“We believe that women are being held in this building.” Dean used a laser pointer and circled what looked like an outbuilding behind the main house. “As you can see from the picture, the whole place is heavily guarded, and it’s going to be a fucking shitshow trying to get everyone out safely. From the last reports sent over this morning, there are twelve women in there.”
“And Jules?” Jagger growled. “Where are they keeping my sister?”
“Here,” Dean said. He used his pointer to show that she was being held in the main house. Jagger felt his stomach drop at the thought of Jules being held separately from the other women. He hated that she was being kept under the same fucking roof as Wolf and worried that they were already too late. He worried about what they would find when they finally got into that house to rescue Jules. And he hoped like hell that Wolf was there so he could tear him apart.
“What’s the plan?” Justice whispered.
“I have a team assembling as we speak. They are about a mile away from Wolf’s location, and we are about ten miles out. Weare going to meet up with my team and go in there hot.” Jagger could feel his panic knowing what that meant. He saw so many missions turn bad because there were just too many variables. He knew this could be one of those instances. He was hearing everything Dean wasn’t saying, and that scared the fuck out of him.
“When do we leave?” Jagger asked.
“We aren’t going.” Dean turned on the lights and ended the show. Jagger could feel his anger bubbling past the point where he wanted to punch something or someone. He didn’t want Justice to see that side of him, but she was about to get a crash course as to who she married.
“There is no fucking way that I’m not going in with you, Dean.” His best friend crossed the room and stood dangerously close to him.
“Listen, man, if you are there, then you can’t be with Justice. I’m afraid that if you leave her, we will be playing right into Wolf’s hands. She is his ultimate prize, and he knows you guys are here now. I can’t take the chance that we will be handing Justice over if you are with me and not her.” Jagger sighed, knowing Dean had a valid point. The thought of Wolf getting his hands on Justice just about drove him mad.
“Fine,” he barked. “You go in there and get my sister from that crazy asshole, and I’ll keep my girl safe.” He wrapped his arms around Justice, and she cuddled into his side.
“I’m sorry, Jag,” she whispered.
“No, don’t ever be sorry for me choosing you. I’ll always choose you, baby.” Jagger kissed her forehead, and Dean grabbed his gear.
“I’m heading out. You two go back to the house and enjoy the rest of your honeymoon. I’m betting you’ll be back home before you know it. I’ll go get Jules and make sure she’s safe. Once wehave Wolf and Hobbs in custody, you should be all clear to head back home.”
“Thanks, man.” Jagger shook his friend’s hand. Going home sounded pretty fucking good to him, but the question was—where exactly was home? He and Justice just admitted how they felt about each other. They needed to catch their breath before deciding something like where they were going to settle down. He didn’t give a shit where he lived as long as it was with Justice. He’d live on the fucking moon if that made her happy.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jagger was on edge for the entire drive back to the cabin, and Justice wasn’t sure what to say to make him feel better. Their relationship was still so new, she worried about saying the wrong thing, and that was the last thing she wanted. He kept looking out the rearview, and she worried they were being followed.
“You are making me nervous,” Justice whispered. Jagger smiled at her, reaching across the console to take her hand, and she was grateful for the connection. Ever since seeing Wolf on the side of the mountain and finding out that he was holding Jules, her whole world felt like it had turned upside down.
“I don’t mean to make you nervous, honey. I am just taking extra care to make sure we aren’t being followed. I’m worried that my sister is just a distraction.” Justice didn’t want to agree with him, especially since she worried about what Jagger wasn’t saying. She was the real prize—the one that Jordan wanted. Jules was just a way to keep them in the game. She knew Wolf wouldn’t stop until she was his.
“I know, I’m just worried about your sister. It’s crazy that I’m worried about her and have never met her.” Jagger shook his head and raised her hand to his lips to gently kiss her knuckles.
“I don’t find it crazy at all, honey. You have such a big heart that worrying for someone you haven’t yet met seems like something you would do.” Jagger shrugged. His phone rang and he pulled it from his jacket pocket.
“Dean, tell me you have her,” he barked. Justice could feel her breath catch, waiting to hear if Jules was safe.
“I’ve got her,” Dean growled. “But Wolf wasn’t there. He left a skeleton crew, and we got about five of his men. Hopefully, we can get one of them to talk.”
“How’s Jules?” Justice whispered, almost afraid to ask. Dean’s sigh into the phone told her just about everything she needed to know.
“She’s here but in shock. She hasn’t said one word to me since I found her tied up in the master bedroom,” Dean whispered into the phone. Justice didn’t hide her sob. The thought of Jagger’s sister having to endure any pain because of her made her physically ill.
“I think with her statement, we can finally arrest Hobbs and put him away for a long time.” Dean seemed hesitant to tell Justice that news, but honestly, she would be the first person cheering to see her father go away for a good, long time. He was an awful person and deserved to finally pay for his many crimes. She just hoped that they would be able to find him to arrest him. Her father could be quite crafty when he needed to be.
“Get in touch after you make the arrest,” Jagger ordered. “We will figure out what to do from there.” Justice knew they couldn’t run forever, but with Wolf still out there, she worried that they would never be able to go home.
“Just get her home and take care of her,” Jagger said. Justice could hear the sadness in his voice, and it broke her heart thatshe had caused his family so much pain. Dean told them to watch their asses—with Wolf still out there, Justice wasn’t safe. He really could have left off that last part, since she knew all too well just how much danger they were all in.
They spent the next four weeks hauled up in the tiny cabin, and Jagger felt like he was going fucking insane. Dean had been chasing down Wolf like his life depended on it and was stockpiling evidence against Hobbs. The call from his best friend telling him that Jules wasn’t doing well and that she had checked herself into the local hospital for treatment nearly broke him. He wanted to go home, but he knew that doing so would put Justice in danger, and he wouldn’t do that. Justice had done her best to put on a brave face, but he could tell that having to hide away was starting to take its toll on her. When he told her that his sister was going to commit herself to treatment, she demanded that he go home to be with Jules, but he refused. He sat her down and explained that she was his top priority, and the way she looked at him as if in disbelief hurt him more than he cared to admit. Every step forward with Justice felt like it was always followed by two steps backward. He thought they were past the doubts about how the other felt, especially after they admitted their feelings for each other on their little getaway. But each new passing day showed him just how much Justice doubted him and the way he felt about her.
They spent most of their morning in silence, Justice finding new ways to put some space between herself and him. She seemed fidgety, and he was nervous about even touching her, but not being close to her wasn’t an option. He walked into the kitchen, where she was going through the refrigerator, making ashopping list, and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her into his body, her back to his front, and felt her whole form go rigid.
“I wish you would talk to me and tell me what’s going on with you,” Jagger whispered into her ear. Justice sighed and relaxed some in his arms.
