“Nobody’s blaming- Get down!” Brennan shoves me flat as two new armored vehicles roar up the long driveway, aiming right at us.
“They’re not ours.” O’Brien reaches for his gun and Dean herds me into his car.
“I got her, you drive.” The FBI agent throws himself over my body and seconds later the engine starts.
Halfway down to the road, a thunderous explosion sends us into the air. We land hard, my teeth clunk, and gravity shifts ninety degrees.
“Move.” Colin struggles to untangle his arm.
“I’m trying.” Upside down, blood rushes to my head.
The moment I’m free, glass shatters near my feet. As hands grab for my ankles, I kick like mad until an iron grip clenches around my calves. Tucked beside me, the Fed’s gun pokes into my ribs, but my body blocks his shot.
“H-help.” Both my arms clutch the headrest to my chest, but the man tugging me is too strong.
I’m dragged straight up and out the window. Vertical again, they push me past the underside of Dean’s flaming vehicle, resting on its side.
Hell no. If I get in the terrorists’ SUV, I’m dead meat.
Nose cartilage cracks as I snap back my elbow. Another man howls when my knee smashes his balls. Free for a second, I scramble on all fours but am captured. After I’m thrust into the back seat, we roar away, and cold sharp steel lays against my neck.
Theman riding shotgun yanks out his phone, takes my picture, and wipes the blood from his face. “Where’s Charlie?”
“Safe.” I’m not telling these assholes anything.
While Jack The Knife breaks the skin near my jugular, the driver glances in the rearview mirror, and I gasp.
I know him.“Holy shit. You’re not the ORA, you’re Tommy’s men.”
“I told you we needed masks.” The blade at my throat lowers, I say a quick prayer, and thrust two fingers down my gullet.
After I puke all over the back seat, the man with the nosebleed, gags, and hands the thug sitting beside me, a hypodermic.
A pinch in the arm, all goes black, and I wake tied to a chair alongside a red Lamborghini. As multiple copies of my boss and his wife dance around the room in front of me, I blink fast.
Mrs. Arms Dealer speaks first. “Where is my daughter?”
“Safe.” Mostly by habit. I jut out my chin and too late, realize my mistake.
Tommy’s arm coils, he makes a fist, and punches my face. I must pass out because the next thing I know, a man dumps a pail of frigid water over my head.
“You turned my daughter against me.” The angry father pinches my jaw which throbs like a motherfucker.
“Nooo…. Charlie loves you, more than anything. We gave her a choice and she wanted to stay in New York.” Shivering, my teeth chatter, but at least the room no longer spins.
“You took out her tracker. I will have to kill you now.”
“Sir, your teenager has a mind of her own. She didn’t want the nukes going off in her backyard.”
“Ridiculous. They’re so old, the only thing they’re used for is dirty bombs. Small radius. No biggie. Any daughter of mine would know this fact.”
Holy shit, but Francine did not.Turning her head from her husband, her mouth drops open, and her bright red face contorts.
“You finish this unpleasant business, dah-link.” After a peck on the cheek, her high heels clack over the cement, and she rushes out of the garage.
Watching her go, Tommy’s eyes narrow and a few seconds later, he motions for his man to follow. Clearly, he’s not as love-struck as I thought.
Once the rest leave, he grabs his cell, and thrusts an image in front of my face. Two bullet holes pierce Dean’s handsome forehead.
