They might just make it through this.
He then taught her some self-defense moves. He had to know that if one of Louis’ goons got his hands on her, that if that guy tried anything, she could at least get away.
The idea of anyone touching that petal-soft skin of hers had him grinding his teeth and seeing red.
Now, lying in his bed with her curled up to his side, both of them fully clothed and ready, all the possibilities ran through his overtaxed mind. They could just flat-out kill her and, compared to the images running through his head, that would be the merciful option if they got their hands on her.
Which was almost a positive, since he’d had to use her as bait in the first place.
The sound of engines drifted to them in the dark of the night. He glanced at the clock, to find it was just after three.
This was it.
He shook her shoulder. “Brynn. They’re here.”
She shot up in bed.
“Hey, take it easy. We’ve gone over everything. You’re ready for this,” he said. He didn’t know who he was reassuring.
“What do I do?”
“We’re going to stay calm and stay in this bed. The window is open, so the team can see my hand signals. Vargas will think he surprised us. They’ll come in on their own; we’ll take our cues from them and get that confession.”
He guided her back onto the bed with him where she lay stiff against him, her muscles tight with tension.
He ran his hands over her, trying to soothe her, which was totally inadequate since they’d have company in just a matter of moments.
His senses went on alert, all heightened, ready, and waiting. His heart kept a steady rhythm, the thump getting lower and harder as his body prepared for what was to come.
The latch of the door scraped, and the wood swung open. The telltale squeak at the halfway point went mostly unnoticed by others, but had always served as an extra level of warning.
He wanted to know where people were at all times. He had abandoned the monitors he usually used, leaving only the sound intact for the team. He needed Louis to think he was walking into any lake cabin, not a high-tech arsenal with surveillance capability.
Footsteps thudded down the hall to their room and Brynn pressed even tighter against him.
“You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
The door pushed open wide and the overhead light shone in their eyes, blinding them.
Maddox threw a hand over his eyes to shield them, playing the part. He had excellent night vision, and rarely did he ever react to bright light.
Louis Vargas III didn’t need to know that.
“What the hell?” Maddox asked.
“Good morning,” Louis Vargas said, a large smile on his face, and calculating eyes. The skin at the corners crinkled, just as anyone’s would, making him appear human. However, the black centers, the barren pools of death, revealed the monster. Maddox had encountered all kinds of criminals in the past, but there was the kind that always made the hair on his neck stand on end.
Vargas was that guy.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Maddox demanded, playing stupid.
Vargas’ guards spread out in the room. Six in all. Knowing the team in the woods would have night-vision goggles he made a signal, letting them know through the window how many men had showed up.
He shrugged, and his eyes drifted shut as he held out his palm. “Oh, that’s easy enough. It seems this young lady decided to get into some business of mine, and now we need to have a little chat.”
“I don’t even know you,” Brynn said, pushing back against the headboard.
His lips curled into twisted smile full of evil. “No, but you will… soon enough.” With a nod at his guards, the two closest to the bed moved in and grabbed Brynn.
