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“Yeah. It was.” Joe jerked into action, barking out orders. “Secure all windows and doors. Shut all curtains. Now!”
The women scurried, doing as they were told.
“Not you.” Joe nabbed Caroline as she passed him. “Do you have a panic room?”
“No.” Her voice trembled slightly as her hand flattened over her baby bump. “Should I?”
Joe had no doubt in his mind that after this night was over, Caroline would have a panic room installed. In the meantime, they would have to make do. “Where’s the safest place in the castle?”
“I would normally say the basement, but it’s full of furniture right now. We’re storing everything in there until after the wedding. There’s no space for people.”
“What about the tower?” Kirsty came up beside her friend, looking completely, and suddenly, sober.
Adrenalin could do that to a person—or fear.
“The cellar sounds more secure,” Joe said. “Can we move the stuff out? Or to the side, or something, anything to make space?”
“No. It’s packed. I’ve been using it for storage since the renovation. The furniture from the grand room filled every last bit of free space.”
Ryan came up beside Joe. He held up his phone. “Dead.”
From the storm or courtesy of the guys outside? Either option wasn’t good.
“Someone needs to tell Lake what’s happening.” Kirsty’s voice trembled. “We need him here.”
“I can’t get through to him.” Ryan looked grim. “We’re cut off.”
Joe could physically feel the tension in the room as it rose.
“We need to get the women secured.” Joe ran a hand over his jaw. “What about this tower room?”
Ryan had worked security at the castle before and was more familiar with the place.
“It could work,” Ryan said. “It’s the only room on the fourth floor.”
Joe nodded. “It will have to do.” He didn’t like it, but they had to get away from the ground floor and all those damn windows as fast as possible. They were sitting ducks at the moment. “What weapons do you have?”
“Weapons?” Caroline stared at him.
“Guns.”
“None. Josh is a singer, not a mercenary. You might find a tambourine lying around, but you won’t find any guns.”
This just kept getting better. Joe eyed Ryan. “What you got?”
Ryan held up his handgun. “That’s it. It won’t last long.”
Joe cursed. “That’s about what I’ve got too.”
“Josh has a baseball bat,” Caroline said.
They were up shit creek if a baseball bat was all they had for backup. Still, he’d use anything he could get his hands on at this point.
“Grab it,” Joe ordered, making Caroline frown. He’d forgotten she didn’t like taking orders. In Caroline’s world, she was boss. She’d have to get used to a different order of things, because this was a situation she couldn’t control.
“There are knives in the kitchen,” Shona said.
“Yeah, and how many of you know how to use a knife?” Joe asked her.
