Page 61 of Let Me Protect You

His words bring back Harmony’s question from the nightclub. But something deep down tells me that it’s not my place to ask. Instead, I need to get to Harmony before someone does something to her. If they harm even a single hair on her head, they’ll have hell to pay.

I park my Honda a half a mile down the street from the address Harmony’s kidnappers provided. The entire street has warehouses that all look the same—dark brown brick. Very discreet. Grabbing my Glock from the glove compartment, I stuff it inside the back of my pants and turn back to Sully. We sit in silence for a few seconds. He doesn’t move. Something about him is off. He has taught me everything I know about protecting people. He served in the military for years.

I turn to Sully and take a deep, calming breath, but it does nothing to still my raging heart. “I need you to concentrate. They could have dozens of men in there, and I can’t handle that alone.”

“We can’t go in there with no strategy.” He takes a ragged breath. “I’ve run a lot of rescue operations during my time in the military, and we planned for every scenario.”

I drove here as fast as I could, so I didn’t have a chance to plan anything. There’s no time when Harmony’s life is on the line.

A soft knock sounds on my window, and I jerk my head up. Victor stands there in a pressed black suit. About a dozen men with familiar uniforms stand behind him, but I don’t recognize most of them. Then a movement behind our small army catches my eyes, and I let out a string of curses.

I roll my window down. “What the fuck is Serenity doing here?”

“I was with her when I received the text.” The bastard has the audacity to look ashamed. “Nothing scandalous happened. We had a scheduled—”

Serenity holds a shotgun confidently, effectively cutting Victor off. Her bright green eyes were wide and wild. “My baby sister is in danger, and you’re the fucker who couldn’t keep her safe.”

I growl. “I know, okay? I made sure to have someone else assigned to her since I knew I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to truly protect her.” I run my fingers through my hair. “She had Victor’s personal guards.”

Tears spring, rimming her eyes. “I don’t give two shits if she had an entire army guarding her.” She tightens her grip on her shotgun. “You promised me you would keep her safe.”

“Please, just put that gun down before you hurt yourself.”

“Hurt myself?” She lets out an unhinged laugh and cocks it at me. “I learned how to use this gun. I’m a single mother with a small child. I need to be able to protect Summer.”

Shit. I don’t doubt Serenity learned how to shoot after everything Harmony told me about the loan sharks that are after her. But I can’t have her inside.

Victor places a hand on Serenity’s shoulder. “Please lower the gun and get in Elias’s car. All three of you need to stay here.”

I step in and say, “She was kidnapped under your men’s protection.” Victor has the grace to flinch, and one of his bodyguards that I recognize from standing outside the hotel door tenses, but I don’t care. “I’m going.”

“Me too,” Serenity chimes in. Vulnerability takes over her face. “Don’t make me stay here, please. She’s all I have left other than Summer.”

“What if you get hurt? Who will take care of Summer?” I resist the urge to cringe at how harsh my words are, but Harmony won’t ever forgive me if something happens to her sister.

“If something happens to me, you fucker, Harmony will get out, and she’ll take care of Summer. Now, anyone else have an argument, or can we get going?”

“Hey, I’m here,” John says as he jogs over. “I got here as fast as I could. Thank fuck I got a new nanny last week.”

Now that my team is here, I unbuckle myself, but Victor’s voice stops me before I can open my door. “They said I had to come alone, so don’t go rushing in there without a plan. She might get hurt or worse killed.”

Something inside Sully snaps, his copper eyes flaring to life. “I’ve got a plan, but everyone has to do what I say when I say it without argument if it’s going to work.” He looks around our group. “Do you understand?”

Half of Victor’s men must be military trained because they say in unison, “Yes, sir.”

Chapter 32

Harmony

I’m tied to a chair like I’m in some sort of action movie. Except unlike the characters in those movies, I have no clue how to sever my ties to get the hell out of here. My wrists are bound behind my back, and every time I tug on them, my skin rubs raw.

A single bulb hangs from the roof in the center of the room or rather, more like a storage closet. Rats scurry along the walls, trying to find an escape. Sorry fellas, but you’re out of luck. A layer of dust coats the floor and the few racks that are scattered around.

Noise erupts outside my room—a loud clash followed by men screaming—and I twist my neck to try to get a glimpse. My head explodes in a burst of pain from when they slammed something against my skull at the cemetery. I finally get the courage to try to heal and make peace, and they attack me. I know who they are. They’re cowards—only a coward would attack someone in such a vulnerable position.

They didn’t even give me enough time to receive a call from Anita. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had my phone bugged. Did they expect me to take initiative and call, just to tell them no? I drop my head and close my eyes.

Elias will come. I have no doubt. He promised to protect me, and he will.