Granddad’s eyes flick to mine, fear morphing into annoyance right before my eyes. “I’m sorry, Hannah.”
I bite down on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from scoffing at the pathetic apology. “What are you sorry for?” I ask. “Killing the men I love? Killing my father and letting me think he abandoned me? Constantly belittling me at every opportunity? Trying to marry me off to some asshole who would have treated me poorly? Please enlighten me about what exactly you’re sorry for.”
“You little bi—” He doesn’t get to finish the words before Kovu has closed the distance between them. He slams his fist into Granddad’s stomach, sending him pitching forward.
“Now, now, that’s no way to speak to your granddaughter.” He grasps the back of his shirt, tugging him up until he’s facing me again. “How about you try that again?”
I’m almost certain no one has ever spoken to him like this, that no one has ever dared to disrespect him this way, and the hatred burning in his eyes would normally make me flinch. But he’s not a threat to me right now. Not with one of the most ruthless killers in the city standing beside him and a gun pointed directly at his chest.
“I’m sorry for it all,” he spits. “I was only doing what I needed to do for the company.”
I glance at Camilla, who looks just as unsatisfied by the apology as I am.
Kovu looks up at me expectantly, and for the first time since he walked into the room, I get a good view of his face and understand why the entire city cowers when you utter his name.
The door swings open again, and I slip the taser into my hand just in case whoever is on the other side gets past both Kovu and Camilla’s gun.
Something about seeing how badass she is has given me renewed confidence in myself, and I’m willing to go down swinging if I have to.
But when Crew strides through the door, I allow my shoulders to relax.
At least until two men step into the room behind him and my entire world tilts on its axis.
“Hey, Little Doe.” Asher grins.
One moment I’m staring at a ghost, and the next the world goes dark.
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
ASHER
TWO HOURS AGO
I tap out the final words of the text, hoping like hell they get here in time.
Keeping Rowan and Hannah in the dark is a risk, but everything has to go off without a hitch to make this work, and that means genuine reactions by all three of us.
Fuck, I hope those acting lessons my agent forced me to take for sponsored commercials stuck.
I’ve gone into hundreds of fights without a sliver of nervousness, but this is different. Hannah’s life is on the line, and that’s more than I’ve ever had riding on my shoulders.
The idea of her feeling pain or fear makes my chest ache, but if everything goes well, it will only be for a short time.
Silently, I vow to never allow her to be afraid for another second for the rest of our lives. Once this is over, I’m giving her the beautiful life she deserves. One full of love and happiness and everything her heart desires.
But we just have to get through the next few hours first.
The risk is in the time she’s between locations.
We have no way of knowing if Jeffrey will change his mind about his plan, or if he’ll catch on to ours and divert.
There are variables I can’t account for, and although I hate the idea of not being in control, I allow it to wash over me as we climb out of the car.
Her frantic words still ring through my mind, strangled I love you’s because she thinks we’ll never see her again.
But we will.
I’ve given her as much reassurance as I can, and I remind myself of that over and over again as cops shove us against the car, as they escort Hannah away from us, and again when I’m on my knees with my father beside me, guns to our heads.
