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“I love you too,” I say. “I’m going to hang up now, okay? It’s time for me to leave the house now.”
“Rory—”
“Goodbye, Seth,” I say, switching off the call. Taking a deep breath, I take one last glance at myself, making sure that my clothes and hair are concealing my weapons and the bugs on me.
My hands ball into fists as I turn away from the mirror and head out of my room. I know Seth’s worried about me but I’m ready to do this.
Bright sunshine pours down on me as I step outside the house.
A car waits for me outside the fenced gate of the cottage. Moving toward it, I climb in and place my bag on the empty passenger seat.
Seth, Oliver, and Simon are already in position outside Jake’s house with their team. They’re keeping a lookout and spying on the neighborhood, making sure the coast is clear for me.
Stepping on the gas, I drive the car toward the closest exit point of the military estate. The soldiers guarding the area immediately recognize me and open the gates, allowing me to drive through them without slowing down.
The ride to Maplewood is picturesque on a summer day like this one but my mind is too focused on the upcoming operation to appreciate the natural beauty all around me.
According to the intel I was given, Jake walked out of his house at 8:30 this morning which is the norm for him. He took his car to work and according to the reports, no one has entered his house since he left.
The coast is as clear as it could be.
All too soon, I’m driving through a familiar street.
I lived in this neighborhood during the months I was dating Jake. Economical cookie-cutter houses line the street on both sides of the street. A few people are out with their dogs but otherwise, the place looks quiet and peaceful.
I bring the car to a stop right outside Jake’s house.
Lightly tapping the earpiece, I speak in a low voice. “Seth? Can you hear me?”
“Yes,” Seth’s voice sounds loud and clear in my left ear. “We have clear visuals and audio from the bugs on you.”
I look around the trees and bushes around me but fail to spot him and his team.
“Where are you guys hiding?” I ask. “I don’t see you anywhere.”
“Don’t look for us,” Oliver’s urgent voice whispers in my ear. “If someone’s watching you, they’ll become immediately suspicious of you. Just head straight to the porch and see if you can get inside the asshole’s house.”
“Okay, gotcha.”
“Contact us when you get inside,” Seth says in a low, commanding voice. “If his security system doesn’t allow you to open the door, just turn around and get in your car. Don’t wait around for anything and drive away.”
A quiet breath rushes out of me as I nod to myself.
Grabbing my bag, I open the door and step out of the car. An overwhelming urge to look around for Seth and his brothers comes over me but I fight it.
Looking straight ahead, I confidently march toward the two-storied whitewashed house before me.
The small front lawn looks neat and well-kept. Walking up to the porch, I see the same two worn-out lawn chairs that have always been there.
Nothing has changed over the months that I’ve been away from here.
Desperately hoping Jake has left everything else unchanged, I turn toward the electronic panel by the door. As I’ve done a hundred times before, I press my thumb on the pad that scans my fingerprint.
My heart nearly stops for the few seconds it takes the security system to beep and unlock the door before me. Inhaling a gulp of air, I push the door and enter a dimly lit hallway.
The door shuts and locks automatically behind me. I take small, quiet steps forward until I reach the living room area.
Gazing all around me, I take in the couch, the dull curtains, and the TV in the corner.
