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A group of suited-up,ominous-looking thugs, who must have been part of the duped security team from the night before, found Lucas and escorted him off the property after taking turns roughing him up on a remote part of the estate.
He gingerly grabbed his steering wheel, pulling himself into the seat of the rental van, wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand as he carefully pulled his phone from his pocket and called Flynn.
His trusty sidekick picked up on the first ring.
“Flynn here.”
“Check on Birdie. Now.”
“She’s fine. Just a couple bruises.”
Lucas banged his palm onto the steering wheel repeatedly and then ran his fingers through his hair, pulling several strands out.
“That motherfucker,” he yelled into the phone. “Has he done this before, Flynn? Has he laid his hands on her?”
“Not that I’ve seen. I’m with her now, and she swears he’s never touched her before today.”
This was his fault. She warned him he should stay away, and because of his selfish need to watch over her, he put her in harm’s way.
“Put her on the phone.”
“I’m sorry, boss, but she doesn’t want to talk right now. But she told me to tell you she’s okay. After Errol left, we stepped inside the laundry room, and I checked her out myself. She’s a little shook up, but other than that, and the bruises, she’s fine.”
Jesus. She refused to speak to him.
Motherfucking hell.
There was a good chance a couple of his ribs were bruised, if not with hairline fractures, but that pain was nothing compared to the regret raging through his battered body.
“He can’t lay his hands on her again, Flynn, or I’m going to lose my fucking mind. Do you hear me?”
“Loud and clear.” Lucas could hear a door open and close. “Um, you should know that I overheard Errol inform Birdie that she was to go to his room tonight.”
Lucas slammed on the brakes, a car behind him narrowly rear-ending him, the driver blowing his horn as he passed by. Lucas yanked on the wheel, pulling over to the side of the road.
“That can’t happen, Flynn,” he said as threw open the door to the van.
“Agreed,” Flynn replied.
He jumped out of the van and began to pace the roadside, kicking a rock and sending it flying.
“I swear I’m going to kill him. I’m going to show up to his room instead of Bird, and I’m going to blow the motherfucker away.”
“I don’t need to tell you that would only cause her more pain.” Flynn was quiet, as if thinking. “Maybe we use this night to gather more evidence? In light of the missing thumb drive?”
“Have you watched the money flow? Has he moved it?”
“No, it’s still in his personal account. I’m waiting to see if and when it gets transferred to a legitimate construction account. Frankly, tonight might be our best chance to get the evidence we need. As long as you don’t strangle him with your bare hands.”
“What we need to do is to figure out how to get her out of that circus of a house rather than serving her up to him.”
“Well, then, you’re not going to like this part…” There was silence for a moment, and Lucas assumed Flynn was walking farther from the laundry room. “…Errol told her that Mother would not be joining them.”
He dropped onto the nearest boulder, ramming his hand halfway through his hair as he waited for his heart to start beating again.
“I won’t let him touch her, Flynn. I swear to God, I’ll kill him before he ever gets within an inch of her. She’s been through enough—” He stopped, not wanting to waste time with Birdie’s backstory.
He lowered his head and took a couple breaths. “Let me jump off the phone and get my shit together and think this through. Call me if you come up with an idea that includes me severing the fucker’s body parts.”
