“Beautiful,” Seth says. “Goddamn, Madison. You’re so fucking beautiful when you come.”
Panting, I fall back against the couch. I’m too satisfied, exhausted, and blissed out to be embarrassed about Landon sitting just a few feet away.
“Are you all right, bella?” Damiano asks.
I nod. “I’m good. But can I take this thing out now? I want to talk to you guys, but…not like this anymore.”
Damiano gives me a soft smile. “You may.”
I hurry to my bathroom and ease the vibrator out, rinsing it with soap and water. After setting it on a towel to dry, I return to the sitting area where Landon is chatting on the phone with Damiano and Seth.
“You can use my phone.” He gets up and starts to hand it to me.
“Thanks.” I take it from him and grin at Seth and Damiano, who crowd the frame as they smile back.
“Wait.” Landon’s voice is sharp. His attention goes past me, toward the darkened windows.
The smile fades instantly from Damiano’s face. “What is it?”
Landon snatches back his phone and grabs my hand, urging me in front of him. “Let’s go.”
“What’s happening?” I shuffle along toward the door, crowded by his large body. He stands half over me, like he’s shielding me from the balcony.
“Landon, report,” Seth says.
“Switch to the Nove devices.” Landon’s voice is low. “We have company.”
14
SETH
Landon ends the call. Damiano and I both fit our earpieces into our ears, ready. My heart thuds rapidly. I need to act, to move. I need to rush to Madison and protect her.
A second later, Landon’s voice comes through our earpieces. “We’re heading downstairs. Option One.”
When we chose that hotel resort for Madison, we mapped out over five different escape routes in case Erich Pointer discovered Madison’s whereabouts. Option One will take Landon and Madison to the harbor, where they’ll get on a boat to meet us at a separate resort. They already have a reservation set up there, just in case it’s needed.
“Fuck,” Landon mutters. “Abort Option One. Moving to Option Four.”
Madison is quiet, and I wish we’d thought to give her a comm device of her own. I want some indication that she’s all right. I want a direct method to communicate and reassure her that we will find Erich Pointer and keep her safe.
It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.
“We’re on our way,” Damiano says into his comm.
Madison’s voice comes through faintly. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you soon,” Landon says. “We need to get you to safety, first.”
Damiano and I move down our hallway and stop at our employee, Hannah’s, door. She steps out, already changed from her recent disguise as a Madison look-alike and into her black cargo pants and matching shirt. Her earpiece is in place.
“Where do you want me?” she asks.
“Straight to Option Four,” Damiano says. “Landon may need back-up.”
She nods and jogs toward the exit on the east side. Damiano and I exchange a look.
“Should you try one more time?” he asks.
