I’ve warned Indie the men on the door are usually a bit more intrusive, but she’ll come in with me, and Ross won’t be as heavy handed.
He likes keeping his hands.
The thought of anyone touching her and making her uncomfortable sends an ancient wrath through my blood.
“Here,” Dawson says, placing a bud into Indie and I’s hands, then pointing to the pin on my suit jacket. “Camera is on and live.”
I shove the earpiece deep into my ear as I glance up at his screen, seeing it reflect the image of Indie in front of me.
She fluffs the loose strands of hair framing her face; she’d got it all pinned up and messy, make-up heavy to take away from the natural beauty she’s always sported. Her eyes are almost hooded with the weight of those fucking lashes she has on, butI’d know her face anywhere, spending hours engraving it into my memory.
I could draw it with my eyes closed.
A quick glance with an untrained eye, she’s unrecognisable.
I drag my fingers through my beard. I’ve had to let it grow in the last two weeks to add to my own disguise, along with the tips of grey Shona’s added through it and my hair.
It’s fucking ridiculous, but needs must.
The stuff she’s caked onto the rest of me to hide my tattoos makes my skin feel claustrophobic. God help if anyone pisses me off, because I might rip theirs off to make myself feel better.
Rex hops inside the van, tipping his head towards the street outside. “Car’s here.”
I run over the plans one more time for everyone.
“We’ll take a look around, get a lie of the land and see what type of security they have. We’ll stick around until the main event.” I glance at Rex, and he flexes his jaw. “A crew will be watching for when it’s over…and we’ll grab one of them.”
Indie stands at the same time I do. “What if something happens? They’ll be protected, won’t they?”
I glance at Rex, but it’s Dawson who says, “We’ve got the place surrounded. Anything happens, we’ll send in the lot.”
My breath comes out slowly; I watch her to gauge her reaction, and thankfully she doesn’t ask any more questions.
Rex clasps my shoulder as I pass to exit; unspoken words travel between us as we stare at each other. I hop out and turn to face Indie, lifting her by the waist off the steep step so she doesn’t buckle in those ridiculous heels.
Both of us walk over to the car parked behind, slipping in the backseat, and I greet one of my men who’s acting as our chauffeur.
Glancing over at Indie, I watch her stare out the blacked-out window. She’s been quieter than usual since we left.Likely dealing with a build-up of everything she’s been working towards the past five years, walking right into the snake pit.
Albeit, that den is much more dangerous than she first assumed. It’s filled with every venomous reptile you could imagine; there’s not a single person in there that wouldn’t leave you for dead.
Or worse.
She’ll get her chance at her revenge. I’ll make fucking sure of it.
It just might be slightly delayed.
“You okay, darling?” I ask in a low voice once the car takes the roads. She turns to look at me as she pulls on her jacket, piercing my soul with those baby-blue eyes.
She gives me a shy smile. “I have you.”
Placing her hand in my upturned one and squeezing, she voices the same words she said to me earlier this morning.
She doesn’t know what they do to me; they were words I desperately wanted to hear from her all those years ago.
That we could get through anything together.
That I wouldalwaysbe there to protect her.
