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Mila nodded with wide eyes, clutching the phone to her chest.
He spun to Jade, placing the third phone in her palm. “Follow them with Dylan and Madison.”
“Okay.” She took a step back, slipping her arm around Luke’s waist.
“Take the cars in the other garage. They’ve been protected and there are no outside trackers on them. I also disabled the GPS devices on the inside.” He pointed to the three girls. “Leave your own phones in the safe over there. We’ll help you get the kids to the cars before we leave.
Amber gripped my back with her nails. “What about me?”
Ian glanced at me with a look of authority before turning his focus to her. “You’re coming with us.”
“What?!” I barked. “No, the f—”
“We need her as bait. I’ll explain on the way.”
13
INNOCENT SACRIFICE
AMBER
Once the kids were settled in the cars with the girls, Mila and Jade took turns hugging me. Jenna was the last. When she pulled me in for a tight hug, I could feel she was fighting back tears. I was too. But for whatever reason I was needed, I was okay. If helping meant keeping them safe, I’d do it.
Now that I knew Alejandro was responsible, I ran recent moments through my head repeatedly. Racking my brain, I thought back to that book. Was he really stupid enough to give me a book, discuss it that much, relate it to his own family, then send me back to Ian? Surely, he knew where my loyalty was.What does he want with Ian? Was I a pawn in whatever game he was playing, or did he really like me?
“I trust them to keep you safe,” Jenna whispered.
Pulling away, I attempted to lighten the mood. “Hey, you’re the one with the gun.”
She half-smiled, rolling her eyes. “Let’s hope I don’t have to use it.”
“At least you know how.”
“Sorry to break it up, baby,” Ian placed his hand on the small of her back, “but, we gotta go.”
“See you guys soon.” I waved sheepishly to the girls.
Chance opened the door of Luke’s white Escalade, holding my hand, helping me step up into the back. As I slid to the middle seat, I felt his hand gently resting on my rear. Tyler slipped into the other side, shimmying between the captain’s chairs to the back row, while Ian finished his goodbye with Jenna.
Once the girls were out of the driveway safely with the kids, Luke drove. Silently, I prayed while clutching Chance’s hand. I felt myself beginning to vibrate uncontrollably. I wasn’t scared. I was anxious.
If I could endure the shit Brad put me through, whatever this was, would be a walk in the park. I didn’t have four muscular men keeping me safe before. Now, I had no reason to be scared. My body just didn’t know how to handle the adrenaline pumping through my veins. Chance reached over, circling my knuckles with his thumb, squeezing my palm just a little tighter.
“The accent.” Chance blurted suddenly, jerking his hand away from mine.
“What?” Ian looked back over his shoulder.
“That son of a bitch hired the photographer who was taking photos of Amber,” Chance continued. “He said the person who hired him had an accent.”
“Ian, who the fuck did you piss off?” Tyler snapped from the back.
“He’s always pissing someone off.” Luke half-joked. “Maybe it’s someone who's been thrown out of the club before, but all signs point to Alejandro.”
Ian shrugged, ignoring the question. “Amber, I suggest you listen to me carefully tonight or we could all get killed.”
Luke glanced back in the mirror. “No pressure.”
I didn’t know how to respond. I gazed out of the custom, tinted bulletproof windows Luke got installed right after he bought the Escalade, but it wasn’t the first. He’d done it with every vehicle he’d owned. So had Ian. Four years ago, I overheard the conversation between them while delivering drinks to their table.
