She studied his face. “You really think this is a Saints setup.”
“I don’t think it is,” Nitro said. “I know it is.”
Aurora nodded slowly. “Then, I’ll be walking into that meeting with my eyes wide open. I won’t let him get the best of me again.”
Nitro stepped close, resting his forehead against hers. “I won’t let them take you.”
She closed her eyes, leaning into him. “I know.” But her knowing the truth didn’t stop fear from coiling tight in his chest, because some traps were baited with exactly what people needed most. In this case, the bait was Aurora, and he hated that plan with a passion. The Saints knew that blood, real blood, was the strongest lure of all.
Nitro didn’t sleep,which was nothing new for him. Since Ghost’s call, he couldn’t bring himself to relax. He sat at the small kitchen table in the safe house, maps were spread out everywhere, burner phones were lined up like chess pieces, and his coffee had gone cold beside his elbow. Outside, the world kept turning—oblivious to the fact that men were about to disappear from it. Because if he played things right, he planned on ending most of the Saints and Aurora’s father, if he didn’t cooperate.
One of the burner phones rang, and he quickly answered it, not wanting to wake up Aurora. She needed to get her sleep if she was going to be ready for her showdown with her assholefather. Ghost’s voice crackled softly through the secure line. “The Saints are circling. They know that something's about to go down. They think they’re being subtle, but they’re not. Our guys have spotted half a dozen or so of them.”
“Let them think they have the upper hand,” Nitro said. “We can use their arrogance to our advantage.” He tapped a spot on the map as though Ghost would be able to see what he was pointing at. A derelict mill that sat just outside city limits was the perfect place to meet. It would be neutral ground, since it had been abandoned long enough that no one would question activity there, but close enough that help could arrive fast if it was necessary.
“I know the perfect spot to meet,” Nitro said. “The old mill downtown.”
“That just might work. They’ll want it public enough to feel safe,” Ghost said.
“But not so public they can’t hide in the shadows,” Nitro finished.
Ghost hummed. “You’re thinking bait and echo.”
“Exactly. Aurora meets her father, and we know that the Saints will be watching. We let them move in thinking they’re in control.” Nitro’s eyes hardened. “That’s when we close the net.”
“You’re putting her in the middle,” Ghost said quietly. “Have you decided that you’re okay with using her as bait?”
Nitro’s jaw clenched. “She’s already in the middle of this shitshow. This gives us sightlines. Besides, she won’t do this any other way. She’s determined to have this end and believes that the only way to do that is to meet with her father and convince him to pay his debt so that the Saints let her go. But you and I both know how they work. They’ll never let her go, and that’s why we’ll be waiting for them and setting our own trap.”
He stood and paced, muscle memory guiding every decision since he was running on pure adrenaline. “I want snipers on theridge line, and eyes in the tree line. There needs to be two teams inside the old mill, hiding in the shadows. I also want a guy on the outside of the place, as a decoy. They’ll think that we’re being sloppy by only having one guy standing guard, but we’ll know better.”
“And you?” Ghost asked. “Where will you be in all of this?” That was the easiest question of all for him to answer.
“I’m with her,” Nitro said instantly, “always.”
“You’re compromised,” Ghost said flatly.
Nitro didn’t deny it. When it came to Aurora, he was compromised. “I’m trained for situations like this. I’ve got her.” That was going to have to be enough. He was going to have to be enough to keep her safe.
He ended the call and turned just as Aurora stepped into the doorway. She wore black. It was a simple outfit with no jewelry. Her red hair was pulled back tight like she had put on her armor. She looked calm—but he could see the tension in her shoulders, the way she held herself ready to bolt or fight, depending on what came first.
“You’re setting it up?” she asked.
“Yes,” he breathed.
“You think he’ll come alone?” she asked.
“Nope,” Nitro replied. “I think he’ll think he’s coming alone, but the Saints won’t be far behind.”
She nodded slowly. “I want ground rules,” Nitro said as he moved toward her, voice low and steady. “You don’t say anything you don’t want used against you. You don’t promise him anything. And the second you feel like something’s wrong, anything at all, we walk out of there.”
“And if he begs me to stay?” she asked quietly.
Nitro’s expression didn’t change. “Then we walk faster.”
She swallowed. “You’ll let me finish what I start?”
“I’ll let you, up to a certain point,” Nitro said.
