plans. Of course, that would make sense. Quinn had found so much joy rediscovering teaching. Someone who wanted to destroy her life would choose the large lecture hall she’d been using for her biggest class.
“There.” He turned and handed the tablet to Finn. “That’s where he has her.”
Without waiting for a reply, he took off at a sprint in the direction of the classroom. He could hear Finn notifying the guys in his ear, but he didn’t slow down in the least.
He set free the rage he’d been keeping at bay since seeing that picture of Quinn in the noose. It fueled him—propelled him toward her.
He would not be too late.
God damn it. He would not be too late.
The door to the building was unlocked, which was good, because he wouldn’t have been able to calm himself enough to use keys now anyway.
The building plan was clear in his mind as he took a sharp left and ran down the hallway before taking a right. He knew where he was going. There was no confusion, no delay in his steps.
The others weren’t far behind him but wouldn’t find the room as easily. They’d have to stop and check the building plans again.
For the first time in his life, Baby was glad for how his brain worked. Whatever deficits it may have, right now his brain was serving him well.
He made one more turn then burst into the lecture hall, ignoring the pain in his shoulder as he knocked the heavy door off its hinges. In an instant, he saw Quinn, now hanging from the rope around her neck, flailing.
He forced another burst of speed out of his legs, ignoring Ramford as he ran past, not stopping until he was under Quinn, lifting her weight, taking the pressure off her neck so she could breathe.
He felt the shock of the stun gun against his back, but he refused to let go. He kicked back at Ramford, but the man was too fast and came at him from a different angle.
Baby grit his teeth through the pain of the stun gun, twisting to get away from it. There was no way he was going to drop Quinn, but he couldn’t effectively fight Ramford while holding her.
Another shock, right at his kidneys, meant to cause maximum pain and damage. Baby stumbled but didn’t let go.
“I don’t have time for this.”
At Ramford’s words, Baby twisted to see the younger man, breathing heavily through the pain. He struggled to keep Quinn’s weight off her throat. The stun gun was gone.
Instead, Ramford held a real gun, the barrel aimed at Baby’s forehead.
“No,” Quinn choked out.
“You cost me everything once again. It’s only fitting that I should take both your lives. First his, then yours will follow.”
Baby’s eyes met Quinn’s. They both waited for the sound of gunfire that didn’t come.
“Suspect down.” Baby heard Finn’s calm, steady voice in his ear.
Sure enough, when he turned, Ramford was unconscious on the ground. Finn had shot him with his silent tranquilizer gun.
The rest of the team ran up to help support Quinn and get her down. Kendrick had called emergency services, who were on their way.
“You have the right to remain silent, asshole.” Gavin stood over Ramford’s unconscious form.
As Zac and Aiden got the rope untied, they lowered Quinn until she was safely in Baby’s arms.
He stroked her hair back from her face—for once it wasn’t anywhere near a neat bun—keeping his eyes on hers as she breathed in and out.
He wasn’t sure he was ever going to be able to let her go again.
Chapter Thirty-Four
In all her dreams of how someday her career might be restored, Quinn had never imagined it would be as thorough and complete as it had happened.
Two weeks after the incident with Trenton Ramford, right before Christmas break, she’d received a call she hadn’t been expecting. One from the president of Harvard himself, as well as the Dean of Comparative Literature, inviting her to campus so they could talk to her face to face. A few moments after she’d hung up, she’d received a first-class airline ticket for the next day.
She was all but a hero. The extremes Ramford had gone to in order to destroy her life—all uncovered and proven by Kendrick—had shocked everyone, even her. Ramford had been subtly, and not-so-subtly, manipulating everything in her reality since she’d ruined his scholarship chances.
And now, instead of merely not receiving a scholarship, it looked like Ramford would be spending the next few decades in