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I grinned to myself knowing the answer to each of my questions. Reed was indeed a son of a bitch. He was smart, but still a son of a bitch.
We entered the large house and headed upstairs. We figured we’d check those rooms first. It was away from the fray going on at the back of the house. We went room after room. I would check the rooms while Noelle kept her eyes on the hallway, her finger posed on the trigger of her shotgun ready to blast anyone that got in her way. We went painfully slow, but we managed to check five rooms before we came to a locked door.
She and I glanced at each other wondering if we should break in or leave it. The noise below was getting louder. I decided to check the room. I checked the doorknob and saw a small hole in the middle of the knob. I smiled.
“Cover me,” I whispered to Noelle and ran down the hall to the second room we checked. I came back, straightening a thick wired hanger. I was a pro at unlocking doors at this point and it took me less than a second to pop the door's feeble lock.
The room was bright and sparse, nothing but a desk and an office chair occupied the space. I started to leave, but something told me to step further into the room. Not sure if it was thatstill small voiceNoelle and Phoebe talked about or not. I listened anyway and that’s when we found her. She was lying in the corner, unmoving. Noelle closed the door and reengaged the lock. We stared down at a battered Phoebe, praying she was alive and we weren’t too late.
At first, we thought she was dead, her body barely rose to indicate that she was breathing. I went to my knees and checked her pulse. I didn’t feel anything and I knew where to look, how to be sure. I felt nothing. I dropped my head, silently praying, fighting back the dread that crawled along my spine. I let out a breath and checked again. I shook my head, kept my fingers pressed to her neck.
“No,” Noelle whispered.
After a second or two had passed, I felt her pulse against my fingers. I let out a sigh and smiled up at Noelle. She too let out a sigh of relief, however we both gasped when we turned her over. The side of her face was swollen, her eye the size of a golf ball. Anger flooded my veins and I swear I wanted to murder someone. No, not someone, fucking Schindler. That piece of shit wasn’t getting away with this.
I pulled out my phone and texted Reed that we’d found her, but we needed help to move her. I told him where to find us and he was there in less than five minutes. He didn’t say a word, but I saw his jaw tighten and dark eyes grow darker. Garrett entered next and I saw a mask of rage cover his face. I stepped back as he looked over Phoebe.
“Her knee looks busted. Her pulse is weak but it’s there.” He gently pushed on her stomach.
“She may have bruised ribs. I don’t know if she’s bleeding internally or not. We need to get her out of here.”
Reed pushed him aside, went to one knee and with a gentleness I didn’t think he had in him, lifted Phoebe in his arms.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here.” He growled low.
Garrett nodded, picked up his rifle and headed for the door. I went next, then Reed and Noelle took the rear. We were a few feet from the steps leading downstairs when what sounded like WWIII started outside. Three of Reed’s guys came running up the steps.
One of them said hurriedly, “We got company. Or shall I saytheygot company.”
“Who?” Reed asked.
The guy shrugged. “The cartel from the looks of it. They poured out of two helicopters and started for the house. Then we saw some black SUVs arriving from the front of the house. Those might be cops, but they’re pinned down by some heavy artillery from the roof of the house. It’s a whole mess out there. We need a safe place to lay low.”
I remembered seeing a TV room a couple of doors down from where we were and we headed that way. Reed, Noelle and I stayed inside the room, while Garrett and his guys went searching for a way out. They would also see if they could help the cops out front safely.
“Holy shit, Ayana. I can’t believe all that happened.” Phoebe stated, her eyes wide, hand against her chest.
I placed a reassuring hand on her forearm. “I know, but you needed us and we weren’t going to just sit by and let something happen to you.”
Phoebe shook her head. “Brad is going to kill you.”
I waved her off, knowing she was right but refusing to acknowledge it. “He'll be fine.”
“Right, keep thinking that.” Noelle chimed in, smirking at me.
I raised a brow. “Look who’s talking. You know that’s probably Ivey outside fighting the cartel.”
She snorted. “Yeah, well I’m not the one out here pregnant.”
“You’re fucking pregnant!” roared Reed.
We ignored him.
I pointed to Noelle. “How do you know you’re not freaking pregs right along with me?”
“You two are fucking insane. And they say I’m crazy,” mumbled Reed.
“Face it,” I began. “We’re both in hot shit.”
