Sebastian ran a hand over her head. “She won’t be for long. That’s why we’re here. To get your Mommy out.”
Paloma looked pleased, her small shoulders relaxing as she turned back to Lachlan. “Mommy’s gonna be brave,” she said. “I gived her your special necklace. Mommy knows you will save her, Daddy.”
“Aye, I surely will,” Lachlan said, then glanced at Adonis. “Why don’t you go with Uncle Adonis and Uncle Kane back outside and wait for Daddy?”
“Okay,” Paloma said, reaching for Adonis’s hand. His friend lifted her into his arms. “Be super fast, Daddy. I don’t want Mommy to get scared.”
“I will, hen,” Lachlan said, then watched as Adonis and Kane navigated back down the hallway to the exit.
As soon as they were out of sight, Everett stepped toward him. “What are we dealing with?”
“Bomb vest on Britt," Lachlan said. "That bastard had it on Paloma first. Britt traded places with her."
Rocco examined the door, running his fingers along the frame. "Shit. Dual security panel with an auto-lock. When Bobby took the system down?—"
"—it locked everything tight," Sebastian finished, placing a hand on Lachlan's shoulder. "We need to bring it back up."
“Then get Bobby to fucking do it,” Lachlan thundered.
"If we do that," Everett warned, catching Lachlan's eye, "Thomas can get a team of PISCOs out here. They’ll swarm the place to help him."
"I don't give a damn," Lachlan replied. "That's Britt in there. How long would any of you wait if it was the woman you loved?"
The men exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.
“Don’t forget about Quattro,” Lachlan reminded them. “They can hold off the PISCOs and buy us time.”
Rocco said, “I’ll head back up and brief them on what’s coming.”
“Tell Bobby we need everything back online,” Lachlan said, already drawing his weapon. “I’m getting Britt out of there. Now.”
“Already done,” Sebastian said. “He says he can flip the switch as soon as we give the word and unlock all the doors in the facility.”
Lachlan walked to the door, pressing his ear to the warm steel. He couldn’t hear a damn thing. Didn’t know what Wesley was doing to Britt, if she was still okay.
The minutes crawled like hours until Rocco returned with confirmation that Quattro was on board and prepared to assist. Sebastian and Everett positioned themselves on opposite sides of the door across the hallway, bathed in the shadows. Rocco stood next to the door, back pressed against the wall. The plan was to trick Wesley into thinking Lachlan had come alone to find his daughter and rescue Britt.
At Lachlan’s signal, Bobby executed the plan to return power to the facility. The faint hum of the generator powering the building clicked off, bathing the underground tunnels indarkness for several seconds before blinding fluorescent light flooded the corridors.
Lachlan wasted no time pushing the door open.
The scene before him froze his blood.
Britt and Wesley crashed into the small sink as they wrestled violently for control of a black rectangular remote. The explosive vest strapped to Britt's chest shifted precariously with each movement. Her face was contorted with determination, eyes wild with a murderous resolve he'd never seen in her before.
"Let go, you crazy bitch!" Wesley snarled, driving his knee toward her stomach.
Britt twisted away, her fingers clawing at the device in his hand. "We're both going out tonight," she growled. "I won't let you hurt anyone else because of me!"
Lachlan's mind reeled with confusion. The scenario wasn't what he'd expected at all. Wesley wasn't trying to detonate the bomb—he was desperately trying to keep the remote from Britt's grasp. She was fighting to trigger it herself.
"I'm not dying because of you," Wesley spat, slamming her against the wall. "You're not worth it!"
"BRITT!" Lachlan's voice boomed through the tiny room as he trained his gun on Wesley.
She jerked to a stop, her head whipping toward him, eyes widening in shock. "Lachlan? No! You can't be here."
The momentary distraction was all Wesley needed. He wrenched the remote from her grip and stumbled backward, breathing heavily, his face slick with sweat.
