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“What the hell is going on? I’m going to miss my flight. I don’t even know if they’ll let me back through security.”
“Franco isn’t in Chicago anymore, and neither is Arturo. They’re on their way here. Franco plans to set things up to make it look like you kidnapped Arturo and killed him.”
“Do we know if Arturo is alive now?” The look of horror on TJ’s face made my chest tighten. I laid my hand on his shoulder, steadying him.
“He and Franco were seen on camera at a rest stop on US 67 outside of Poplar Bluff, Missouri. That’s the last sighting we’ve had of them. X’s guys are watching for them, tracking them as best they can, and Ghost is on his way to assist us at the ranch.”
“So I was right. It was a setup.”
“Yes, just not the kind we thought it was.”
“X called you?”
“No. He called you multiple times, but you wouldn’t answer, so he called Grant.”
“I was going to talk to him once I was at my gate. I had to focus on driving, and I couldn’t…”
“In other words, you knew he was going to tell you to stay put, and you didn’t want to argue with him.”
TJ sighed. “It’s never easy to argue with X.”
“Part of that is because he’s usually right.”
“Have you ever gone head-to-head with him?”
“Not me personally, but Grant has. I’ve never had any reason to because, ultimately, Grant has always realized X knows what he’s doing. We all want to help you. And Arturo.”
“Why is X waiting? Why hasn’t he sent someone to intercept them?”
“He doesn’t have anyone close, and they’re using a lot of back roads where it’s hard to track them. If he weren’t keeping Arturo alive until he reached the ranch, then he would likely have already killed him.”
TJ nodded. “You’re right, and we’re better off taking him out on our own turf.”
“X agrees.”
“Let’s go.” He headed toward the doors, and I followed him. I wasn’t sure how to fix the tension between us. Right now, we had to focus on how we were going to make sure we got TJ’s brother back safe and sound.
“You really want to help me with this?” he asked as we stepped outside.
“Yes, you idiot. How many times do I have to say it?”
“We need a plan to take Franco alive. I need to get information out of him before he dies. We’ve got to know who is loyal to him so we can eliminate them as well.”
“I think we can handle that, but if it comes down to it, if it’s your life or theirs—”
“Then take the kill shot.”
“That’s exactly what I plan to do, with or without your sanction. No intel is worth losing you.”
TJ’s face softened for the first time that day. “You still hate me?”
“Sometimes, like when you won’t listen and you’re so fucking stubborn I have to send you away in my truck.”
“How did you get here?”
“I took Rogue’s truck. I abandoned it in a loading spot. Hopefully it’s still there. He’s going to be pissed as hell if it’s not.”
“We’ll get him a new truck. I want you to come with me.”
