talk much, but since the first day I met them, something was off between the two of them and I could never figure out what.

I see it now and I will get to the bottom of it.