Hanna nods. For the first time since we were taken hostage, she’s crying. “I was trying to distract him. So they could get free.”
“He hit—” Finn’s jaw works. I can tell he’s trying to keep from losing it. But he tamps down his anger—for now, at least—in favor of taking care of his wife. He lifts the chair and sets it back on its wheels, then hurries to the back of it to unlock Hanna’s cuffs. While he’s working, he croons, “It’s going to be okay, Angel. Just one second, and I’ll have you out of these.”
“Where’s Elle?” Zane asks. He casts a frantic look around the room. “Where’s Noel?”
“In the storage closet,” I reply while rushing to Charlie’s side to release her. “She’s in there with Maya and the kids.”
“Go,” Nora tells Zane. “We’ve got this undercontrol.” She glances at me, her brows raised in question. “There isn’t anyone else, is there?”
“No. Just this piece of shit—” Charlie’s handcuffs come free, and she leaps from her chair and launches herself at me. As she buries her face in my neck, I add, “It’s just this piece of shit, Lance Forrester.”
Nora frowns. “Lance Forrester? Who?—”
Lance whines, “Ofcourseyou don’t know who I am. Perfect Blade and Arrow thinks they’re too good for regular?—”
“Shut. Up.” Jackson gets in his face. “OrI’llshoot you this time. And trust me, you won’t like where I aim.”
Just as Zane races from the room to find Elle and Noel, Leo comes bursting through the doorway. He spots Georgia and races over to her. As soon as he sees the marks on her neck, he makes a sound of pure rage. Turning a furious glare on Lance, he growls, “Youchokedmywife?”
In the face of six-foot-six Leo, Lance pales. “No,” he stammers. “I?—”
“He did,” Georgia interrupts. “He grabbed my throat and jabbed a gun into my stomach. And he shot Rylan. And he tried to kill Hanna.”
Finn looks away from Hanna, who’s now tucked securely in his arms. His voice dips dangerously. “He tried tokillher?”
“I want to see Sam,” Charlie says quietly. “I need to see him.”
“Of course.” I hug her close and press my lips to her hair. “We’ll go see him. Right now.”
But before we can make a move for the doorway, Cole comes hurrying through it. Emotions play across his face—anger, worry, confusion—as he assesses the scene. “What the fuck happened here?” His gaze moves to my bloody arm. “Shit, Ry. Did you get shot?”
I can’t answer his question without asking about Sam first. “Is Sam okay? Did you see him? Is he alright?”
Understanding softens Cole’s gaze. “He’s fine. Maya’s with him. All the kids are okay. A little freaked out, but okay.”
Charlie lets out a small sob.
“His name is Lance Forrester,” I say. Keeping one arm around Charlie’s shoulders, I lead her to the door. “He applied to join B and A, and got all pissy when we didn’t hire him.”
“You think you’re too good—” Lance starts.
“Shut your mouth,” Leo snarls. He looks murderous.
“He wanted to burn down HQ,” Charlie adds tearfully. “He’s jealous of you guys. And he was going to put the babies in the garage while he left the rest of us in here to burn.”
In all the years I’ve known Cole, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him angrier.
“Lance fucking Forrester.” He advances on Lance. “I could kill—” Cole stops. He’s shaking with rage. “No. I won’t kill you. But only because the women and kids are here.”
Then he lowers his head to speak near Lance’s ear.
Several seconds later, Lance whimpers.
From outside the window, flashing lights approach. With them, sirens rise and fall.
“Oliver?” Hanna asks. “Did you call him?”
“I did,” Cole replies. “As soon as I got Nora’s text.”
