“Daddy’s here to save the day.” Liam grimaced with a small smile, pulling the cell door open. “I heard what you did for her—saw it too.” He shook his head. “It’s a goddamn massacre out there.”
“I did what I had to.” I grimaced,would do it againis what I didn’t add as I quickly pulled on the clothes he handed me, wondering what the body count was up to now. “Temporary truce?” I asked.
“For now. Let’s just get her back safe and sound and then I’ll decide if I’m going to beat the shit out of you.” The corner of his mouth pulled into a stressed almost-smile. “Though it looks like someone already got a head start, you look like shit.”
I turned to Theo. “Taggart Caldwell has her. Said they were getting on a plane, we’re going to need to hack into?—”
Theo shook his head. “We’ve been poring over the flight logs for days, but they never arrived at their destination.” He hesitated, and my chest tightened as I searched his face. “We traced them back to the Caldwell Estate, and then they justdisappeared.”
I stared at him, panicking because if Theo couldn’t find them—this was not good.Not good at all.
“We’re going to find her; it’s only a matter of time.” He assured me. “There’s a solid chance they’re hiding out somewhere in Briar Rose. They have to be close by. We would have found them already if they had left—which means they probably didn’t.”
“Probably?” I snapped. “We’re wasting time.” I stormed out the door, wondering how much time they’d wasted rescuing me, when they should have been looking for her.
As we headed through the compound, I didn’t bother looking at the mess I’d made. Only one thing mattered now,getting her back, and I’d gladly leave another pile of bodies, if that’s what it took. Taggart had threatened Sara atgunpoint,and now they’d just disappeared? If anything happened to her, I’d never be able to forgive myself.
Bouncing around in the back of the tactical van, I bit back a scream while Liam and Cade pinned me down—the medic wasbusy digging bullets out of my shoulder like I was a fucking sandbox to play in.
“Hold the damn flashlight still. I can’t get the right angle if I can’t even see.” They muttered to someone else on the tactical team while I chuffed heavy breaths out through the nose, really wishing I wasn’t playing Cavity Sam in this shitty game of Operation.
My scream finally ripped free as we hit a bump, and the medic just went for it, making me thrash—they pulled the last bullet out a moment later. “Got it.” They announced proudly, and I collapsed back in a sweaty heap, trembling as they added insult to injury, wiping my shoulder down with a disinfectant that stung. “Alright,thisis the one you’re gonna wanna brace for.” They warned, grabbing another bottle. “This is just a temporary patch, and it’s gonna burn,like hell.”
I was still gasping for breath, eyes fluttering as Cade loomed over me, giving me a shit-eating grin. “Hey princess, don’t focus on that—focus on how this feels.” He purred like I was one of his sexual conquests and then proceeded to slap my face—right as something that burned like the devil’s asshole hit my open wound.
“Fuuuck.” I cried, tipping my head back with a whimper while black spots laced my vision.
“Aww, look at him, taking it like such a good boy,” Cade teased, as the medic started bandaging me up.
“You’re an asshole.” I panted, body shaking, dripping with sweat.
“You’re welcome.” Cade chuckled, patting me as he and Liam finally let go when they were sure I wasn’t about to punch the medic in the face.
“That should do it for now.” The medic announced.
My eyes were closed as I lifted my good arm with a sarcastic thumbs up for the sandcastle builder before throwing a middle finger in Cade andLiam’s direction.
“Look alive.” Liam chuckled, and I groaned when a sandwich bag hit me in the face a moment later.
I held the plastic baggie up. “Is this shitty little sandwich your way of telling me you’re still pissed at me?” I sighed, realizing it was PB&J.
“I hope it’s the worst damn sandwich you’ve ever eaten.” Liam grinned, looking all too pleased at my misery. “I used grape jelly.”
I hated grape jelly.
CHAPTER 55
Where Is She
CARTER
The sun dipped low in the sky, setting blazing red streaks across the horizon as we quietly waited, hidden in the foliage of the Bishop’s apple orchard. It was almost eerie, considering the carnage that was about to unfold in a matter of minutes.
Next to me, Liam shifted impatiently, muttering, “What the hell is taking them so long?”
The comms in my ear were a quiet flurry of commands and updates as we waited the torturously long minutes for each unit to clear its respective section.
Theo’s team was sweeping the outside of the manor, while his cybersecurity team hacked into the security system from the comfort of the tactical vehicles.
