56
Jared’s heart was racing. He was used to dangerous, high-pressure situations.
But nothing like this.
As soon as he’d seen Patrick was unconscious outside Angie’s room, he’d known something was wrong.
He’d raced in here without thought or preparation.
North would kill him when he found out. He hadn’t wanted to leave them. It was only because Jared had promised to stay with Angie and have Patrick on the door to the room with John roaming on the floor that he’d gone.
John had followed him when the doctor led him to a private room. To talk about fucking nothing.
Obviously a ploy.
That doctor was dead.
Patrick had stayed in front of the door to his girl’s room.
“Boss, get down, I’ve got him,” John said.
Jared shook his head.
Who was the asshole in his girl’s room? Was it someone that worked for Beltran?
“Ahh, took you long enough,” the man said, looking unconcerned at the gun that Jared held on him. “I really thought better of you, Bartolli. Your personal security is very poor. That’s unacceptable. I should have gotten here earlier. However, I’m here now and I’m going to have to take her with me.”
Who the fuck was this guy?
And did he really think that Jared was going to just let him take his girl?
“Boss,” John said.
“Wait!” Angie cried. “Don’t shoot. Put the guns away. I know him.”
“What?” Jared asked, startled.
“He’s a . . . a friend of mine.”
A friend? Why had she hesitated as she’d said that? Who was he really?
Jared moved so he stood between her and the masked man.
“A friend? Hmm,” the other man said.
“Jared, please,” she said. “He really isn’t a threat.”
Not a threat? Was she insane?
The guy had knocked out Patrick and somehow arranged to pull Jared and John away from her.
He was right about one thing, though. Jared was being far too lax with her protection. That had to change.
“He is an old friend. After Fergus died I was living in this awful motel and he helped me.”
“What?” Jared was so startled by that statement that he turned to gape down at her. “What do you mean he helped you?”
Her gaze moved to John and he nodded.
