Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
I take a deep breath to keep myself under control as I continue reviewing the footage. I watch as the girls head back toward the car, but they suddenly stop and turn, moving away from it.
That’s when I see it: a black sedan with doors opening.
“There are two of them,” I report. “Following on foot.”
“Armed?”
“I can’t tell. Let me see if there’s a better angle.” I switch feeds, tracking them block by block. All the air leaves my body. The two men aren’t trying to hide; they are following them now, and the girls know.
“Shit,” I get out. “The alley behind the hardware store. They’re cornered.”
Killian takes a turn sharp enough to squeal the tires. “Play?”
I calculate distances, speed, and the maze of small-town streets. “We have to go on foot.” A vehicle can’t fit through the alleyway.
We abandon the SUV three blocks over, moving on foot. Killian already has a gun in his hand. I’ve got my knife, the one I keep in my boot. We don’t speak. We don’t need to. We have worked jobs together before.
Normally he’s boots on the ground, and I’m in a control center of some kind close by. That wasn’t always the case. A few times I had to go in.
We hear them before we see them. Lily’s voice is high, filled with words that would make a sailor blush. She and Teddy are bickering about directions.
Then I hear the heavier footsteps of the two men closing in on them. Then the sound of a scuffle.
We round the corner to find Teddy backed against a wall, Lily in front of her wielding a broken piece of lumber, a look of determination on her face. One of the two men already has a gun out, but it’s at his side. The second man is closing in from the left, knife in hand, grinning like this is fun for him. Oh, it’s going to be fun for Killian and me.
Lily sees me first. Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t lower the lumber. Smart girl. The gunman starts to turn toward the sound of our footsteps.
I don’t think; I just move. All I care about is keeping her safe, no matter the cost.
The knife in my hand leaves my fingers before I make the decision to throw. It catches the gunman in the shoulder. It’s not lethal, but his arm drops, and the gun hits the pavement and skids. He lets out a scream. I’m already on him, punching him in his kidney, shocking his system. I wrench his arm behind his back until I feel a pop. He goes down hard. Too bad—this is just the beginning of what I plan on doing to him.
Killian passes me in a blur; his gun connects with the side of the other man’s skull with a crack that echoes off the brick. The man crumples to the ground.
The first one is still conscious, reaching for the gun with his good hand. Lily beats him to it. She brings the lumber down on his fingers, then his head. Once. Twice. He stops moving.
The silence falls over all of us heavily. I straighten up, scanning the alley.
Lily drops the lumber. Her hands are shaking, but her voice is steady when she looks at me. “You followed us.” Already ready to give me a hard time.
“I tracked you,” I say, holding up my phone. “I like to know where my girl is at all times. She has a knack for getting herself in situations.”
She laughs; it’s slightly hysterical. “Situations. Right.” She points down at the unconscious men. “Who the hell are they?”
“I don’t know.” I crouch, checking the first man’s pockets. No wallet, no ID. That means only one thing. They’re professionals. But I’ll find out who they are. “Killian?”
He’s already searching the second guy’s pockets. “Clean. Military bearing. Not locals.”
“We should probably get going,” Teddy whispers like it might wake the men up on the ground, but she’s not wrong. “I’ll call Roland; I’m sure he can clean this up.” I’m sure he can. He’s a man of many talents.
“I’ll call him. This is a two-man job,” Killian says.
“I’ll take them back and see to removing any footage on cameras.” Killian nods in agreement, already on the phone, voice low.
Lily’s watching me, arms wrapped around herself. Her adrenaline’s crashing, leaving her pale and any bravado gone. I hate how vulnerable she appears this way.
“We’re going back,” I say. “Both of you.”
Lily doesn’t argue for once in her life. Doesn’t make some wise remark about being a prisoner. She just nods. Teddy is standing beside her, shockingly silent for once.
Killian hangs up. “Roland’s ten minutes out. I’ll stay and make sure it’s clean.” He throws me his keys.
I catch them. “The house. Two hours.”
“Got it,” Killian says before pulling Teddy into his arms for a kiss. He leans down, whispering something in her ear, and she gives a tentative nod.