Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Valid question, but not the one Trees wanted answered most.
“I need to get on the fucking road now. If you want to hear what I think, follow me while I walk, but I’m not standing around jawing about this when Laila is in danger.” He stalked down the hall.
“Don’t you get it?” Matt asked in small words, as if he thought Trees was too slow to grasp the situation. “Laila was an accomplice to that theft and—”
“Don’t you get it?” Trees whirled and growled. “Ramos was Laila’s rapist for six years. So no. If she ‘helped’ the asshole, it’s because he forced her. I need to figure out how and save her.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Fuck off.”
Matt’s face hardened. “That’s not going to fly with the Edgingtons.”
Trees pushed down his volcanic rage. First his bosses thought he was the mole, and now they thought he needed a babysitter? Yep, and since they were sending Matt, who had been brought on expressly to find Kimber, then saving Laila was further down their priority list. “This is bullshit.”
He didn’t wait to see if Matt replied, just stomped into the war room. Most everyone had grabbed a plate and was now sitting in front of their computers, eating while downing fresh coffee. Luc stood in the corner, quietly on the phone. They all looked up when he walked in.
“Well?” the colonel prompted.
“I won’t know anything until I get to Laila.”
The older man nodded. “Matt will fill you in on the newest developments.”
“Take him with you, and remember that your first priority is to figure out where my sister is,” Logan reminded. “If you get any chance to bring her back safely—”
“He knows,” Hunter interrupted.
“Yep,” Trees assured because Kimber was the glue that held the Edgingtons’ lives together. But he needed Laila back to stop his heart from shattering. “Laila is your client. Shouldn’t retrieving her be pretty fucking important, too?”
The Edgington brothers glanced at one another, then Hunter sighed. “Yes, and Valeria is beside herself with worry. If you can bring Laila back, do it. But if Montilla is pursuing her, and she can lead us to him…”
He should use Laila as bait. That’s what Hunter was suggesting. No one else in the room was refuting him.
Son of a bitch.
Trees gave them a terse nod because if he said anything, he’d speak his mind and be out of a job. The way shit had gone lately, that might not be so bad…except this was his best opportunity to find Laila. This crew knew more about her whereabouts, so he couldn’t afford to balk.
“Got it.” When he stomped toward the door, Hunter blocked his path. “One more thing before you go. Zy pointed out recently that, as bosses, Logan, Joaquin, and I have been complete assholes.”
Trees wasn’t about to pull his punches. “You have.”
Hunter’s tight smile was a silent mea culpa. “We’ve apologized to Zy for keeping him and Tessa apart. We’re trying to do better. We owe you an apology, too, for assuming you were our mole.”
“Your assumption was logical, but it sucked. Maybe next time, investigate more and assume less before you start throwing accusations around?”
“Yeah. The fact you stayed with us and did a damn great job when we suspected the worst of you…” Hunter stuck out his hand. “Thanks. It won’t happen again.”
“It fucking better not.”
Hunter paused like he was choosing his next words carefully. “Zy says you have feelings for Laila.”
“I’m in love with her, and before you give me the speech about not falling for a client—”
“You can’t help who you fall for. To be honest, it’s fucking inconvenient. Valeria is pissed, and it’s not good for our reputation if word gets out that you seduced a client—”
“Fuck you. It’s not like I wanted to have feelings for her—”
“But”—Hunter held up his hands to stop his tirade—“it happens. We understand you’re worried about Laila. You’re motivated to find her and get her to safety.”
“Yep. And I want it on record that I think you using her as bait is both wrong and reckless. But I know you’re worried about your sister.”
“It’s been ten days. We’re desperate.” Hunter sounded choked up.
“I’ll do my best to find her.”
“Thanks.” Logan approached and stuck out his hand. “We’re sorry for everything.”
Trees shook it and nodded.
Joaquin repeated the gesture, then bobbed his head toward the door. “Go ahead. I know you’re anxious to get on Laila’s trail. I’ll text you the location of the Santiagos’ private jet. How soon can you get a bag and get out of here?”
“I have one in my Hummer.”
“Of course the prepper is prepped.” He smiled wryly. “You and Matt will fly to Florida with one of Oracle’s operators, Trevor Forsythe. He’s former FBI and a great investigator. You’ll also be joined by a friend of Jack Cole’s. He goes by the handle Ghost. I don’t know much about him.”