Twenty-Four
Roarke closed his fist around his phone, unable to let go for fear he’d severe his tie to Laine. He told the guys everything Laine and Rayan had said.
Viper sped down the interstate. There was minimal traffic, but raindrops pattered on the windshield, and he hoped like hell a storm didn’t roll in to slow their progress.
“She’s alive,” Viper said.
Roarke dragged his teeth over his bottom lip. His mouth was dry, but he didn’t reach for his water bottle. His muscles were wound too tightly to do anything but fester. “She fought back.” Roarke’s voice was thick and vacant. “He’ll make her pay.”
“He won’t get the chance,” Wraith said.
Roarke’s shoulders hiked up with tension. He wanted to believe that. Needed to. But Cameron had proven unpredictable and hotheaded. It was a miracle Laine was alive right now.
The image of Cameron putting his hands on her made violent streaks of red cross his vision. He’d bury the bastard—after he broke every bone in his body. “I’m glad he knows I’m coming for him. I hope he shits himself.”
“This will be quick and easy,” Viper said. “Cameron’s injured and one of his men has turned on him.”
Roarke snorted. “Maybe. For all we know, Rayan is in on the ploy to lure us there.”
“Could be. But even if that’s true, they don’t have enough men to take us down.”
Roarke turned his head toward the window. “He told Laine they have men waiting for us. Still, we’ve got to be cautious of the information coming from him.” Since Laine was hidden in a basement, she’d have no clue how many men were there.
On top of that, there was Emmy to worry about. Flying bullets with a child around was a recipe for disaster. He’d need to secure Emmy and Laine simultaneously. There were only three of them, which meant one would have to go in without backup.
Odds he didn’t like. Not with Emmy involved.
His brain worked to formulate a plan. Emmy had met Viper—he’d rescued her from the car in Iraq. She’d feel safe with him or Roarke. Wraith was a stranger, so he’d have to move as backup.
The question was, who would Cameron want guarded more? The mother of his child—a woman he wanted dead—or the daughter he planned to run off with?
“Viper, you’ll go upstairs to get Emmy.”
He gave a solemn nod. “Sure, boss.”
“Wraith, you’ll cover him. I’ll get Laine.” Just saying the words gave him comfort.
They’d done intense jobs. Jobs with more enemies and less preparation.
None of them held a candle to this one.
An innocent little girl’s life was on the line—and just as importantly, the life of the woman he fucking loved.
Loved.
Christ.
How had he missed that? He hadn’t, that was the kicker. Laine had held his heart since he was twenty-something. The minute he’d noticed that her vibrant green eyes weren’t just carbon copies of her brother’s. That they held tenderness, femininity ... and her. Sweet, sassy Laine who loved hard and had been let down harder.
Let down when her mother left. Let down when her father and brother died. Let down when he’d let her disappear. When he’d moved on.
Only he never really had. Laine’s image in his mind and name on his sleepy breath was what had kept him awake for those six years.
And now, he’d get her back. Their future was uncertain, but it was fucking there—he wouldn’t allow any other possibility to take hold.
He slid his eyes to the GPS. Thirty minutes out.
He clenched his fists.
