Confused, I narrowed my eyes and placed the phone in his palm. “How will my phone help you?”
“Because you’re one of three people with a top-secret clearance level.” He flipped through the screens, and as I leaned over his shoulder, I spotted a few suspicious apps that I hadn’tinstalled. “The people who took Drake and your brother are professionals. And they know all of Drake’s weaknesses.”
“Promise you’ll bring them home.”
“We’ll do our best,” Cole said, snaking his arm around me, which helped to settle down my shaking limbs.
After that, Cole went through every app, email, and phone call before stuffing my cell phone into his back pocket.
“You’re staying at my estate until we get back from New Mexico,” Marcello told me. “Pack a bag.”
“But… why can’t I stay here?”
“If The Lucaya Group could get to Drake, they can find you.”
“I’m a nobody. No one cares about me.”
“You’re important to Drake. And if they can’t get what they want from your brother, they won’t hesitate to get it out of you.”
My mouth widened in shock. “I know nothing about Drake’s tech or his business. I’m his assistant.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Marcello said, his blue eyes sad and downcast. “We’re not dealing with the average criminal. These people are smart and strategic and learn everything about their targets. You are a weakness for Drake, which means you need our protection. The Knights will keep you safe. Pack enough clothes for a few days. And hurry.”
I nodded. “Give me a few minutes.”
As I entered the elevator, I heard Cole say to Marcello, “Liv was the leak, wasn’t she?”
Heart pounding, I held the door and listened to their conversation, hoping they wouldn’t notice.
“Found malware on her phone,” Marcello said. “She probably opened a link or downloaded something without realizing it would leave her vulnerable to attacks.”
“Fuck. Please don’t tell her.”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” Marcello shot back. “When we get back to my house, we’ll connect the phone to Lovelace and let her optimize the location based on the tracking data.”
I let go of the door, tears streaming down my cheeks as the elevator shot upward. My brother and Drake were in this situation because of me? Because I clicked on a fucking link? All the way upstairs, I sobbed so hard my chest ached.
On the second floor, the doors opened, and I ran to my bedroom, nearly tripping on my feet. I opened drawers and stuffed whatever I could grab into an overnight bag. Then, I stopped in the bathroom and added toiletries and the bare essentials.
Instead of taking the elevator, I bolted down the stairs. I slung an overnight bag over my shoulder, black mascara streaked under my eyes.
A true gentleman, Marcello took my bag and headed outside without a word. All business, he was on a mission.
“I can’t do this,” I said as Cole guided me outside past dozens of armed guards. “Tate, Drake… They have to…”
“You’re okay.” He helped me into the backseat of Marcello’s blue Maserati and sat beside me. “Just breathe, Liv.”
Without a second to waste, Marcello peeled out of the driveway and raced off the property, headed toward my new reality. If they didn’t make it home alive, it was all my fault.
CHAPTER 22
DRAKE
Iwoke up in a cramped space that smelled of dirt and stale air, surrounded by darkness. Only a sliver of light crept through the rock formation above my head. Glancing around, I realized we were in a cave.
Wrists tied behind my back, I rocked back and forth on the cold dirt floor. I tried to sit up, only to discover my ankles were bound.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
