Rock Me Deeper (Licks of Leather #5) - Jenna Jacob Page 0,71

one, but I’m glad they did.” I shook my head.

“Me, too.” Ava expelled a heavy sigh.

“Son of a bitch!” Quinn roared from the living room.

“Oh, god,” Ava moaned as she stood. “Now what?”

“Ava!” Quinn bellowed.

“Coming, dear,” she drawled as she hurried back inside the lodge.

How the woman maintained her calm and poised veneer all the time amazed me. I wondered if anything ever fazed her. I didn’t have to wonder but for a millisecond as the screen door swung open and Ava appeared again wearing a look of pure panic.

“Inside, now. All of you,” she ordered in a sharp tone that brooked no argument. She homed in on Tori. “Where’s the baby?”

Before she could answer, Syd, wearing a look of panic, charged out of the studio. On his heels were the others, surrounding Mia—who was tucked in against McCoy’s side—and charging our way. Static from walkie-talkies blew up all around the lodge.

My blood turned to ice and my body sat frozen on the swing in absolute fear.

“Come on. Get up. Move,” Sofia demanded, tugging my arm.

“He’s down at the paddock with Dad and Gail. Walter and Susan are with them,” Tori blurted. Terror shimmered in her ocean-blue eyes as Ava prodded her through the doorway.

“I’ll get them for you, Miss Tori,” Ruben Green barked.

His deep baritone voice vibrated through my fear-frozen form as I numbly watched the big man race around the corner of the lodge.

“Don’t make me pick you up and haul your ass inside, Caris,” Cole warned, dropping to a knee in front of me. He leaned in close to my face, forcing me out of my panic-induced stupor.

“Right,” I whispered. When I started to stand, my knees gave out.

“Get out of the way,” Syd barked.

Shoving the other man aside, he plucked me off the thick-padded surface, cradled me possessively against his chest, and bolted inside the lodge.

“Stay away from the windows and move into the dining room. Now,” McCoy directed.

Quinn grabbed Ava’s hand and squeezed it, then released her and nodded for her to join us.

I was clutching Syd tightly as we entered the dining room. Ross yanked out the vacant chair beside him before wrapping his thick arms protectively around Harmony. Syd sank his ass onto the proffered chair, clutching me on his lap as Edward, cradling a wide-eyed Dustin against his chest, hurried into the room. Gail, Walter, and Susan followed, trailed by stern-faced Ruben.

Everyone sat around the enormous table expectantly, staring at Quinn and McCoy who were engaged in a hushed and clearly serious discussion at the mouth of the room.

The air was heavy, choking with tension.

“What’s going on?” I murmured, swiveling on Syd’s lap to face him.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Quinn texted Burk and told him to get our asses up to the lodge. Code red.”

“Why didn’t anyone hit the alarm?” Harmony asked.

“Maybe because Quinn and Lucia were the only ones in the lodge?” Ross shrugged his wide shoulders. “I don’t know.”

“Clearly Zattman’s not here on the property,” Mia stated. “Or McCoy would have sent us to our safe rooms.”

“Quinn, what the…” Darren paused and combed his hand over Dustin’s head. “What’s going on?”

Without taking his attention off McCoy, Quinn held up his finger and nodded. After a few more seconds of hushed but heated words, the tall Scotsman entered the room. Ruben and McCoy turned their backs to us in the open archway. Legs parted, shoulders thrust back, their heads moved back and forth as if waiting for Zattman to stroll through the front or back door.

“Easy, angel, I’ve got you,” Syd whispered in my ear, hugging me closer to his chest.

It was then I realized I was trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind.

Quinn moved in behind Ava and placed his wide hands on her slender shoulders before giving her a reassuring squeeze. “Zattman got off a plane in Dallas an hour and a half ago.”

“If he knows where we are, he should already be here by now.”

“Not necessarily.” Quinn shook his head. “It’s rush hour and he’s likely stuck in traffic. We know he’s rented another car. Reed was able to get the license plate number and has contacted the local FBI office in Dallas. The agent in charge is sending some of his men to the ranch as we speak.”

“Are we going to be safe in here until they arrive?” Susan’s voice quivered.

“Yes. Ruben woke up Tony and Al. They’re stationed in the tree stands at the back of the property. Cole and Brad are manning the