I glanced around.“I think so.She escaped, but I don’t have eyes on her right now.”
“Send me your position.I’ll have a couple of the guys air-dropped to take care of the hostiles.We can detain them and deal with them later, once everyone is safe.”
“Roger that.”I relayed my position to him and dropped the phone back in my pocket.
I whistled softly.If Diego had the training I suspected, he’d know it was a recall and he’d bring Kimberly with him.If those assholes tried to shoot their way out, I wanted both Kimberly and Diego here with me so they didn’t get caught in any crossfire.
I heard twigs snapping behind me, and I rolled over, gun in hand.I was ninety-nine per cent sure it was Diego and Kimberly, but I couldn’t take any chances.I slipped the safety off and aimed in the direction of the sound.
Diego came into sight first, Kimberly following close behind, her face lighting up when she saw me.I slipped the safety back on and held my finger to my lips, motioning for her to be quiet.
She nodded her understanding and came to crouch down beside me.I reached for her hand and held it tight, looking her over for injuries.
I dropped a quick kiss on her lips.“You okay?”
She nodded, her eyes on the cabin.“Are they still in there?”
“Yeah.”I squinted at the building.“I saw two of them.Anyone else?”
She shook her head.“Not here, but I don’t know where their boss is.Julien.The guy Sasha’s been seeing.He’s head of the whole mess.”
Shit.Things suddenly made sense.The leak.The connection between Kimberly and me.“Does Sasha know?”
“Not sure, but I doubt it.We need to warn her.”
I already had the cell out, waiting impatiently for William to answer.When the call connected, I hissed, “Leak is my sister’s boyfriend.She doesn’t know.Drop a couple of guys at her place ASAP!Before he finds out we’re on to him.”
“On it.”William kept the line open, and I heard him barking out orders to the chopper.“Okay, they’re at the house, and a black sedan is speeding toward them.They dropped a bodyguard for your sis, and the chopper is moving to intercept the sedan.”
I locked my eyes on Kimberly, seeing the fear and horror on her face.We both held our breath, waiting.Through the crackling static, we heard the chopper report in to William.
Confirmed sedan occupant as leak, likely kingpin.Suspect has been neutralized.Package is unharmed.
Translation -- the head of the poaching ring was in the sedan and was now dead.Sasha was safe.
Proceeding to secondary target.
Kimberly tilted her head.“That’s us?”
I nodded.“Yeah.As soon as they get here, we’ll be free to go.They can take care of the kidnappers.”I knew how that was going to go down, and I didn’t need Kimberly to see just how ruthless the Brotherhood could be when someone threatened us.
A faint smile curved her lip.She knew, but knowing and seeing weren’t the same thing.I wanted to protect her as much as I could from the brutal reality.
The sound of the chopper approaching cut our conversation short.The pilot hovered just above the tree level, and three figures in camo rappelled to the ground just beyond the clearing.
I linked my fingers through Kimberly’s.“Time to move out.”
* * *
Kimberly
I hated waiting.
I paced back and forth in the kitchen while Diego sat and watched me, his head swiveling back and forth.I wanted to sit on the front porch and watch for Ryland’s return but the two watchdogs he’d left with me vetoed that idea.Strongly vetoed, as in they took turns guarding the door to make sure I didn’t sneak out.
I’m being unfair.The watchdogs were actually twins, members of the group Ryland worked with.They looked less than civilized, with long, shaggy blond hair and an assortment of weapons strapped to various limbs.Ryland said they would keep me safe while he mopped things up.Those were his words.Mop things up.I just hoped none of the mopping involved his blood.That arrow wound had been enough.
“I am so sorry.”Sasha wandered into the kitchen, her eyes red-rimmed from crying.Finding out the guy you were so excited to be dating was an asshole would be bad enough.Finding out he never cared, and that he used you to hurt people you loved?That really sucked.It wasn’t her fault.
