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He listens for a moment, then turns back to us. “We’ve got it from here. Can you take me to the others?”

“What about our guy in there?” Caden straightens.

“We’ll get him out. Promise.” Agent Reynolds puts his hand on Caden’s shoulder.

He gestures for us to lead the way. This feels wrong. Like we should be the ones to take Zach down after all this time, but the reality is, this is the best way to do it. This way, Zach can’t get out on bail, and none of us wind up in jail for murdering him.

Unless Jack already has.

I blow out a breath. We need to get to the hospital but we don’t have a car. But fuck, I need to make sure Penny and Jack are okay.

CHAPTER 26

The Take Down

Jack

When Harper takes off, all hell breaks loose. As soon as I get Zach off Penny, she grabs Harper’s batons and hits Tanner with them. When she kicks his bleeding leg, he groans and his hands go to his thigh.

She grabs Tanner’s mask and tears it off. He has both his hands over the cut on his thigh, which he’s really lucky wasn’t a few inches to the left or he would have bled out. Even so, the cuts are deep and he’s bleeding everywhere.

“Tanner fucking Lewis.” Her laughter is a little unhinged. “I don’t think anyone will blame me for killing you. After all, you kidnapped me and killed Will, this is fucking self-defense.”

When she turns to look for the knife, Zach slams me up against a wall. My focus needs to be on keeping myself alive. Instead of trying to prevent Penny from committing murder.

Honestly, couldn’t happen to a better guy. The world would be fine without Tanner Lewis in it. Then maybe she could stab Zach a few times too.

“My men will get Harper back.” Zach presses his arm against my throat.

Holding his elbow and wrist, I keep him from crushing my windpipe. I’m too focused to verbally spar with him.

“When they do, I’m going to make it rough. How many dicks do you think can be in your girl at once? Five? What about six?” He laughs. “I’ve been researching and found some very helpful sites. A few in every hole. Especially if you don’t mind hurting the girl. I can’t wait to make her bleed.”

I throw my fist into his jaw and then use my leg to shove him away from me. He’s not ever getting his hands on Harper again. Even if I have to be the one to cut them off.

“You know the drugs were bad enough, but kidnapping and murder...” I tsk him. “Sounds like someone is going to do some quality time in the prison system.”

He wipes the blood from the corner of his mouth and grins. “Nothing is ever linked to me. I’m not even here right now. I’m at home fucking my girlfriend. And you’ll have the video of it thanks to that camera you hid in her room.”

“Tampering with our feed.” I shake my head and smirk. “You don’t think you’re the only one with secrets, do you?”

“You think I went into this blind?” Zach smirks and lunges for me.

I step back, trying to get close to where Penny is. We’re running out of energy here. The big guy in the corner won’t stay out forever. I need to grab her and run. She can’t be left behind.

“Of course not.” I back away. “But like my girl said, you made some really obvious mistakes.”

He shrugs like it doesn’t matter. “Only if I want to remain on the grid.”

“I thought you had a college scholarship.” One he bragged about on more than one occasion. He was going to play college ball and get drafted. He had this whole future planned out.

“And give them all my money to get a job pushing buttons, when I can have all this?” He chuckles. “Can’t you see it, Jack? This is an empire waiting to be reclaimed.”

I arch an eyebrow and glance around the mostly bare room. It’s more like the set of a horror film than something to be proud of. I just need to keep him talking until the others arrive. “It looks like a rundown farmhouse.”

I’m almost around the mattress. A few more feet and I can grab Penny.

“Not the building. The business. Moving women. My old man made sure the new ones knew their place. Made a lot of money doing it. But he abandoned it. Said it was too risky. Too many people looking at him.” Zach scoffs. “He’s a coward.”