Counting On Cole (Wilde Ways #8) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,80
me my brother!”
She’d shouted those angry words so that Cole could hear them…
As he waited in the damn trunk of her car. Not the most comfortable of positions, but screw comfort. The position had left him perfectly hidden.
The only worry he had…if there was a camera in the car, then it was possible the bad guys had seen him when he’d slipped inside. But…
He’d been careful. He’d come up to the rear of the vehicle, hadn’t gotten anywhere near the front seat or doors. If the camera had been positioned to view the interior of her car, it would have missed him.
If it hadn’t been positioned that way, though, he was seriously screwed. In the hard, rough, and very uncomfortable way.
He listened intently and heard the thud of Evie’s steps as she headed up the stairs. No one came bounding back down to pop up the trunk and shoot him in the head, so Cole figured he might have gotten lucky.
If the camera couldn’t see me, we are golden. But he’d be extra careful when he got out. Make sure that he stayed low until he was clear of the vehicle.
“You good, buddy?” James wanted to know.
Cole had his comm link in his ear. He’d been listening to the others the whole time. The team had tried to give Evie a comm link, too, but she had feared the perps would discover it if they searched her—and then they would hurt Harrison.
“I’m right outside of the building,” James added. “Ready at your order.”
“Any sign of Chase?” Because they’d lost their link to him after he’d started fighting that SOB Tommy.
“No. But I gave the others his location, and I updated them on where we are. They are en route, but it will take at least ten minutes before backup gets here.”
He was already reaching for the trunk release lever that glowed so brightly in the dark. “I’m not waiting ten minutes.” His voice was low, barely a breath, just as it had been before. “I’m moving now.”
“Then I’ve got your six.”
“She’s on the second floor. She took the money up there. And I’m going to cover her ass.”
“Damn straight.”
He popped the trunk. Grabbed the metal before it could bounce up too high. He slid from the vehicle, then crouched behind the bumper as he lowered the trunk back into position. His gaze swept the area.
Guard upstairs. He saw the SOB.
And actually…
He’s coming down here.
The lumbering fellow was heading down the stairs right then. That would make things much, much easier.
Cole disappeared into the shadows. He waited. Barely breathing.
He recognized the SOB slowly heading down the stairs. One of Harrison’s bodyguards. The hulking figure who’d stood outside of Harrison’s door and looked bored to pieces.
The guy headed for the driver’s side door. He opened it. Reached in and pulled out something—something that he fisted in the palm of his hand. The camera? When had the jerks put the camera and the phone into Evie’s car?
Shit. I know when. When we were out rushing to save Gia. When the Wilde guards switched out and our attention was divided.
Harrison had thought his new bodyguards would keep him safe. But all along, they’d had other plans. Tommy Marshall and Bruce Baker, those were their names. Cole had Bruce in his sights. You’re going down, big guy.
Bruce walked slowly around the car, eyeing it with a smirk. Then he looked up toward the stairs, licked his lips, and gave a hard nod.
Bruce didn’t even glance toward the shadows in that old place before he hit the steps. Hurried up the first one, the second, the third, the fourth—
Cole’s hand flew out and grabbed Bruce’s ankle. Cole yanked him back, a hard heave that sent Bruce falling and slamming his head into the steps.
The bastard was out cold in the next instant.
And Cole was silently rushing up the steps.
I’m coming, Evie.
Plan C was looking better and better by the moment.
Chapter Eighteen
Secrets have a way of coming back to bite you in the ass. And those little bastards have really sharp teeth.
A few pieces of dusty furniture were scattered around the room. Overhead, dim lighting spilled down on her. Evie hurried inside, then spun around, lost. “Harrison?” No one was there. That didn’t make any sense. She dropped the duffel bag. “Harrison!”
There was a thump from the right.
She spun. Stared at the closed door.
The thump came again. From behind the door. Memories swamped her.
When they took me, they locked me in a closet. I couldn’t get out.