“If it’s gone…” Richard’s voice is both furious and horrified. Wary and vengeful. “If she doesn’t know the numbers, and never wrote them down…”
“She can’t think when she’s hurt, and the last thing you need is to scare her into making some up. Give her a room and something to eat. Give her a minute to rest, then I’ll convince her it’s in her best interest to tell you the code.”
“You had a week,” he sneers. “You already had your shot.”
“To find athing,” I counter through tight teeth. “To search an entire home for something you couldn’t describe, that may be a phone or a photograph or a letter or,” I gesture her way, “a lucky coin. Six days to findsomething, which I did, in fact, find. She was talking about the numbers, and how she’d punched a hole through the coin after her brother died. It’s just an heirloom to her.” I lick my dry lips and search his eyes. “She couldn’t have known, Richard.”
“Let me try my way.” Tank steps closer. He wants to fuck, and Aster wants revenge. Meanwhile, I just want Nova to live. “I have a good fuckin’ success rate for this shit, Boss. I’ll have the numbers by the time you’re done with dinner.”
“No.” I step between Aster and Nova, forcing the old man to give Tank his back. “You let him hurt her, and she’ll take those numbers to the grave.”
“You care for her?” His brows pinch together, his head tilting to the side. “You care for the girl?”
“That bitch?” I hook a thumb over my shoulder. “No. I care for a complete mission. I’ve spent time with her. More than either of you combined. I know her, Richard. She needs calm, not chaos. Comfort, not coercion. She will remember the numbers once she’s eaten and caught her breath. Her memory sure as fuck ain’t gonna get better while Tank is tying her to his bedposts.”
“I’m hungry,” she mumbles sleepily, slouching in her chair until her shoulder blades risk popping free. Her hair dangles forward, concealing portions of her face, but she dazedly looks up through puffy eyes. “Wanna go to bed.”
“See?” I bring my focus back to Aster. “She’s wrecked. You gave me a seven-day deadline to complete my mission, but you robbed me of the last day. You owe me, Richard. She’s not your enemy. She’s just some dumb bitch who got swept up in whatever problem you have with someone else.”
Your daughter! Your entire empire, brought down by greed and power.
But I’m not supposed to know those things, so I shut my mouth and say nothing at all.
“Let me try first.” Tank grabs his crotch. “It’ll be faster and a helluva lot more fun. If that fails, we try his plan.”
I stare over Aster’s shoulder and swear to myself he’ll die before this is done. To save his future victims. To avenge those he’s already hurt. “Give me a day,” I grit out, bringing my icy stare back to Richard. “We’re in your house, Boss. We’re not going anywhere. She needs rest, not to be fucking raped.”
“Fine.” He takes a step back and snaps his fingers. “Unbind her. Carry her to the guest quarters.”
“I’ll carry her.” I swoop in just as Tank slices her bindings, and her weak body slumps forward. I scoop her into my arms anddon’tpress a kiss to her brow. Though fuck knows, I want to. My entire soul begs to bring her comfort.
Tank marches around the chair, his arms outstretched to take her, but I stride away and make a beeline for the door. “Lead the way,” I command. “I’m gonna finish this fucking mission and get that code for you, Richard. I don’t fucking fail.”
24
NOVA
LET ME DO IT
I’m not sure where my act of frailty ends and genuine deliriousness begins. What started as ‘pretend to be hurtand trick them into thinking I’m defenseless’ turned into actual, genuine pain. And ‘pretend to be confused and dizzy’ turned to blood loss and stars in my eyes.
Can I walk? I’m not even sure anymore.
If I stand, will I fall? No clue. But I have a sinking suspicion that if I try to escape, all I’ll manage is to run my face into the floor and end up right back where I started.
I curl into Lincoln’s chest, since doing so is entirely in character for whatever the hell this is. I close my eyes since I am, in fact, really friggin’ tired. But every now and then, I open them again to figure out where Tank is. The big one. The one who threatens rape and comes with a reputation promising follow-through.
My hands dangle, swaying with every step Lincoln takes, my fingers brushing his belt. His cologne is as familiar to me nowas my brother’s. As comforting as walking into Ry’s old room and taking a long whiff. His rage, though terrifying, brings me assurance.
But his throwaway comments…that bitch?Let me try?
He came to me as my enemy, a sneaking serpent, much the same way Bastion Conroy was to Aster. Lincoln’s intentions when he arrived in town and lied to me from the outset were abhorrent at best.
I knew he was the one who messed with my electrical box. I knew he was in my home, searching for the treasures I intentionally told him about. While he thought he was tricking me, I held on and prayed I’d live long enough to receive answers.
To think Ryan hadn’t set me up with a state-of-the-art home security system, cameras that literally documented the moment Lincoln opened my front door and walked through my living room, would be to dishonor a good man’s sacrifices.
Every damn day of my life, my brother reminded me to scour my surroundings. To know who was in my life, and to be thorough in who I invited into my home.
