Alex spoke into his earpiece. “Sir, I found Jo. Copy that. Yes, the compound is secure. Roman’s men are gone. I’ll round up the bodies. Yes, sir.” Then he regarded Jo. “Your husband is in the house. Library, to be exact.”
She let out a breath, walked over to him, and gave him a hug. “Thank you for your help in taking Abbey into the safe room.” She tossed a look over her shoulder. “Come on, Sam.”
I nodded at Alex as I passed him.
As we headed into the house, Jo asked, “Did you know Roman would be here? And how does Roman know where Abbey is?”
The answer to the first question involved a long story. The other one I couldn’t answer, but I had ideas.
“Did you see Roman?” I asked.
“No,” she said. “I think it was just his men.”
After we climbed the steps onto the porch, Jo ran through the open front door and into the sprawling mansion. I followed her, skirting the staircase, going down a narrow hall, and heading into a massive room that rivaled the size of my apartment. Books galore, a leather couch, and two chairs, family pictures, and cherrywood tables decorated the room.
Jo launched into Webb’s arms, and he caught her with ease. The two hugged for a long moment.
Victor, tall and formidable, stood by the fireplace, glaring at the frightened human tied to a chair in front of him.
Wyman’s shoulders were hunched up to his ears as fear soaked him down to the bones.
Heshouldbe scared out of his mind, especially of me. Although Victor was also a force to be reckoned with.
I covered my nose with the back of my hand as I joined Victor’s side. “Did you piss your pants, Wyman?” I didn’t have to look to know he had. The urine stench was about to make me gag.
Jo untangled her arms from her husband. “Abbey is okay.”
“I know. Victor checked the safe room when I came in,” Webb said. “We’ll get her and Alia as soon as we’re done with this asshole. I don’t want Abbey to witness this.”
Victor looked at his sword leaning against the stone fireplace, the blood glistening along the blade.
“Did you cut off Scarface’s head?” I asked out of curiosity.
Victor stuck out his chest. “You know I did.”
“Thank you,” I said. “He was the fucker who chased Layla, and I believe he also killed Lane.”
Fear swam in Wyman’s brown eyes as he watched Victor and me intently.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “How did you know Layla and I would be at the hospital?” I asked Wyman. “I saw you on the news.”
He regarded Jo and Webb standing next to me. “I overheard Jo talking to Webb.” Then he turned his attention to me. “I told you from the beginning. I feel responsible for Layla. I owe it to her dead father to watch over her.”
Admirable, but it wasn’t his job. “Or maybe you’re working with Roman Brown,” I said.
He raised his chin. “I promise you, I’m not.”
“He’s telling the truth,” Jo said.
Man, I would trade my empath ability for mind reading just for situations like these.
“Then how the fuck did Roman know Abbey was here?” I asked.
Jo eyed Victor with a wary expression. “Maybe it wasn’t Abbey he came for.”
Roman’s goal was to take Abbey but maybe Matthew too.
Victor’s brown eyes bled to black as his face reddened. “Are you saying it was for Matthew? They took my grandson? Why would they do that?” He stalked over to a waist-high bar and picked up his cell that was sitting next to a decanter of whiskey. “I don’t believe you.” He called his grandson while pinning his hard gaze on Jo as if it was her fault.
