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Cal was suddenly speaking to her. “Tell Hannah I’ve handled that end. Both are safe.”
Amelia heaved a mental sigh and relayed the information. Before she could say anything else, she heard Trace state, “She didnotget off on another floor. Swear to God, Rory. I would have seen her.”
“Maybe she walked down,” Rory said.
“All exits are covered,” Tate replied. “If she leaves that garage, we’ll have her.”
“Earth to Amelia,” Hannah said. “What’s going on?”
“Something’s not right.” Amelia quickly showed her the comm unit. Her foot and leg were screaming with exertion. She’d pay for all of this tomorrow. “She couldn’t just disappear.”
Behind them, the elevator dinged, startling her. Hannah dragged Amelia to the side, but Amelia caught her foot on the crutch and stumbled. They fell to the ground as the doors opened.
It wasn’t Binni. Chad strutted out and pulled up short when he saw them on the ground. “What are you doing here?”
He didn’t reach to assist them. Hannah, chuckling casually and wiping at her dress as she got to her feet, stepped in front of Amelia. “I was saying goodbye to my friend.”
She reached back, not to help Amelia stand, but motioning her to stay down. Amelia struggled to untangle her good foot, and said under her breath to the others, “We’ve got company.”
“I see him,” Rory said. “Move back. Don’t engage.”
“Where’s your limo and chauffer?” Hannah asked. “Surely you didn’t drive yourself.”
The man rubbed the back of his neck, then shook his head. “I’m looking for a colleague.” He glanced over the vehicles in sight. “I must’ve been mistaken that she was here.” He hit the elevator button. “Good night,” he said as he stepped inside.
Hannah stepped forward and prevented the doors from closing. “How many people did you steal from tonight?”
Amelia’s stomach twisted. “Hannah,” she said in warning.
Chad’s brows rose, fell. He cursed in Spanish, leaning confidently against the back wall of the elevator. One hand slipped inside his jacket. “What are you talking about?”
The doors started to close once more. Amelia shoved the end of her crutch between them and they bounced back. “You know exactly what she’s talking about.”
“Do. Not. Engage!” Rory roared in her ear. “Rule Three! I’m coming up behind you.”
Several things happened at once. Chad shoved Hannah hard enough to send her sprawling. He booted the crutch out of the way and smacked the button, then stepped forward and stomped on Amelia’s injured ankle.Crack.
Pain roared through her foot and up her calf. She squeaked, but he was a thief, not her mugger, and she wasn’t afraid of him. “You lousy SOB,” she yelled, coming to her hands and knees and lunging for him.
The elevator doors banged into her sides, a new wave of agony exploding in her middle.
And then she froze, Rory’s yells sounding far away, as Chad drew a gun and aimed it at her.
Everythinginside him went deadly still. It was the feeling he’d always gotten right before he took out a target.
Seeing a gun pointed at Amelia brought it all back—the years of training, the missions, the lessons learned on the ground and in the field as a SEAL. The men he’d lost; those he’d saved.
As always, he’d gone over every possible scenario a dozen times, making sure he knew exactly how to react and execute his plan.
He only had one job in this moment, the tip of a well-honed arrow pointed at the two people in the elevator.
Save Amelia.
This was one scenario he hadn’t planned for. His war cry echoed through the garage even as he sprinted toward her prone body keeping the doors from closing and their culprit from getting away.
Hannah was already there, grabbing Amelia by her legs and jerking her out of the elevator. Even as she did, Chad raised the gun and pointed it at her.
“Nooo!” Masden cried, diving for the two women.
