I hear him, but can’t respond, and his words do nothing for the violence brewing inside. Holding my gun pointed in front of me, I clear a small lobby area, then continue heading down each hallway.
“I’m coming in, you asshole,” Sebastian hisses. “Just head to wherever you saw her.”
I acknowledge him mentally, moving through the dark house. Against my better judgment, I turn off my earpiece to immerse myself in the surroundings. I have to get her back unharmed and I must focus to do so.
I pass a large commercial-sized kitchen and send a silenced bullet between the eyes of a man playing solitaire with himself on a folding card table. Taking a step over him as his body face plants into a rolled up carpet on the floor, I continue on my way.
Searching for something that would indicate leading to a basement or cellar, I start opening doors. The first two are closets—then finally the creaky one on the side opens to show a steep wooden staircase. Flexing my shoulders, I blow out a breath to gather every ounce of self-control in me in order not to kill Andrew on the spot.
I descend into the cellar two stairs at a time before rounding the corner and coming face-to-face with Andrew. My heart drops when I see he has Lux in a headlock with his forearm pressing against her neck. The other hand wields a gun with his finger hovering over the trigger as it grazes her temple.
I try to maintain my composure, even though I feel like shattering into a million pieces on the floor. Lux’s eyebrows crease when she sees me,her body weakening against Andrew’s grasp while pleading noises escape from under the duct tape across her mouth.
“River!” Andrew greets me with a menacing grin. “Just in time.”
“Let her go.” I grip my gun, my finger hovering over the trigger as I aim it at him. Andrew ducks his head halfway behind Lux’s, using her as a shield from my impending bullet. “Or I’m going to drown you in your own blood.”
“I want you to know this wasn’t supposed to go this way,” he offers like I care what he thinks or feels. “You got in my way.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I clench my jaw.
He shakes his head. “I knew you weren’t as smart as everyone believes you are.”
I raise the gun higher in response.
“Touchy, are we?” he attempts to bait me.
“Let her go,” I demand. “Let’s settle this between us.”
“But I’m not finished yet,” he warns. The barrel of the gun rubs across her forehead. Lux whimpers and it’s fucking eating me alive. “I so badly wanted to make my brother proud. By recreating his sex ring to get back at Levinson,” he says. “And then I had Levinson’s daughter to help me do it. But you and your fucking questionable morals had to ruin it by setting her free.”
“This is about you getting back at her dad?” I try to remain calm, but knowing I’m about four seconds away from blowing his brains out is making things more difficult.
“Then you had to go and make it worse by helping her kill offmyteam!” he screams angrily. “How about I killyourteam?”
“You could never touch my team,” I spit.
“Agree to disagree.” He cocks a brow. “But you know what makes it even better?”
I stay silent, formulating a plan. The longer I keep him talking, the more time it gives for Sebastian to figure out we need his back up. With my earpiece off now, I can only hope he figures it out quickly.
“You know what makes all of this even better?” His voice escalates. Andrew senses my indifference and it’s making him more agitated, but I must remain calm, let him get shaken. “Listen to me or she’s getting it, you fucking prick! What makes it better is because she’syours.”
Tears fall from Lux’s eyes, her mascara smeared across her cheeks. All I want to do is carry her home, and never let her go again. My eyes squeeze through a hard blink. I’m hanging on by a thread, feeling like any moment I will lose control.
“I said, let her go,” I tell him, my finger grazing the trigger.
He darkly chuckles. “Perfect River Thompson, tech genius, most eligible bachelor on the West Coast,” he mocks. “But never taking advantage of all the women who trip over themselves to be with you.” His eye darts to the side, his head cranes to the back, making eye contact with Lux. “Except for this one.”
“I won’t repeat myself,” I threaten.
“Never would’ve pegged you for a hopeless romantic.” He flashes his expensive white teeth behind his sinister intentions.
Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I catch Sebastian inching his way down the stairs with his gun drawn. And I know this will be all over soon.
Chapter 38
Lux
