I’m the only one who can keep her safe, and I’m determined to do it while giving her what she needs. But I can’t deny the pride I feel at being able to do this for her.
“Keep an eye on Lux,” I whisper to Hayden through my earpiece. Sebastian and I have our guns drawn, pointing down a long hallway of the cabin.
Getting into the cabin was a lot easier than I expected. With how much money Andrew has, I’m surprised at how little he’s invested in proper security. There was only one guard watching the front—which one of my men took care of—and the rest of the property would seem deserted if it wasn’t for the sound of sheets wrestling and metal clanking coming from down below.
“Don’t worry, River, I’ve got her with me in the car,” Hayden replies through the earpiece. “She’s a little antsy, but waiting safely.”
“Of course she is,” I respond, keeping my voice low.
He chuckles.
“But I don’t want her out of your sight until the house is cleared and Rich is securely in my hands.”
Sebastian and I take extra time to clear the house, double-checking every closet and potential hiding area. There is no room for error as the stakes have grown exponentially since Lux is involved.
“Yes, of course,” Hayden responds.
The old wooden floor creaks softly as our boots move through each space. With Sebastian at my back, we round the last doorway into one of the bedrooms. I freeze in place.
Sebastian comes up to my side, and from the corner of my eye I see him cock his head back toward the kitchen. Letting him take the lead, I follow him until he reaches the door beside the refrigerator.
He turns his head back for me to confirm what he’s thinking.
I nod and mouth,The basement.
We’re about to breach the door when suddenly a figure comes right at me. With an aggressive push, I’m slammed into the nearby wall.
“What the fuck?” I yell.
Sebastian grabs the guy from behind as I yank the attacker’s arm and slam their front against the opposite wall, his face plastered against the wood panel.
“Did he pop out of that pantry behind us?” Sebastian’s words come out labored as he’s out of breath from the brief scuffle.
“Must have.” I keep my forearm pressed into the back of my attacker’s neck.
“Who the fuck are you?” he grits out, and I immediately recognize him.
Richard.
“Just the man we’re looking for.” I rip off my mask so he can see catch a glimpse of my face from where his head is smashed against the wall.
“Thompson?”
His shock quickly transforms into anger, his lips curled into a sneer. “What are you doing here? It’s not your weekend.”
I smile wide. “Good to see you again, my friend.”
Richard doesn’t have the chance to respond when Sebastian slams the barrel of his gun into the back of his head. Like a boulder plummeting from a hill, Richard falls to the floor.
Sebastian crouches down, leveling his eyes with our victim’s face. “You want me to grab this sack of shit or you?”
“I’ll do it, but check the basement first.” I want to deliver him to Lux myself.
Jumping to his feet, he descends the steep stairs.
“Holy fuck,” I hear him call out with disgust, then the rapid thud of his boots make their way back up.
“What is it?”
