the buzzer go. Who would be at the door? She ignored it. She wasn’t opening the door up for anyone.
The buzzer continued. Finally, frustrated she got up to go see who it was. Maybe it was Stone and he’d forgotten the code? She reached the tablet that was integrated into the wall by the elevator and brought up the camera for the front door.
Her heart nearly stopped. A sob broke free. Fingers shaking, she unlocked the front door and turned off the alarm. Then she raced for her phone which Ink had made certain was charged and in reach.
Knowing she didn’t have much time, she hit his number.
“Hey, brown eyes. You okay?”
“Ink! Forrest’s men are here.” She heard the whir of the elevator.
“Don’t let them in!”
“I had to! They were holding a gun to Sunny’s head.”
“Delay them! I’m on my way!”
The doors started to open.
“I will, but Ink if I don’t see you again, I lo—”
“No! Don’t you do that! You stay alive and tell me!”
The door opened and Thing Two walked in. He saw her and with an evil grin, raised his gun. He fired. Agony engulfed her arm and she stumbled back. Her head smacked against something hard.
Then there was nothing.
“Fuck! Betsy? Betsy?”
“Motherfucking Christ!” Royal swore from the passenger seat. Baron was silent in the backseat.
Ink did a U-turn, ignoring the honking of horns. “Get Stone on your phone,” he barked at Royal. “Now.”
He didn’t want to end the call with Sunny. Even though they’d all heard a bang that had sounded very much like a gun shot.
“Hey, Royal,” Stone’s voice came through the speaker. “I was just trying to reach Ink. The alarm is off at his place.”
“Enter with caution,” Ink barked. “Some of Forrest’s men came for Betsy. We heard a gun go off. Apparently, they had Sunny.”
“I’m going in.”
“We’re three minutes away.”
The call ended. “Call Brody,” he ordered tersely.
Royal’s hands shook but he didn’t have time to reassure them both that he’d keep Betsy safe. Because he obviously hadn’t done that.
Fuck! He’d failed her.
“Hey,” Brody answered.
“Brody, some of Forrest’s men came for Betsy. They must have had Sunny hostage. We heard a gunshot through the phone. We’re pulling up there now but I need you to check the camera feed.”
“Got it,” Brody replied tersely.
“And find out why he’d come for her now.” For some reason, Forrest had decided to disregard his threat to make public the evidence he had.
“Both of you wait here,” he demanded as he drove into the garage at his warehouse.
“Like fuck,” Royal said. Baron still hadn’t said a word.
“Stay here, I’m not fucking around about this,” he snarled. “Lock the doors. I’ll call you when it’s safe.”
He took the stairs instead of the elevator. When he reached the main living area, he could hear soft crying.
“It’s all right, darling. I have you.”
“Betsy!” he called out, racing into the room.
Stone turned from where he crouched on the floor, revealing the woman he held in his arms. Tears streaked Sunny’s face and the right side of her face was swollen.
“Ink!” she called out, sobbing. “I’m so sorry. They took Betsy! They shot her and…and she fell and hit her head. They gagged me, tied me up and then carried her out of here.”
His entire world started to cave in. Black dots crossed his vision. Get it together, man.
He heard footsteps behind him and whirled. Royal and Baron moved cautiously into the room.
“I told you two to stay in the truck,” he barked.
“She’s our mother,” Royal scowled. Still, Baron said nothing. His face blank.
Ink ran his fingers through his hair. “Sorry. I just don’t want anything to happen to you two as well. She’d skin me alive.”
“We can take care of ourselves,” Royal told him.
He refrained from reminding them they were sixteen. This was all pointless.
“Stone, call Duke.”
“Already done.”
Royal paced back and forth while Baron just stared at the bloody spots on the floor that had obviously been left behind from when Betsy had been shot.
Fucking shot!
Ink crouched down by Sunny who was now sitting on the sofa. Her face was pale and she was shivering.
“Royal, go and get one of Betsy’s blankets.”
“I’m o-okay,” she said, her teeth rattling.
“I know,” he said soothingly. “Duke will be here soon, Sunny-girl. Hold on for me.”
Tears raced down her cheeks and she sobbed. “I’m so sorry, Duke. I tried to fight them off. They got me when I was leaving the mall. I was shopping for Duke’s birthday present. I was trying to do it in secret.