Divided (Unguarded #2) - Ivy Stone Page 0,36

my face, stopping at my hair that’s now back to blonde.

My brows furrow in and my hand moves to my hair at the mention of it. “I still work there just not on the pole anymore and not as often. But what’s that got to do with anything?”

His face contorts as he swerves through the traffic. “I’m undercover. Well, at least, I was… until you saw me. Now I don’t know what’s gonna happen. Lucio’s had suspicions about me for a while. I never gained his trust like I have Giuseppe’s and after you pulling up at the table, I’m not sure if he picked up on us knowing one another—”

I slink back into my chair. “He didn’t see anything,” I interrupt.

“Yeah, well, let’s hope not.”

“What’s going to happen?” My fear steals my voice as the last of my words come off soft.

Roamyn holds strong. “Exactly what should have happened a long time ago. We’re going to bring those bastards down.”

“Get down! Get down on the ground. Hands where I can see them,” Mason roars, leading our team, alongside a SWAT unit. I fall behind, cover unknown if it’s still intact. Helmet on my head, the only difference between me and the SWAT unit—the giant NYPD white letters across my bulletproof vest covered chest. Others repeat Mason’s demands. Guns up, trained on our enemies, on everyone armed, I search for her. It all happens so fast, a blip in time but an eternity in my mind. My heart drums to a painful beat, my adrenaline spikes so high I can barely think, barely see. I just want to find her. I have to find her.

Where is she?

I keep scanning the room for Ali. My head starts to spin. My vision becomes all but a blur until a shot rings out and time slows to a deadly stop. Silence halts the room, along with my breath. Mason’s gun drops to the floor with a thud, loud and echoing, the only audible sound, he runs, jumps, lunges in front of a flying bullet. It only misses him by millimeters but saves a woman’s life. Relief floods me. Chaos returns. Rubble litters every available surface of Sweet Tarts. Windows are smashed, glass sharp on the old wooden floors. Furniture torn, ripped with bullet holes from poorly aimed shooters. Uniforms outnumber the lawless and within moments, everything’s under control. Still chaos, but controlled. Cuffs are slapped on. Miranda rights are read. Now’s my chance to search the rest of the building. My legs move down the hall without thinking, where I know the offices, dressing, and storerooms are located.

She has to be here.

If Lucio made any kind of connection, he wouldn’t have let her out of his sight when he got her back early this morning. When Mason forced me to let her go because we couldn’t keep her. Because surprise fucking surprise, she refused to cooperate when I wouldn’t tell her what was going on. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t, Mason would never allow it. I’d never felt the pain of betraying someone I care about, and whether she knew the truth or not, even though I knew everything I was doing was to protect her, it didn’t dull the ache in my chest after watching the light fade from her eyes. She thought I’d thrown her to the wolves and in a way I had. What she didn’t know is I plan to be there to pick up every broken piece of her. So I choked back the pain of watching her leave, believing I’d betrayed her.

My hands tighten around my gun as I move with precision. The back is swarming with cops but it doesn’t stop me from being cautious. Unsettlement resides in my chest. A heavy ache of dread and worry, of what condition I might find her in. I twist my upper body around, searching the main office. My eyes land on a small body recoiled in the corner, long golden locks hiding the tears I know are falling with every bob of her shoulders. Air refuels my lungs with oxygen I didn’t know I’d lost. It’s sharp, painful, but one I’d endure every fucking day just to know she’s safe. I rip the helmet off my head. I holster my gun and propel forward scooping her up against my chest, she lifts her head. Black lines trickle down her face. Her make-up, smeared. Her lip split. Her right eye a ghastly purple. My heart sings, eyes