His muscles weakened.Emotion burned his sinuses.He’d been under pressure before.He’d fought the enemy, taken and given bullets for his fellow soldiers.But he’d never done anything more meaningful than reunite a mother with her baby.
And he’d do it now if it killed him.
CHAPTER 10
Natalie sat inthe middle row of the SUV with Brick beside her.A shiver ran through her.They were driving through downtown Detroit.Her son was here...somewhere.Scared, hungry, wanting her and trapped with strangers.It was all too much.
The sidewalk went from smooth and well-kept to chipped and cracked, and the buildings became dilapidated and seedy.
Zain pulled into the same parking garage Keetan had entered the previous night.Her muscles stiffened.Logic told her she wouldn’t find Bray bopping through the parking spaces, but she scanned the place nonetheless.
“You’re gonna have to wait here.”Brick’s soothing voice made her want to melt, yet his words put her on alert.
She hadn’t expected to storm the building with a real-life A-team.But how could she just sit here and twiddle her thumbs while not having any idea what was happening inside?
“I don’t like that idea.”
“I know.”Brick’s phone vibrated, and he reached into his pocket.“It’s Ghost.”He brought the phone to his ear.“What’s up?”
Zain pulled into a parking spot.Natalie’s pulse raced.
“Hang on,” Brick said to Ghost.“I’m in the car with everyone so I’m going to put you on speaker.”He hit the button and held out the phone so everyone could hear.
“I did some digging,” Ghost said.“It looks like our hunch was right and the apartment building east of the parking garage is where they took the kid.”
“How do you know?”
“Took some work, but I went through Keetan’s phone records and saw he’s made several calls over the last two days to someone named Justin Crater.He lives in unit113, main floor.”
Natalie sucked in a breath.Holy crap.They were so close.A deep pull insider her told her to leap from the vehicle and bang on Justin’s door.She wound her hands together in her lap.
Brick must have sensed her agitation because he covered her hands with one of his and squeezed.“All right.We’re heading in—”
“Hang on,” Ghost said.“You don’t know what you’re walking into.Justin Crater runs Club East.One of the biggest gangs in Detroit.”
Natalie grabbed her stomach.“Oh god,” she moaned.The inside of the SUV grew increasingly small, the sides closing in around her and the oxygen leaving the space.
She was vaguely aware of Brick hanging up, of the guys talking, but she couldn’t hear properly over the blood pumping against her eardrums.
One thing never shifted: Brick’s hand on hers.If it weren’t for the firm weight of his warm palm, she’d have passed out.
Brick’s other thumb moved over her cheek, and she snapped her attention to his face.Zain and Taschen were outside the SUV.She must have blanked for several seconds because she didn’t remember them getting out.
“Hey,” he said, the simple word a tether to him.“It’s going to be fine.”
“A gang?”she squeaked.“Why?I don’t—Oh, god.I can’t understand why he’d bring Bray here.”She sniffed and shook her head.
“I don’t know, but I promise we’ll find out.”
She couldn’t wrap her head around Keetan’s twisted reasoning.All she could do was pray like she’d never prayed before.
“Can I take the dog?”Brick asked.
She frowned, confused, but allowed him to pluck Bray’s stuffed dog from her lap.She’d bought it before he was born.“Yes.His name is Rocky.”
He tucked the animal into the front of his vest.“Rocky’s going to be reunited with his owner soon.We’re going to make this quick.Just stay here no matter what.”
She nodded.He pulled her close to his chest and she inhaled his scent, letting the warm pine surround her.Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on as if her life depended on it.As if somehow, she could transfer her energy to him to deliver to Bray.
