Fortunately, we’re on a dirt back road that not even Peter Sokolov would drive down in his expensive cars.Sebastian stands next to Mac with his phone in hand, doing fuck knows what.
Dante brushes off his hands on his pants as he stands and looks over at me.His brow furrows.“She’s strong.”
Fuck, I know that.I’ve always known that about Sara.It doesn’t help this situation though.
“He wants her as a trade.He won’t hurt her.”Sebastian lifts his gaze.“We have time to get her.We just need to rearrange our plan a little.”
A muscle in my jaw ticks, but I don’t say anything.The other day she was in my arms and I let her slip away.I need to get her back.Not tomorrow.Today.
The problem is the place has staff.A lot of staff.Cleaners, cooks, servers, probably a fucking butler.Getting there during the day and trying to sneak in would be damn near impossible.This isn’t like a house in the city where a delivery person would stop by.
Even sneaking in as staff would be impossible.They have employees, not just people who come and go.Unless they throw a fucking party, they know every single person who’s supposed to be on the property.
I kick a piece of gravel down the road.There’s nothing out here.Some trees to one side of the road and a field on the other.
“Done.”Dante lets X take the tire and heave it into the trunk.“What do we need to do?”
He stops in front of Sebastian.Unlike me, he’s calm and cool as usual.I’m a fucking volcano.
“We need to find a place to wait.The security system will be on at night, but we can get in and turn it off.”Sebastian pockets his phone.“We can do some surveillance while we wait.”
I’m trying not to explode because, rationally, I know he’s right.It’s the smart thing to do.Wait until the right opportunity presents itself.It will make it better for all of us.
They get back in the car but I don’t.It’s a few miles up the road to the house.Probably not even an hour walk.I take off my long sleeve black shirt and chuck it in the open door before closing it.
“What are you doing, Finn?”Dante climbs out of the car.
I smirk.“I’m going to do surveillance.”
“Get in the car.”
“Nah.”I scratch the back of my neck and look toward where the estate is.“I’m going to walk up and see what’s happening.Maybe we have this all wrong and she’s not even here.”
“We have binoculars and thermal imaging cameras,” Sebastian rolls down his window to say.“You could get yourself killed.”
I scoff.“You already said they wouldn’t hurt Sara.Why would they hurt a guy whose car broke down?I just need to use their phone.My battery died.”
The more I think about it, the more I like this idea.
Dante looks resigned and starts to close the door, but he’s on the wrong side of it.
“No, Dante.I need to do this on my own.One guy all alone versus with you.You look like you could take on at least fifteen guys by yourself.”I back away, shirtless, in a pair of black pants and sneakers.“I’m fucking harmless.”
Dante raises an eyebrow at me, but finally, he caves.“Don’t be a fucking hero.”
I give him a placating look.“Couldn’t be if I tried.”
“Fuck.”Dante gets back in the car.“Let’s go.”
“You remember the layout?”Sebastian asks.
“Yeah.”I memorized that shit.
“We’ll be behind the back barn.”Sebastian rolls up the window.I don’t know if he thinks I’m crazy, but I should have thought of this an hour ago when we first broke down.
If I can get eyes on the inside, that’s what we need.Am I putting myself at risk?Maybe a little.If I wind up dead though, they’ll be bringing my family into this.
I may have distanced myself from my family, but they still have a future planned for me.They wouldn’t let my death go unpunished.
