AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The men are supposed to get into the city and take care of Lexie and Allie, then return to the warehouse to safeguard its contents. I’ve given Marenah an update. She would have joined the call, but she has a meeting with Chase and Brian right now. She’s talking to them about the possibility of expanding the trafficking intel side. She was pretty worked up when she found out about the shipment, especially after everything that went down with her dad and that incident in Chicago. It seems the intel division that focuses on trafficking can’t grow fast enough to keep up with these bloody wankers.”
“Any delays or updates? The guys are still arriving tomorrow afternoon?”
“As of now, they’ll land as planned. Three p.m. New York time.”
Damn. “Allie’s shift at the hospital starts at three. Her schedule just changed.”
Cole’s voice is tight, rigid, and has that dangerous quality we all walk softly around when women are in danger and he’s involved. “Let’s get to work on refreshing the plan with new times. We need to flesh that out, safeguard Lexie and Allie, and find out where the ladies are and get to them, because they’re not getting out of this city unless it’s over my dead body.”
“Roger that,” Liam replies.
Trent nods. “Consider me in. Whatever you guys need.”
The rest of the group nods in agreement. “Good. Let’s start with our ladies first,” I say, pulling up the plan to start going over it piece by piece until we have a plan that is foolproof for the ladies, and almost definitely assures us the opportunity to come face to face with these sons of bitches.
Chapter Eighteen
Allie
I wakebefore the alarm clock rings, feeling rested and ready for a long, steady run. A blush creeps up my cheeks, remembering exactly why. Damn that man is hot, and recalling myself sitting nude for him while we talked about what I liked and didn’t just causes my center to wet with renewed arousal. I pad to the floor-length mirror on the door and give myself a long onceover. “That was you, miss. I’m not going to see him. You caved like a pathetic little fool.” And I did, but it was so incredibly good. I hug myself because Nick Montgomery is just too delicious not to want to play with at the club. Unfortunately, I have to deal with him at home too, whose very presence is a significant source of danger to my fragile heart.
I slip into my running gear and stretch, grab my watch, and head into the living room. “Morning,” Nick greets me, standing at the kitchen bar where he’s setting up the coffee maker. “It’ll be ready for us when we get back.”
Nick looks like he’s been up for hours. “Are you a morning person?”
He shrugs and grins. “Depends on how much sleep I got the night before.”
I blush because we both knew I was going to sleep like a baby last night and should feel completely chill and well rested, but we’re not supposed to talk about that.
“Trent sent me info on your long route. That’s quite a run. Plan for about an hour and a half? It may be the last run outside for a while.”
I nod. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too. Plus, we’re so short-staffed again this week. Who knows when I’ll get out of the hospital for more than the time it takes to eat and sleep?”
“Chase and Katarina are working on staffing models for the Prestian Medical Centers. They may be able to give you some pointers with employee contracts.”
“I’ve heard about that facility. The entire integrated network on one campus. It’s going to be amazing for patients and health care as a whole, but let’s face it, he owns the entire thing. They can control so many variables that go into determining staffing thresholds. They can do what they want, and I have to live within the constraints of budgets. Nothing I can do to change that, but I can go burn off some steam about it!”
He grins. “I’ll try to keep up. Trent and Liam won’t be far away. I’ll let you lead, but I’ll be with you the entire way.”
“Sounds good.” I pull my running jacket on and spin. “See, I’m all reflective and shit.”
Nick’s lips twist. “Good thing you are too. It’s dangerous to run in the fog without it.”
He leaves it right there, but the electricity flowing between us this morning is as hard to ignore as his dominance bubbles right under the surface. I don’t doubt for a minute that if we weren’t keeping our relationship constrained to the club, he’d be threatening my ass with some delicious type of punishment and that I’d bend to accept it without question. I can feel my cheeks have heated just at the thought while he doesn’t seem fazed in the slightest bit. Damn him and his hotness.
The streets are alive with the bustle of people out for morning walks and runs even on such a dim and overcast, foggy morning. By the time we reach the seclusion of the park, my legs are warmed up and ready for a run. The route around the perimeter is one of my favorites, but I’m more cautious than on the last run, watching for scurrying animals trying to forage for food while I listen to my playlist.
We’re almost on the last half mile pass when a shadow jumps out of the heavy foliage, causing me to scream. Nick grabs the man wearing a ski mask and an old GI jacket and punches him in the face, then again, and again until the man falls to the ground. Nick pulls a gun and kneels, pointing it in the man’s face before ripping his face mask off just as Liam and Trent race out of the brush from different directions with guns pulled.
My heart is racing a million miles a minute as I look at the man lying in the grass, but words don’t come in my shocked state—only the ragged breathing that comes with heavy exertion and a scare of a lifetime.
“Who sent you?” Nick grinds out, shaking the man by the collar of his coat.
The man yells up at Nick. “You busted my mouth. I was just looking for some food money, you psycho fucking bastard!” He leans to the side and spits bright red blood onto the grass.
Nick’s eyes go dark. He pushes his Glock into the man's temple. “Wrong answer. Either talk to me, or I’ll hand you over to a man you’ll wish you’d never met.”
The man’s eyes open wide when Nick doesn’t buy into his story, but he remains silent. “Call Tommy and let him know what’s going on. Let them get him to talk. In the meantime, I’ll get Allie home. Trent, can you get a message out and let the guys know these assholes have accomplices who are starting early?” Nick scans the park as he talks. “I would bet anything he has someone with eyes watching and a vehicle not too far away. See what you guys can find, but he’s probably long gone by now.”
