“I’ll keep watch.” She puts her hand in her pocket and hands me a whistle.Why the hell does she have a whistle?“Take that and use it if you need me to get one of the first responders,” she says. I’m still wondering about the whistle, but now’s not the time. I drop into the opening.
When I do, I’m met with the realization that this parking garage could go at any moment, but I don’t focus on that. I focus on getting to Olivia. Leo is already at a door trying to open it, but it doesn’t budge.
He bangs on the door. “Is anyone there?” I run over to where he’s at to see if I can help him yank it open or do something. Anything. There’s pounding on the other side, but we can’t hear their voices, to know if Olivia or Lincoln are with them.
Then I’m pretty sure I hear someone yelling to get back. I don’t know if they’re talking to the people inside or us, but Leo and I both move out of the way. As soon as we do the door slams open and if we had been where we just were we both would have been knocked unconscious by it.
Six or seven people run out, including Arden, Lincoln, and Olivia. The relief I feel at seeing Olivia is visceral. She barrels into my arms and we both slump to the ground. I hold her to my chest as she cries. “Victor, oh my god. There are people still in there.” I hold her tight as I look over her head and give Arden and Lincoln grateful looks.
“Ansley. She’s waiting for you,” I tell Lincoln. Leo points to where we came in at, but when he does, we all notice what’s there. Donovan and about five or six of his men.
“I’ll be taking back what is mine now.”
Chapter seventy-four
Olivia
Victor’s arms tighten around me as we face the man I have feared for the majority of my life. My heart is hammering in my chest, but not because of this asshole. Because of the bomb that just went off in the building. There’s moaning and creaking coming from all directions and I have to swallow down the panic rushing through my veins at the possibility of this building falling down on top of us.
Leo and Lincoln are standing on either side of us. Arden is around here somewhere. He somehow was able to get into the building and force the door open. My blouse is torn and there’s a gash on my bicep. Victor puts his hand on it. I’m probably going to need stitches, but it’s not life threatening.
“I’m not yours, Donovan.”
I take a deep breath and despite the circumstances, I enjoy the way his eye twitches at my words. Victor said Ansley waswaiting, I want to know where she is and if he hurt her. Donovan takes a step forward and the men at his side step forward with him. I scoff and roll my eyes. Donovan balls his hands into fist and pushes his suit jacket aside, showing the gun he’s wearing on his hip.
“You know, Donovan. The only way you are able to get the things you want is through fear.” I take a step forward. Victor, Leo, and Lincoln step forward with me the same way Donovan’s men did with him. I motion to his men. “Your men follow you because of fear. Fear of what you’ll do to them or their families.” I motion to the men at my side, noticing Arden has joined. “These men are standing at my side because of love. Something you’ve never experienced.”
“Olivia, you need to shut your mouth,” Donovan says through his teeth.
“Don’t speak to her that way,” Victor snaps. Donovan glares at him, his hand moving toward his gun.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Leo says. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Leo and Arden raise their hands, both holding guns pointed at Donovan. I say a silent prayer that nothing happens to any of them.
“How the hell did you pull this off?” Lincoln asks. I’m assuming he’s trying to distract Donovan, and that is a good tactic, because Donovan loves to talk about himself. Donovan grins and puts his hands in his suit pockets. The movement makes his gun more prominent. I scan my eyes around the parking garage, trying to figure out if there’s another way out of here.
There’s the gate we enter and exit from, but it’s all the way on the other side from where we’re at. And there’s no telling the condition it’s in. Victor steps forward, putting his shoulder in front of me, protecting me more. I clutch at his back and pause atthe feeling of something hard under his shirt. It’s like some kind of vest.
Donovan’s eyes narrow at the movement before looking between the two of us. His eyes drift to my wedding band, then the necklace I’m wearing. He grits his teeth and inhales deeply. “I’ve been planning this since Olivia got this job,” Donovan says as he turns his attention back to Lincoln.
Lincoln’s building, oh god. Is it salvageable?I suck in a shaky breath, but I refuse to allow him to see fear. Oddly enough, I’m not scared for me, but I am scared for these guys and I want to know where Ansley is and if she’s safe.
“Since she got the job?” Victor asks. I clutch the back of his shirt, the pain in my arm becoming harder to ignore.
“Yep, and the recent deliveries were a way for me to insert myself back into her life, but also a way for me to gain access to this building to finalize my plans.” Donovan is haughty as hell, and by the look on his face, he knows he’s surprised us.
“I fucking knew it.” Lane steps out from behind a concrete column. My mouth drops open. He has a larger handgun than the one on Donovan’s hip. Donovan turns, surprise evident on his face. The guys to his side turn, raising their guns, but Donovan motions at them to stop.
“Lane. I was wondering where the hell you’ve been.” Donovan looks back at Victor and gives him an evil grin. I glance up at Victor, trying to figure out what’s happening. “You actually surprised me, Victor.” He glances at me. “Besides the fact that you’ve married my stepdaughter.”
Some men I don’t recognize come around the building where the gate for the entrance and exit is. I’m still trying to process what Donovan meant by Victor surprising him on top of everything else that has happened in the past hour. Maybe it’s been less. My eyes jump from one man to the next, trying tofigure out if they’re some more of Donovan’s men, but when I recognize Malachi, I realize it’s The Outsiders.
I relax slightly, but they all have weapons of some kind.Is this going to turn into a gunfight?I glance around and realize there are more against Donovan and by the look on his face I think he’s beginning to realize it too. There’s a loud noise that comes from the building, making me jump. I don’t know if it’s more rubble falling or if it’s first responders searching for survivors.
At that moment, Victor shoves me behind him. Someone wraps their arms around me, and I’m being hauled away. Gunfire echoes around me. “No!” I cry out, trying to fight whoever has grabbed me.
“It’s me, Liv.” Arden’s voice is in my ear. I relax slightly, but try to turn my head to look back at what is happening. My pulse is racing and my heartbeat is thrumming in my ears. “Victor!” I cry out, but he doesn’t turn toward me. He drops to the ground and grabs at his ankle.
Oh my god, is he hurt?But my question is answered the moment he pulls out a hidden gun, aims it at Donovan, and shoots. Once. Twice. I don’t see what happens because Arden is moving so quickly I don’t catch everything. As we round the corner, I attempt to look back and I scream at the sight of Leo falling to his knees, clutching his neck.
