Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Shawn nodded, as did Griff, when a piercing shriek sounded from upstairs. Kelsey’s voice came through to our ears. “We may have a situation.”
“My baby,” a woman pleaded. “Please don’t take my baby.”
Clearly, all the women didn’t yet believe our good intentions. “We wouldn’t do that,” I quickly said.
The tall woman's face had lost some of its hostility. “Ruin only lets us keep the babies for six weeks to breastfeed. Then he sells them.”
“Go upstairs to your rooms. We’ll come by to get the trackers out,” Griffin said.
“Quickly,” Shawn added.
The women hustled back upstairs while Shawn, Griffin and I huddled together with Kelsey on comms.
“Babe. Bring in the supplies we need to get the trackers out,” Griff said to Kelsey.
Shawn lifted a brow, but Griffin didn’t seem to notice. To us, Griff said, “We have to do this quickly. If Ruin noticed them gathering, he’ll send someone here to check things out. We need to be out of here as quickly as possible.”
It was decided that Griffin and Shawn would do the removal. I would do the aftercare to stop any bleeding and cover the wound with a bandage. We would leave the trackers on the bed and get the women out and into the van Shawn and I had been in. Apparently, Griffin had anticipated we might need a van to transport victims, which is why we’d driven two vehicles. Kelsey would keep watch with the drones for anyone heading our way.
Things moved quicker when the women we finished with helped. They got everyone organized by gathering up the things they couldn’t leave without. The hiccup came with the baby. We couldn’t find any tracker, but we weren’t a hundred-percent sure. Time was up and we were ready to leave when Griffin stopped Shawn and me.
“You two take our van back to the condo. Kelsey and I will transport the women to a safe location.”
I almost balked when I realized why they didn’t want us to go. The women’s safety was a priority over my curiosity. So I nodded, knowing these men would ensure their safety. Shawn and Griffin switched keys. We all hustled the women to the van, then Shawn and I watched as they drove off. Then we headed in the opposite direction of the other van.
What looked like a delivery truck was tricked out in the back with computer equipment on a long desk on one side and racks of weapons and other gadgets on the other side.
Quickly, I closed the door to the back after a curious peek and strapped in. We didn’t talk. I wasn’t sure of what to make of it, but I was grateful for the time of introspection.
We parked the van in the garage of the building we were staying in. The ride up in the elevator was awkward as hell. It was as if Shawn didn’t want to look at me. I sighed when the doors opened, and we stepped into the hall. He used the passkey to open the door and held it for me to enter first. Then he came in and pulled out a gun.
17
MATT
Quickly, I swept the room, looking for any hiding places. I left Tayla frozen at the front door without a word. If Ruin had someone waiting for us, I didn’t want to give him or her a heads-up we were inside. The soft click of the door closing couldn’t be avoided. There wasn’t any place to hide in the kitchen or living room area except a hall closet I’d cleared before making my way to the bedrooms.
I checked the first, which housed nothing but gym equipment. The closet was empty. The hall bath was free of anyone, as well. Then I checked the spare bedroom, under the bed, and that closet held no one either. The last place to clear was the primary bedroom at the end of the hall.
This was the room Tayla was staying in and I took extra care. But with minimal furniture throughout the condo, it didn’t take much to ensure we were alone. I longed for the device I’d used in the past to check for bugs. I’d have to go back to the van later to see if Griff had one.
When I entered the hall, Tayla stood next to the island. The woman took my breath away every time I laid eyes on her. And she was in neck-to-toe black with everything hidden except her curves.
After everything, there was no way in hell I could touch her. I cleared my throat and said, “No one is here.”
There was pain in her eyes I wanted to cure. “You think he tagged me too, don’t you?”
“We can’t rule it out.”
She nodded. “Unless he did it when he drugged me…” Her shoulders dipped.
For all we knew, he’d planted a tracker on her from the first time he took her. It would explain how he could have planned and gotten her the second time so easily.