“What?”
“I found him,” Travis replies.
Seth shifts under me. “Who?”
“John. He’s in Florida. Island off the coast. I traced a dummy shell account back to a private villa. There’s a yacht. Security. He’s not hiding, he’s recruiting.”
Seth glances at me, heat gone cold behind his eyes.
“Wanna go to Florida?”
I meet his gaze with no hesitation.
“Hell yeah.”
Chapter 84
Seth
We ride the boat in silence while the engine hums low beneath us.
The sound stays muted enough to blend with the water moving against the hull. Warm night air clings to my skin and clothes. The scent of Florida water hangs heavy in the dark, brine from the ocean mixed with the smell that settles into coastal ground.
Brooke sits on the bench in front of me with her gun resting across her lap. Her attention stays fixed on the horizon where the black line of the island cuts into the sky. She twists the suppressor onto the barrel of her pistol in one quick motion.
Beau handles the wheel with quiet confidence. His shoulders remain loose while he guides the boat through the water with small adjustments.
The private island appears first as a dark shape stretching across the water. As we move closer, the outline of the villa becomes clear. The structure rises behind a wall of palms, larger than any house built for simple living. A few windows glow with soft interior light that spills across the stone exterior. The place carries the polished weight of money and privacy.
I scan the shoreline again.
Only a handful of guards move near the dock and outer path.
That isn’t an oversight. That’s arrogance. Someone here believes distance and money are enough to keep them safe.
They're wrong.
Beau cuts the engine before we reach the dock. The sudden quiet settles over the boat while it glides the rest of the way forward on momentum. The hull brushes against the wood, and the dock answers with a quiet creak before the water steadies us.
Brooke reaches and squeezes my forearm once.
I answer with a single nod.
Beau steps out first. His boots land on the dock without a sound. He moves into the darkness along the palm line and disappears between the shadows without saying a word.
Time stretches while we wait.
I focus on the island and listen carefully for anything out of place.
A dull sound carries across the water from the direction of the house. The noise fades quickly and the island returns to silence.
Beau’s voice comes through my earpiece. “Front is clear.”
Brooke exhales once and steps onto the dock. I move with her.
We cross the yard toward the villa, keeping close to the palms and the darker edges of the property. The back entrance comes into view quickly.
The door is unlocked. Brooke pushes it open and steps inside. I follow with my knife already in my hand.
