“Sugar,” Spade practically growled, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest … and away from me.
Asshole.
She grinned as Francine returned, her gaze bouncing between the two of us with a subtle smirk. “Liam said that he has more equipment with him, and if you need to install another camera, he can help or relay the instructions.”
“Perfect.” Giana grinned and pulled out a few stacks of bills from her purse and offered them to her. “In case anyone needs anything else.”
Francine scoffed but still took the cash. “I doubt anyone will need any more, but I’ll hold on to it for you.”
“We should get going. Our little devil needs some sleep before tonight.” I pulled Giana out of Spade’s grip and wrapped anarm around her shoulders. “You have our numbers if anything happens.”
Francine nodded. “Go. Go. I have everything taken care of here, and I’ve asked the other shop owners to meet you in the lobby at the other motels.”
We thanked her, and I led Giana back to the van, feeling the wave of animosity from the other two on my back. I grinned at Merrick and Spade over my shoulder, and I could only imagine, based on the annoyance written on both of their faces, that some of Giana’s red lipstick had smeared on my mouth. I guessed that would be the next competition, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Life with my two best friends and the love of our lives was the dream and exactly what we’ve all been fighting for.
Chapter Fourteen
Giana
“You’reseriouslyleavingmehere in the van?” Merrick grumbled from the driver’s seat. The partition to the back seats was open for once as the four—well, three of us prepared to take off at a moment’s notice. We parked a few streets over and watched as Angelo’s men rolled up in their blacked-out SUVs, manic smiles on their faces while they armed themselves.
“Yes,” Kellan said as our focus remained on the tablet. “We need someone to be our eyes while we’re out there, and since you’re still injured, you’re the perfect candidate.”
We all dressed in black gear, knowing we’d need stealth on our side tonight. “There’s more of them out than usual.”
“The entire town made a statement today, so this is their response,” Kellan said, a grim frown curving his lips as he watched ten more SUVs pull up. “We can’t take them on like we usually do. Not with this many.”
“We knew that already,” Spade said, tracing a heart into the fogged-up window before writing a G and S in the middle. He was so cute sometimes.
He grinned at me as though he had read my mind and pulled me closer into his side. The other teams were set up similarly to us, waiting for their orders as we watched the Barones.
We’d given the teams a block of stores that they’d be responsible for, but we’d need to direct them to each store to keep ourselves hidden.
“Bravo team, they’ve breached the hardware store,” Merrick said into his earpiece. Liam had given us a link to access the cameras on another device, so Merrick had a few tablets set up to monitor each section of the street.
Nicolas said, “10-4.”
We watched their team slink through the shadows, coming around the back of the building and entering through the rear door.
Merrick informed a few other teams before Nicholas came back over the radio. “We took out the four in the hardware shop.”
“Great work,” Merrick said, his attention on the camera feeds. “You have a team in the jewelry store.”
Nicholas and his group went around the back and into the next rear door.
“We have a party in the bookstore.” Kellan put the tablet down and geared up, fury blazing in his gaze.
Spade and I were right behind him, and after what happened at the house, I didn’t complain about the bulletproof vests. We took a shortcut through a few backyards to get to thebookstore Kellan’s parents owned. Mr. Richards had worked in the shop for the last couple of months while Kellan’s parents and Merrick’s mother hid for their own safety. That didn’t stop the Barones from targeting the new manager. They were going to ‘send him a message’ by roughing up the older man a couple of weeks ago until Spade and I stopped them and left them bleeding out in the back alley.
With the cleaning crew and the torrential rain we had a few days ago, there wasn’t a trace of the blood that had puddled on the pavement when Spade sliced into him.
“Oh, good times.” Spade sighed wistfully, keeping his voice low. His amethyst eyes glimmered with violence even in the dimly lit alley.
Kellan squeezed my hand in reassurance before he quietly opened the back door. We slipped into the store, barely holding the door open to ensure no light streamed into the dark interior. It took a few moments for my sight to adjust, so we ducked behind one of the shelves in the back.
The men were up at the cash register, attempting to pry it open—of course those idiots weren’t trying to steal books. They did throw them around, though. There were empty shelves scattered throughout the stacks; paperbacks and hardcovers littered the floor in their attempt at senseless destruction.
I could slice them open for that alone. No one throws precious stories around like they’re garbage and lives to tell the tale, not if I have anything to say about it.
