My fingers curls around the seat belt and I brace myself as he takes another rough turn. It doesn’t matter if he loses the tail, River’s bracelet is locked around my wrist and as soon as the guys figure out Allie and I switched places they can track it.
That’s another reason I did what I did. The tracker Carmen built into the bracelet doesn’t show up on any bug scanners so even if Zach had checked me for tech, it wouldn’t have registered. I’m not sure why he didn’t to be honest.
River might kill me for switching places with Allie without telling them, but he made it clear after my meeting with Jeremiah that he wouldn’t let me put myself in danger again. Maybe I should have talked to him, tried to reason with him, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to let my sister be taken by Zach. I let her down once before, I wasn’t about to do it again. If anything goes wrong, I’ll be the one to take the fall, not her.
So, I did what I had to.
He’s going to think I ran again, but this isn’t me running. This is me trusting, with my entire being, that River and the guys will find me.
A few minutes pass before Zach’s driving evens out and his shoulders drop a little.
“Where are we going?” My question is met with silence, and I try to think of how Allie would respond. “Zach?” I say again.
“I swear to god, Angelica, shut the fuck up. You’ve caused enough problems for me today so unless you want a bullet between the eyes, you will sit there and stay quiet.”
Huh, I guess big brother’s not in the mood for a family reunion. I press my body against the door and use his order to my advantage, memorizing the route he takes.
We drive for almost two hours before Zach turns onto a secluded forest trail. There’s no sign of anyone following us, but they’d have to keep their distance at this point.
I scratch my fingernail against the seatbelt.
Just a little longer.
As soon as we arrive at Zach’s hideout, they can take him down and we can rescue Harley.
Everything will be fine.
45
RIVER
My fists are clenched at my sides as Oz sets up his laptop in the passenger seat of our SUV.
Allie’s sitting in back of the car, her fingers playing with the cuffs of Freya’s favorite leather jacket. I’m busy trying to convince myself I didn’t make the wrong choice by letting Freya pull her little con when Jude comes storming out of the apartment building, heading straight for me.
While we got ready to leave, Eli was upstairs, injecting Jude with the adrenaline that would counteract the drug Eva gave us to fake his death. Now, that adrenaline thunders through Jude. Eli hurries behind him, trying to slow him down as he charges towards me.
“Jude, take it easy man, you’ve just been drugged.”
Jude ignores Eli. To be honest, I’m not sure he even heard him over the rage burning across his face.
I don’t bother blocking his fist as he punches me in the jaw. My head cracks to the side, the impact radiating down my neck and shoulder.
“Why the fuck didn’t you stop her?” Jude yells. “You. Of all people! You’ve had her over your knee for far less than this andyet when she does what’s probably the most stupid, reckless, dangerous thing she’s ever done you just stand back and let her go. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
I work my aching jaw and turn my head back to face him. “I had to trust her, Jude.”
“Like fuck you did!” His eyes squeeze shut and he sways on his feet.
I reach out to steady him, but he yanks away from my grip. I grit my teeth to stop from snapping at him.
I get why he’s mad but I’m too busy worrying about Freya right now to deal with Jude. It took every ounce of control I have not to stop her from making the switch. The temptation to handcuff her to me so she couldn’t leave my side was so fucking strong, but I respect her too much for that. Freya’s smart and I’d have been an idiot not to see that her plan made our con better. Now, we have an agent on the inside.
Eli hooks an arm under Jude’s shoulders and guides him towards the back of the car. “Come on, you passing out isn’t going to help Freya.”
Jude struggles to climb into the back and slumps against the seat.
“She’ll be okay, Jude,” I tell him, not sure whether I’m trying to convince him or myself. Jude just turns his head away.
