Creed’s mug on the other side was a welcome relief.
“Hey man, how the hell are ya?” Creed asked shaking Case’s hand and pulling him in for a half-hug.
“Good. How was the flight?”
“Too fucking long. Linc wasn’t with me this time, so I didn’t have to worry about him trying to kill a handsy steward. Definitely not as bad as it could have been.” Laughter rang through his words.
“Care to explain?” Case asked, wanting to know what the hell had happened.
“Another time, man. We’ve gotta hurry if Dom wants this wrapped up quickly.”
As Case led the way to the kitchen, he debated on going upstairs to interrupt them, but he knew Dom would need as much strength as possible for what was to come. And the best way to get that was from the love of his woman.
It was finally time.
As soon as Dee made the call after more arguing with Dom, Creed’s team began to get in place. They were set up around the farm and on buildings further away to make sure nothing went wrong. Dom was positioned in a field across the road so he would have eyes on everything at all times. It was the only way they were able to get him to agree.
The horse barn was the largest and nearest building to the house, so that was where Case and another man were perched on top with only a tree in the way, which also helped to give them cover. Creed and his man Ace were on the ground of the barn for quick access to Dee should anything go wrong.
“Showtime,” Case whispered into their coms as he saw multiple SUVs roll up the highway at high speed.
“It’s them,” Dom confirmed as they turned down the gravel drive leading towards the house and where Dee stood on the front lawn.
“Keep calm, girl.” Case tried to implore his will onto her, acknowledging how nervous she must have been feeling.
They watched as she exchanged heated words with Bradshaw as he strived to blame her for her mom’s misdeeds.
A ringing had her father pulling his phone out and holding it to his ear for a quick chat before he instructed her to call Dom.
Case could already feel the knot in his stomach. He knew something was wrong. Tapping his ear mic twice, he whispered to Creed, “Something’s gone wrong.”
“I can feel it,” he confirmed.
“Fuck.” Case wanted to yell. He knew Dom would want to rush in and save the day, but they couldn’t. Things were now firmly in Bradshaw’s hands, and they were fucked six ways from Sunday if the whispered conversation between Dom and Dee was anything to go by.
They watched in horror as a few minutes later, Deidre hopped in the backseat of one of the SUVs without a fight. “What the fuck is going on?” he whispered just as his phone rang. “What the fuck just happened?” he demanded of Dom.
“We were fucking naïve, that’s what. We had all these men here with us when we should have had some with Jaxson. Brooke’s fucking got him.” The emotion in Dom’s voice was so poignant it hurt.
“That bitch is good as dead,” he snapped. He should have gotten rid of her ass in the supermarket. Creed signaled him that he had his men in motion. “Creed’s calling everyone back in now. Two guys are tailing the SUVs from the fields on horseback—don’t ask, you don’t need to know.”
“Have someone at the airport, too. Did Creed find out where he was staying?”
“He’s got two possible places for the prick and is sending two men to each now,” he explained as Creed was writing everything down for him to relay to Dom. “We’ll get them both. Fucking believe it, or you’re useless to us.”
“You a fucking mind reader now?” The bite in Dom’s tone told of his distress. He needed to turn into the soldier he used to be. This version of himself would be less than useless if he couldn’t lock it down, and Case knew he was struggling. “If they lose eyes on her, I want to know immediately.”
“You got it, boss,” he responded, hanging up and running full-speed to the house.
“What the fuck happened!” Dom screamed as he slammed through the house. “How the fuck did he know where Jaxson was?”
Million fucking dollar question.
“Mother...fucker! Case, Creed, come here,” Dom called to them as he walked back outside.
“What’s up?” Creed asked looking as pissed off as they all felt.
“The day we brought Case home, Bradshaw was here waiting. I should have fucking checked sooner. What if he bugged the place?” he questioned. “We didn’t think to check. The alarm was on, and nothing was noticeably out of place. Fuck!”