Stryker

From that night.

My gut clenched as I slowly turned and found him standing in front of me, the man I presumed was the Irishman.

“You,” I hissed through clenched teeth, part in anger and part in total surprise.

I’d hoped to see him again. I had so many things planned in my head, but now having him standing in front of me, I couldn’t think of one.

“It’s been a long time, Jake. I think it’s about time that I introduced myself.” He sat on the sofa and directed me to do the same. “Declan Fitzwilliam, the Irishman.” He waited for something from me, but I guess he was disappointed. His jaw clenched before he visibly tried to relax. “You’re screwing things up for Patrick and, indirectly, me.”

I dropped onto the opposite sofa and tried not to let him see how rattled I was at seeing him.

“Why now? Why are you letting me know who you are?”

“Evie is going to marry Patrick, and you’re going to stay well out of it. I thought you might need a reminder of who owns you. For the past decade, you’ve been mine and you’ve behaved. Beautiful women have been given to you time and time again and you haven’t played…until now. Evie is special, and on the weekend she’s going to be a beautiful bride for my son.”

I bit back the growl that rose up my throat and kept my lips clamped together. For now, I wanted him to talk while it gave me a chance to work out just what was going on.

No way would Evie go ahead with the wedding. That I knew for certain. I also knew her father was a senator and, surely, he had ways to help his daughter get away from Patrick and his father.

“Still not got anything to say?” Declan glanced at Patrick who’d moved to stand over his father’s shoulder. “My son wants to know where his fiancée has disappeared to. Apparently she isn’t at her apartment, and her best friend gave up her last lease. So, where is she?”

Shock had worn off and anger thrummed through my blood again. He sat there and honestly believed I’d tell him where my girl was.

No way in hell.

Earl moved to Declan’s other shoulder, whispering in his ear. Declan’s face whipped around to stare at the man, and by the tightening of Declan’s face, it wasn’t good news.

I used his distraction to weigh my escape if things went sour. Earl was big, bigger than me, but I doubted he’d been trained as well as I had. He thought he could take me, but I knew that he couldn’t. I wasn’t sure I’d get past them all though. One on one yes, not all of them together.

“You’re going nowhere, Jake… Earl, call Greg and ask him to take two others to apartment 1908 and to bring the inhabitants up here.”

My heart dropped now that our place had been discovered, but Evie and the others were safe, thanks to Carter. They’d all left the building together and Carter had them with him.

“Will do.” Earl turned and made the call.

Patrick frowned. “Who’s in 1908?”

“Millie Michaels.” Declan sneered, anger behind his words.

Patrick hesitated, his eyes widened in surprised. “Millie Michaels? I thought she was Green. The same person right?”

“Whoever checked the lease for the apartments in this building didn’t do a very good job. Apparently, your fiancée’s best friend is Millie Cora Michaels, the daughter of Jordan Michaels. Her new apartment is under the name of CM Michaels. She switched her initials around.” Declan clenched his fists and stood to face his son. “You told me that a search had been done on anyone associated with Evie. Why didn’t I know this about Miss Michaels?” He growled. “Jordan Michaels isn’t anyone to piss with.”

Patrick looked like a fish out of water, his complexion a hell of a lot paler than it had been.

He was saved from answering his father when Greg walked in, alone.

“Spit it out,” Declan demanded.

Greg hesitated, and then found the balls from somewhere. “Empty. We used the passkey, and found nothing, but th

is.” He passed the note to Declan who scanned it.

“Fuck.” Declan turned back to me, his face was filled with fury and it was clear he struggled to control his temper. “They’ve ran to Jordan fucking Michaels,” he spat.

My surprise at his words was kept hidden, I hoped anyway. I knew they hadn’t gone to Millie’s father, but either way, where they had gone they’d be protected for as long as they didn’t discover Carter’s involvement. I sure as hell had no intention of telling them anything different.

Declan glared at me while I could see the wheels turning in his head. “The fight with Lethal Black will be this weekend, so we’ll get him to Chicago early. Make it happen, Patrick. I want everyone involved in this fight to be on the road by tomorrow morning.” He tapped his chin with his fingers and appeared to look through me. “Earl, in the morning,” he paused, “I want you to get Carter Stone when he turns up at the gym, and take him to Chicago with you.”