Page 50

“Don’t listen to him. We’re not going in guns blazing.” Luca’s the voice of reason in the back seat. “But we will clean the house before we leave.”

“No argument here.” Butch’s grip on the wheel is so tight his knuckles are white. And when I finally really look at him, I can see I might not be the only one struggling right now.

It almost makes me feel bad for the men who took Audrey and Becca. They have no idea what’s coming for them. I don’t feel bad enough that I won't kill them. They’re absolutely going to die for daring to put their hands on her.

The buildings around us start to come farther and farther apart, and soon Butch points through the windshield at a shitty looking commercial building.

There’s still an old plastic sign affixed to the front, but any letters that once identified the name of the business inside were worn away by the weather long ago.

“This is our second option.” His eyes narrow.

“Hopefully they’re here, because option number three is twenty minutes away. ”

I hold my breath as we coast past, nearly jumping out of my skin when I see three cars parked behind the building. “They’re here.”

“What’s the plan? Want me to just pull in?” Butch meets my gaze across the console. “Because I know that sounds like fun, but I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” A slow smile works across his lips. “Not until we say they do.”

“Find a place we can park and go in on foot.” I twist in my seat, getting as good of a look at the place as I can as it fades into the distance. “Do we think it has cameras outside?”

“It’s possible, but I doubt it.” Butch takes the next right hand turn and follows a road that roughly positions us behind the building about one block up.

“Honestly, I’m not even sure the place has electric.

It’s been empty for years, and I can’t imagine those two have the funds to keep the lights on. ”

I check all my weapons as Butch parks his truck. As soon as we’re stopped, I’m out the door, stalking toward the patchy tree line separating me from Audrey.

It doesn’t take everyone else long to catch up with me and we walk as a unit across a browning stretch of grass before breaking into the trees.

As we close in on the parking lot ending our cover, I unholster my weapon and switch off the safety. “Butch and I will go in the back. Luca, you and Owen take the front.”

Luca jerks his head in a nod, branching off with Owen to circle the building as Butch and I make our way to the dented and rusting steel door leading inside.

I barely pause, listening for any sign someone’s on the other side.

When I’m relatively confident they’re not, I ease the door open, careful to adjust its weight as I go so the hinges won’t squeak overly loud.

I make a gap just big enough for my body to fit through—the interior is dark enough any outside light will be noticeable—then I slide in, holding my position as Butch comes in behind me.

As soon as he has the door quietly back in place, we begin to move, stepping in tandem as we work our way through piles of trash and discarded furniture. The place stinks and is covered in filth, only making me more pissed off Audrey’s been brought here.

She should never be in a place like this. She deserves to be safe and pampered and… Loved.

Fuck. I love her. Now’s one hell of a time to acknowledge that shit.

Butch’s hand grips my arm and I stop, going still.

Up ahead, a dim glow spills through a doorway into a long hall. Voices carry out, but they’re low enough I can’t identify any of them. The acoustics in this place are shit. It’s like the darkness swallows up everything in its path. Light. Sound.

My patience.

Pushing the mic on my earpiece, I fill Luca and Owen in on the approximate location of our targets. Then Butch and I continue moving in.

I’ve never heard Trevor’s voice, but the arrogance coming out of the man speaking makes me believe that’s who I’m about to finally come face-to-face with.

Based on what Butch discovered, it would make sense.

Trevor hasn’t made it as far up the ladder as any of us initially believed, so if he wanted help dealing with a situation—Audrey’s flash drive for example—he would have to hire an outside set of hands.

It's also likely he’s trying to deal with this on the down low since admitting he was collecting incriminating evidence on the men he’s working with would likely be a death sentence.

Little does he know, taking Audrey has the same outcome.

“I didn’t do anything with it.” Audrey’s sweet voice nearly has me walking straight into that room and opening fire. Taking out everyone standing between me and her.

But doing that would put her in the line of fire too, and that’s not a risk I will ever be willing to take.

“Bullshit. You’ve always been a lying bitch.

I have you on camera fucking around with my computer right before you walked out.

I know you copied everything you could onto that flash drive.

” The unhinged edge of his words turns my blood to ice.

“I’m going to give you one more chance to tell me where it is and who you gave it to, before I shoot her. ”

Now it’s Butch who’s ready to step in. I place my hand on his chest, stopping him before he can give away our position.

Tapping my mic again, I ask, “Where are you?”

“I’ve got eyes on your man.” Luca’s voice is low. “Looks like he’s holding the dog. There’s one man down and three others still in play.”

One man down? There were only three men I saw taking Audrey and Becca. Who in the hell is the fourth?

I’m about to find out.

“Can you take anyone out from where you are?” If Luca and Owen shoot first, it will pull everyone’s attention their direction, giving Butch and me the chance to come in and finish what they start.

“I’m pretty sure we can take out two of the three, but I don’t have a good sight line on your guy.”

“Do it.” I tip my head at Butch, inching as close to the edge of the doorway as I can, ready to strike as soon as Owen and Luca fire their shots.

I don’t have to wait long.

The sound of silenced bullets cutting through the air immediately precedes yelling.

I wait a heartbeat, ensuring everyone is looking away before I step inside.

Butch is right behind me, his gun trained on the hostile who is now reaching for Becca like he thinks he can use the smallest person in the room as a human shield.

I go straight for Trevor, closing in on him fast. When he finally realizes I’m there, I’m so close I could touch him, and it’s far beyond too late for him to do anything but gape in shock.

The second his eyes lock on me, I pull the trigger, sending a bullet into his skull.

As he begins to tip backward, I scoop Coco out of his arms, gently cradling her frail body as I turn to see Butch take out the final target.

Everything is over in a matter of seconds.

Both too slow and too fast at the same time.

I wanted Trevor to know who I was. Wanted him to understand why he was going to die. But seeing the fear in his eyes as he stared down the barrel of my gun will have to do.

I holster my pistol, going straight to where Audrey stands. She seems a little shocked, but unharmed.

Wrapping one arm around her, I pull her against me, pressing my face into her hair and breathing deep. I hold her like that for a few minutes, trying to calm myself down. Trying to cool the rage still coursing through me.

But I want to get her the fuck out of here. Away from this place and the asshole who hurt her.

Who tried to hurt her again.

I loosen my hold on her just enough she’ll be able to walk beside me.

But Audrey doesn’t begin to walk. She tips her head back, looking so sweet and perfect as she smiles up at me. “See?” Her eyes fall to the neglected dog in my arm. “You keep all your promises after all.”