Page 82 of You Can Make Me

He frowned the slightest bit in confusion and then smiled again, too big for his face. “Oh, right. I was going to go share it with the task force. How about you ride in with me?”

He was acting a little manic for my taste.

I rested my hand on my piece and smiled back. “I’m kind of in the middle of something right now. I’m sure I can get the deets from Walter. I’m guessing he’s coming down?”

He shifted on his feet.

His gaze darted to my hand.

“Don’t,” was the only warning I got before Dax drew his weapon on me—but then I was hit in the back. With ten thousand volts.

Pain coursed through my body and I collapsed on the porch.

“Come on. We don’t have much time.”

Who the fuck was he talking to?

Before I lost consciousness, I hit the panic button Walter gave me and shoved it down the back of my pants. It notified him and the police. It also locked down the house.

No ins or outs. Our precious cargo was safe.

Twenty

Cooper

I had the urge to check on Denny just as a shrill alarm sounded. Shutters slammed down over all of the windows and the doors locked.

Dane jolted in his seat, then jumped up. “Come on. We need to get into the panic room.” His phone was buzzing wildly in his shaky hand.

“Jesus,” Ryan said, as he and Kal stood. “I know he warned us when we did a practice run, but fuck me, that’s loud.”

“Denny!” Once the shock wore off, my heart lurched. I stood and grabbed my cane. I should have gone with him.

Dane put a hand on my bicep to stop me. “He’s the one that set this off. Come on. We have to get inside and then we can see what’s happening.”

“I’m not leaving without Denny.” I pushed his hand away and kept walking toward the front door. Kal blocked my path.

“It’s done. The house is locked down. Please, Cooper. Come with us.” He moved to my other side and grabbed my elbow.

Dane pulled his phone away from his ear and handed it to me. His skin had gone stark white.

I snatched the phone from him and shouted, “Who is this? What’s happening?”

“Cooper, it’s Walter. They took Denny. You need to get into the panic room right now, you hear me? I’m on my way, LAPD is on their way. Dane knows what to do.”

Fire ignited in my veins.

Instead of falling apart I was shaking with rage. This was not happening.

“You better find him, goddammit. He’s my everything, Walter! You and Gene have to find him.” I wanted to fight off my new friends, but I handed the phone back to Dane, who put it on speaker and let the others guide me down the stairs, into a relatively large room with couches, a kitchenette, and a large screen. The side of the house was partially cut into the hillside, and I imagined this panic room was actually in the ground.

“We will. He’s got the panic button on him. We’re tracking him. Dane, baby, I love you. I’m coming.”

“I know what to do. I love you, too.”

Dane shut the door behind us and pressed his hand to a keypad on the door. The locksnickedinto place. My ears popped from the change in pressure. My heart felt cut off, like I’d left it outside. I hadn’t been away from Denny in months and his absence was tangible. I had to stay furious or I’d break into pieces without him.

“Walter updated the security on this house, and especially this room, in case of something like this happening,” Kal began in a calm voice. “He’s been preparing for it. The room has been fortified to withstand fires, floods, earthquakes, and human invasion. There’s enough food and water for up to ten people to last two weeks minimum, probably longer. There’s a bathroom and a water source that can’t be tampered with. We’re safe here.The police will come, and the alarm company will negotiate with them. Walter will be here as soon as he can.”