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“Stick to the crowd,” Trap yelled in my ear. “We’ll blend in with the other guests until we can break away and get to the SUV. Any clue who we’re running from?”
As I secured my sidearm to my jeans, I thought through all the possibilities. Only one rang true. I knew the bastards heading up the trafficking ring were responsible for Barrett’s death and the agents guarding him. That was the only serious threat that made sense.
Which meant we were in deep shit until we could get out of Houston.
Since I couldn’t confirm that we weren’t followed from the FBI headquarters, I had to assume this was an actual threat. Obviously, the bastards Georgia’s husband was wrapped up with didn’t think twice about taking multiple federal officers’ lives, so picking off two randoms and a woman wouldn’t be beneath them.
Fuck.
“Stay between us,” I shouted into Georgia’s ear, giving her waist a squeeze before pulling my gun free of the holster. Weapon in one hand, duffel in the other, I hitched my chin for Trap to go first, keeping Georgia between us, leaving me to take up the rear.
Out in the hall, disheveled guests poured from their rooms, some barely dressed, others blindly walking as if still asleep. Thankfully no one gave us a second look as we hurried through the growing crowd, weaving in and out with guns at the ready. While we moved, I kept a hand on Georgia, glancing back every other step for anyone who looked out of place.
At the stairwell, I ushered Georgia to hug the wall as we descended one floor, then the other until we joined the mass of bodies on the ground floor moving toward a side door, all of us pouring out into the whipping wind. Like we’d planned, Trap kept us in the center of the crowd, pushing and shoving our way toward the parking lot until we were a little closer to the SUV and had to break cover. When we were as close as we could get, Trap glanced over his shoulder, steady hazel eyes finding mine, and nodded.
This was it.
The cold air burned down my throat as I inhaled a deep, steadying breath and pressed my lips to Georgia’s ear.
“This is when we need to break from the crowd and haul ass to the SUV. I’ll be behind you the entire time. All you have to focus on is keeping up with Trap.”
“Okay,” she said, voice stronger than I expected based on the way her whole body trembled against me.
“We bolt on three,” Trap shot over his shoulder, his gaze scanning the area, taking in every detail while searching for threats.
The canvas strap shifted in my palm, the edges digging into my skin as I tightened my hold. I cursed myself for even grabbing our stuff instead of just bolting.
“One.”
I adjusted my grip on the gun and shot another look over my shoulder, searching the crowd.
“Two.”
My surveying gaze slammed to a halt on a guy standing on the outskirts, his own gaze sweeping the crowd. Until it landed on mine.
“Three,” I yelled.
Dropping the bag, I placed my palm against Georgia’s lower back, giving her a gentle push to urge her into immediate action. We lurched out of the crowd, feet pounding along the pavement as we raced for the SUV.
“Weave between the cars,” I shouted to Trap up ahead. Rounding a car, I chanced a glance back the direction we came and found the man I saw before hurrying our way, a couple friends at his side. “Fuck,” I hissed.
“It’s because of him, isn’t it?” Georgia stated between breaths.
“Yes.”
“I’m going to kill him.”
Taking the bumper of a truck too tight, she slammed her leg on the trailer hitch. Her scream filled the air as she stumbled forward. With a harsh curse, I caught her midair, looped my arm around her waist, and yanked her against me.
With no time to check on her leg or help her regain her footing, I secured her to my side and kept running, putting a burst of speed into my burning muscles to keep up with Trap. She flopped against me, my hold around her waist no doubt uncomfortable, but she didn’t complain.
The next row over, the lights of the SUV flashed, sending a wave of relief through me that we’d made it that far. Skidding to a stop, Trap ripped open the passenger door for me and Georgia before doing the same with the driver’s side and lunging behind the wheel. The engine roared to life, the SUV already in motion as I leapt through the open door, making sure to not land on top of my girl.
Tires screeched against the blacktop as Trap peeled out of the parking space, the door slamming shut with the momentum. Hard plastic dug into my upper back and thighs as I rose up, careful to not hurt Georgia, and collapsed into a captain chair. With her forearm, Georgia shoved her crazy hair off her face as she scrambled off the floorboard and fell into the other seat.
“Seat belts,” Trap shouted from the front as he wove through the packed parking lot. “Shit,” he growled. “Hold the fuck on.”
Eyes wide, I watched as we hit the mechanical arm keeping us inside the hotel parking lot going full speed. A piece snapped up and slammed into the windshield, cracking it down the center. Gripping the wheel as best he could while still holding his gun, Trap jerked us to the right, tires squealing. My head slammed against the seat when he floored it once again, shooting us down an empty roadway.
