For half a second, no one moved.
Their weapons snapped up in unison. Red dots climbed the terrorist’s chest.
Cipher looked at them, a calculating expression on his face. But he knew he was finished.
And Ash saw the acceptance in his eyes.
Slowly…deliberately…Cipher reached for his weapon at his side.
“Don’t,” Ash warned. If he made a move for his weapon, they’d have to neutralize him.
Cipher’s jaw shifted. It wasn’t fear or defiance.
It was a choice.
His fingers closed around the grip of his gun.
“Take the shot, Charlie 8.”
Ash squeezed the trigger.
Cipher dropped before he could pull the weapon.
The entire room seemed to hold its breath as Ash stepped over the body, kicking the gun aside. His pulse was an even drumbeat in his ears.
His senses prickled. Ellory was close.
If she was hurt, or fuck, worse—
He didn’t let himself finish that thought.
Con gave the order for two men to take care of the body, but Ash was already out the door. A hand on his back indicated Sinner was on his six.
Two other teams of two continued searching the house. When he came up against a closed door, Ash reached out and tested the knob. Slicing a look at Sinner, he signaled for him to open it.
He held up a hand, flashing his fingers in a countdown.
Sinner shoved the door open. Ash cleared the threshold with his weapon up—and stopped dead.
Ellory stood in the center of the room in nothing but pale lace and bare skin.
He felt air fill his lungs. She was alive and on her feet, which waseverything.
A man had his arms locked around her, and Ash had his weapon trained on him before his brain caught up with what his eyes were seeing—that she was holding on to him too.
At the sound of their entry, the pair broke apart. Ellory lifted her head and he saw her face, tear-streaked and the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his life.
A cry burst out. “Angelo!” She stumbled forward, and he rushed to her. She reached for him with both hands and he caught them. That was when he felt it—the wrong angle of her thumbs, the swelling already starting at the joints.
Jesus Christ.His jaw locked.
Later. He had another issue to address first.
“Who are you?” Ash didn’t look away from the man. Tall, muscled but gaunt. His eyes were sunken and his hair and beard long and unkempt.
She swung back to the man beside her, and Ash caught the look on her face. Like a kid seeing Santa Claus for the first time, an enormous emotion she could barely contain.
“Angelo.” Her voice broke. “Meet my brother, Archer.”
