Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Ian opened the door and slid off the seat, reaching for his vest. “We’ll get them out. I promise. Or I’ll die trying.”
Adam did the same on his side. “I will absolutely get them out or let Ian die trying.”
Ian huffed out a laugh. “I bet you will, buddy. Adam…”
Adam finished zipping his vest. “Say something sarcastic and get it out of the way.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” Ian said.
“Fuck.” Adam closed his eyes, taking a long breath. “Only one man I’d rather have watch my back.”
Ian reached up and pulled a black balaclava over his head. “Yeah, well, Jake’s gotten lazy in his old age. He’s probably sitting somewhere with Li complaining about his gout or something. Old men.”
Adam did the same, joining Ian. “Speak for yourself. I’m aging backward, man. I’m way sexier than I was twenty years ago.”
“That wouldn’t be hard. You were a nerd,” Ian shot back.
“Sir, you should go now. I’ve looped the cams.” Lou sent them a pointed look.
“The young are impatient,” Ian said, putting a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Let’s go get our people.”
They disappeared behind a big bush running along the wall demarcating the property.
“Take care, baby,” TJ said, leaning over to kiss his girlfriend before he followed Cooper out.
“You, too. I love you.” Lou watched as they started to make their way around to the other side of the property.
Parker wasn’t wearing a balaclava. He nodded to Lou. “If I don’t see you after, it was a pleasure as always, Louisa. And if I don’t get the chance to talk to her, tell Maggie I’ll see her soon.”
He quietly closed the Sprinter’s sliding door behind him.
Aidan was left alone with Lou, who climbed into the front and slid into the driver’s seat, balancing her laptop on the dashboard. “Can you hear them?”
Lou glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “The comms are working. Aidan, it’s going to be okay. We’re going to get them back.”
He wished he could believe her. “How long do these things usually take?”
“Ten minutes. Ten hours. It doesn’t matter. It’s always too long,” Lou said with a shrug. She touched the side of her glasses. “Yes, they’re off. It’s me and Aidan. I’m sitting in the driver’s seat ready to get us out of here if I need to. Kenz, I know what I’m doing.”
Aidan took a deep breath, trying to force down his panic. It was fucking torture to sit here knowing Carys and Tris were so close. They were in the house and the house was right there. Only a wall and some doors and space kept them apart. He put a hand on the kit Cooper had given him. It was basic, but he could work with it.
He prayed he didn’t have to work with it.
Lou continued to quietly talk to Kenzie and Aidan sat, the minutes feeling like hours. How long had he been here? They were parked in what appeared to be an alley.
How was everything so fucking normal? When he looked out the window, the sky was blue, and in the distance, he could see people walking around what looked like a park. They had no idea the life and death situation going on so close to them.
What was happening to Carys? To Aidan? Was Kala even alive?
There was a tap on the window, startling Aidan out of his thoughts.
His heart rate shot up as he caught sight of a tall man in all black standing at the passenger-side window.
“Hey, is anyone in there?”
“Stay quiet,” Lou said in a whisper. “Don’t move. He can’t see inside.”
The Sprinter had come from someone Parker had called Tim, who’d assured them it was fully kitted out. One of the features was the window tinting. They appeared normal, but when put into secure mode, they darkened and couldn’t be seen through from the outside.
The guard tried to stare inside and then attempted to open the passenger-side door.
Aidan reached for the gun Cooper had given him. This must be one of the two guards TJ had seen doing patrols of the grounds. They’d been lucky he hadn’t seen the team as they’d gotten out and worked their way inside.
They were inside now, right? They had to be.
The guard stepped back and seemed to think about what to do. His hand went to the radio on his belt.
And then a familiar figure stepped in behind him. Aidan felt his eyes widen and heard Lou gasp.
Zach Reed was covered in blood and had handcuffs dangling from one wrist. He also had a big knife in his hand. A knife he used on the guard’s throat, slicing into the man’s jugular and spraying blood against the window.
“Zach’s out. He got away but he looks hurt,” Lou was saying over the comms.
Aidan slid open the door as the guard hit the ground. Zach looked primal standing there, his eyes on the guard and blood dripping from his hands.