Counting On Cole (Wilde Ways #8) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,84
down the stairs, making sure to steer clear of Robert at the bottom.
“Bitch,” Robert spat at her. “Your brother should have just given me the money I wanted for my next show. This shit would never have happened—”
Evie paused beside him. Stared into his face and saw the rage that twisted him. She pulled back her fist and plowed it into his nose. “Don’t call me a bitch.”
James whistled. “I think her right hook is better than yours, Cole.”
She hurried away, with Cole at her side. Her heart was racing, and she needed to see her brother. The bad guys were caught, yes, but…
What if they’d done something to Harrison? That rage on Robert’s face had been unmistakable. He hated Harrison. And maybe, God, what if he’d hurt or even killed Harrison before she arrived at the warehouse?
Cole slipped before her, keeping his weapon at the ready and checking the rooms as they entered. She knew he was worried there might be other hired goons around.
Then she heard the thumps.
Just like she’d heard upstairs.
And she saw the closed door.
Cole wrenched the knob. Locked.
“Harrison?” Evie shouted.
Thump.
That wasn’t a yes, but…“Harrison, move back from the door!” Evie commanded.
A few moments later, Cole kicked at the lock and broke it on his first attempt.
“I love it when you do that,” she praised him as he wrenched open the door. “But, damn, I know it’s harder than it looks.”
He frowned at her.
She shoved past him. Saw her brother. Evie’s body swayed as relief poured through her. Harrison was on his knees in the back of the closet. He was gagged, his hands were bound behind him, and when she scrambled toward him, she saw that his ankles were bound, too.
She yanked the gag out of his mouth. His face was littered with bruises and his nose appeared broken.
“Evie,” he gasped out her name. “God, I am so glad to see you.”
She held him tight.
“And never thought…I’d be so…h-happy to see Cole.”
“You’re welcome,” Cole announced.
She squeezed her brother tighter. “Do you need an ambulance?”
“I just…need to get the hell out of here.”
She put her forehead against his. “That can be arranged.”
Chapter Nineteen
The bad guys are in jail. Evie’s brother is safe. Do I get my happy ending now? Because I really, really fucking want it. Correction. I want her.
Chase strolled into Evie’s place with a bottle of champagne in his hand. “Celebration time!” He flashed a grin.
Behind him, Harvey and James shared a long look.
“What?” As if sensing their shared look, Chase cast a frown over his shoulder. “Come on, it’s the good stuff. Evie’s brother paid for it.”
Then it was probably expensive as shit, but that didn’t necessarily make it good. Cole rolled back his shoulders as he studied his team. Damn, but he owed these guys. These three—and all the others who’d been working behind the scenes. The bad guys had been captured. Harrison was at home, recovering, and Evie—Evie didn’t have to worry any longer.
She was safe.
And that means she doesn’t need me.
“I’ll get some glasses,” Evie said with a quick grin. She hurried toward the kitchen.
Cole closed in on his friends.
“Robert and Stephen are under arrest,” Harvey told him quietly. “Locked away tightly, and nope, I wouldn’t be counting on bail anytime soon for them.”
“What about Robert’s gunshot wound?” Cole asked.
James laughed. “Come on, do you really care?”
Not particularly. “Just making sure he’s not in the hospital, about to slip past guards and cause trouble for Evie.”
“He’s not,” James assured him. “That was a flesh wound. Guy’s a bleeder. He’s patched up and currently enjoying the high life in a lovely jail cell.”
“And that my friends…” Chase grinned. “Means our work is done.” He lifted the champagne. “How much do you think this stuff cost?”
“I’m not so sure our work is done.” Harvey’s voice was low. And he wasn’t sporting any kind of grin. Not even the mild, half-grin that he sometimes liked to flash.
“Buzzkill.” Chase’s gaze flickered to him.
“When I left the PD, those two men were still swearing that they had nothing to do with any attacks on Evie. They were confessing to everything else, apparently ignoring the whole ‘right to remain silent’ bit and talking about how Harrison White had it all coming because he’s such a bastard.” Harvey’s head tilted to the left. “Over and over again, though, they kept repeating that they were never after Evie.”
Cole glanced toward the kitchen. And Evie. She’d just put five champagne flutes on the bar top.