Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45785 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45785 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Darius and I headed back to the torched patio, and I swallowed bile upon seeing Tariq’s body. He’d been burned badly. Toby had been shot in the back of his head by some motherfucking coward who, if he wasn’t already dead and lying somewhere in a pool of his own blood on my property, was gonna see the barrel of my gun very soon.
Piper’s sobbing, Madison’s breathless crying—I had to get away. Each sound of despair cut through me.
I’d only lost consciousness for a minute, maybe even less, but it’d been enough to lose sight of my niece.
I heard Joel shouting in the house. “Where the fuck is my daughter?”
I steeled myself and clenched my jaw. “Crew, Ortega—you’re with me. We’re ghost.”
“Finally.” Crew spoke through gnashed teeth.
We didn’t have time to bring Joel up to speed before we got on the road. So when I entered the house and came face-to-face with him, I halted him with a hand to his chest.
“Get in the fucking car. We’ll explain on the way.”
He glared murderously at me. Piper couldn’t have told him much in her state, probably just that someone had kidnapped Blake.
“What happened?” he gritted out. “Why are you bleeding?”
“Are you deaf?” I snapped. “We don’t have time. Get outside. Now.”
“Joel,” Piper bawled. “They took her. They just took her!”
I fucking lost it. All the anger bottled up within me spewed out. “I don’t give a fuck who’s coming with me, but I’m outta here in thirty goddamn seconds!” I shoved Joel aside and only went into my study to grab my passport before I stalked toward the front door. We had to stop by Joel’s place to get his passport too. It was the one item I didn’t leave without because, experience. No need to pack anything else, though. The safehouse wasn’t merely safe; it was fully stocked.
Once out in the hallway, I grabbed the keys to both SUVs. Our company vehicles couldn’t be here.
Fucking hell, the moving trucks. Darius had to take them into consideration for the cover story.
I tossed one of the keys to Ortega and told Crew to go with him, even if that would put me in a car alone with Joel.
“No.” Ortega shook his head grimly. “I need to be alone. I’ll follow you.”
He was barely keeping it together.
I nodded with a dip of my chin. “We’ll drive over the ridge—” I pointed to the hilltop where several of the attackers had come from. “There’s a road on the other side.”
If law enforcement was on its way, we didn’t wanna be on the main road and look like fugitives.
“Please bring her home,” Piper cried as she came out of the house.
I quickly got in behind the wheel and shut the door. I couldn’t—I fucking couldn’t. Hearing my sister’s voice hurt too much. It forced memories of Blake to the forefront of my mind—her beautiful smile, the mischief in her eyes, her sweet laughter…and the fucking terror she must be going through right now. I could only pray she hadn’t been separated from Marisa and Shay.
Crew got in next to me, and Joel jumped in the back seat as I started the engine.
“Boss, you’ve been shot,” Crew told me quietly.
“I’m fine,” I muttered. The shock and the adrenaline had protected me from the pain earlier, and it must’ve happened while I’d been unconscious. Maybe a stray bullet. It’d gone straight through the fleshy part of my thigh. The countless cuts and burns from the blast were gonna be a lot worse at some point. My jeans had little holes all over, burn marks and whatever. My tee too.
I drove off the little road in front of my house and headed up the hill, Ortega following close behind. I put some distance between us and my property, not wanting to reveal our tracks so damn clearly. We needed time.
I side-eyed Crew. “What about you, kid?”
He’d sustained some minor injuries as well, though he’d covered up his upper body with a T-shirt after the attack. He’d only been wearing basketball shorts earlier.
“My best friend’s been murdered, and his pregnant wife was shot in the shoulder—otherwise, I’m just great,” he answered dully.
I swallowed hard and gripped the wheel tighter.
In the rearview, I caught Joel’s tear-filled gaze, and it almost fucking broke me.
“Tell me everything,” he demanded.
Hey, man. This isn’t easy to say. Gray and I are actually at your house. Since you never celebrated your 45th birthday, and you know, you recently went through a rough breakup, Gray had this idea. We flew down and invited some of your friends. Your sister arranged so we could move your things in to your new place before you got back from your work trip. But then shit went sideways. Call me as soon as you see this.
Decent coverup that would give us a day or two before I had to get involved at all, and depending on the nature of the work trip, further time could be bought. It was a text we didn’t have to hide from the police either. Or…the NSA.