Page 30 of Thaddeus

His blue eyes came to mine, and if I was reading him right, he almost looked sorry for me.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. I wondered if he’d shared with Thaddeus and the others what I’d asked the girls.

“Is this everything?” Max asked, pointing at the luggage I’d arranged on the floor.

“Other than Jefferson’s suits that are still hanging in the closet, yes.”

Two other men came into the room and without so much as a hello, they started opening drawers. Either they hadn’t heard me or they didn’t believe that the room was otherwise empty.

Max came out of the huge walk-in closet announcing, “Clean.”

Yeah, buddy, I already told you it was.

I didn’t bother voicing my comment. Instead, I stood in silence as the men carefully inspected the bedroom. Why wasn’t I speaking? I was plotting my next move. If I went quietly with the team, they’d get me out of the hotel, which I was dreading doing on my own. I didn’t know how many men were outside and I doubted Thaddeus would tell me.

That was, if any of Jefferson’s—or Paul’s now, as it were—guards were still alive.

“Grab what you’re taking, Emerson.” That was Declan.

I moved to the bed and zipped up the suitcase, debating asking one of the guys if they’d carry Jefferson’s trunk for me. The damn thing was worth the price of a condo.

But before I could ask, Declan heaved my luggage off the bed and exited the room.

“Let’s go,” Thaddeus commanded. “You stay by my side. If shit goes sideways, you listen to everything I tell you.”

Seriously, was he always this much of a bossy asshole but I’d been so blinded by soul-consuming love I hadn’t seen it?

“Whatever you say, chief.”

In a flash he was in my space and his hands gripped my shoulders.

“You think this is a joke?” he seethed. His face was so close to mine I could see the dark specks of black in his brown eyes. Once upon a time, I’d gotten lost in those eyes, stared into them as he moved inside of me. They’d spark to life as he made love to me. I loved those eyes, had since the first day I’d looked into them. “Em-er-son.”

His punctuation of all three syllables of my name pulled me from my thoughts.

“I’m intimately aware this isn’t a joke, Thad-de-us.” I enunciated his name the same way he had mine. “I know what’s at stake, more than you can ever understand.”

“What does that mean?” His mask bunched, indicating he was, as always, scowling at me.

“We’re out,” Max announced.

Thaddeus stepped away from me and gave a reminder, “Right next to me. You’re my shadow, Emerson.”

This time I didn’t speak my acknowledgment. Mainly because my brain had taken a hike and I was stunned from his previous proximity.

* * *

Standing in the living room of a house I’d never thought I’d be in again didn’t make me happy. However, Thaddeus’ team getting me out of the hotel was a godsend. Paul’s car had pulled in as we were sneaking off the property. And with Paul were two cars full of Jefferson’s men. Paul was already taking over operations. Not that I was surprised. I mean, we were talking about a criminal organization and there was no time to mourn the loss of one gang leader if you wanted to keep your cash flowing. And Paul did. He was a greedy fucker.

Which brought me to another reason why I’d willingly left with Thaddeus and didn’t try to get away. I was afraid of Paul. Jefferson had been a disgusting pig but I never feared he’d hurt me for fun. He would’ve easily killed me if I’d crossed him, but as long as I played my part I never felt like I was in danger of him. Paul? He was a different story. With Jefferson gone, he would’ve gladly claimed me and held me against my will and when he was done hurting me, he would’ve sold me.

“Now what?” I asked when Declan and Kyle set down the suitcases they’d brought in from the car.

“In a hurry?” Declan returned.

“Honestly? Yeah, I am. I want out of this country. I’ve got shit to do.”

“You know, you keep saying that but never clarify what shit it is you have to get to.” Declan kept at me.