“Good.”
He clicked off, and I shut down my laptop. I ran a hand over my face, feeling weary. I wanted this finished and over. I wanted to tell Tally and move forward. Build our life together.
I stood and went to find her.
Soon, we could start.
Rain beat down, the rhythmic sound not helping with my already stretched nerves. It added another layer of complexity to what we were going into. Entering a strange building, locking it down, capturing the people inside, destroying whatever criminal endeavors they were creating within the walls. I glanced over at Egan and Damien. I had called in a favor and got Egan back for this job. He had worked with Marcus and was the best demolition man I knew. Once we were done, I wanted the building razed. Although we didn’t make a habit of taking out biker gangs, if any of them were thinking of expanding into the darker side of the law, this would send a message.
They were both calm and focused. The entire crew was. Outwardly, I was the same, but inside, I was a mass of emotions. I had never partaken of a mission that had personal involvement. Anger at Tally’s brother, outrage at what he had put her through for nothing, the fact that I was going to have to tell her the truth and watch her heart break all over again added to the fire. And for the first time ever, I experienced a feeling of worry. My mortality had never bothered me before. I’d had nothing to lose. Now everything was wrapped around a sassy redhead who owned me, body and soul. It was disconcerting.
“On my mark,” I murmured. Everyone was ready, everyone in position. We would converge, leaving no room for those inside to run.
Then it was go time.
The takedown was swift and efficient. They weren’t expecting us. Dean’s arrogance that he was above everything and everybody became clear, given the ease with which we broke in to their headquarters. Drugs, guns, girls. It was all there. The men knew exactly what to do, separating the ones we’d identified as the top officials to one space. One crew looked after the women who were sobbing in relief at being freed. Others packed up the guns and drugs, not chancing them falling into anyone else’s hands.
I hunted down Dean. Like all cowards, as soon as he realized he was caught, he’d slunk away, hoping to escape, not caring about the fate of anyone else. He didn’t blink an eye at the fallen bodies of his team as our guns took them out when they began firing our way. He turned and ran.
I followed dark hallways, already certain of the direction he was heading. A hidden back entrance that opened to the woods behind the building. I was sure he thought that he would lie low until we were gone and then reappear, collecting hidden monies and drugs and move on to start again. He had no idea the building would be blown up.
Or that I wouldn’t let him escape.
I paused outside the room where the hidden door was located. Inside, I could hear movement, low and hurried. Mumbled curses. I glanced at the floor, noting the spots of blood. He’d already been hit. Unease skittered along my spine, anxiety making me tighten the grip on my gun.
“Damien,” I murmured low into my mouthpiece. “Backup, rear left quadrant.”
I slipped inside, the low light showing me he was across the room, pulling money from a safe. The back of his jacket shone bright with blood.
“Stop what you’re doing, Dean. Hands up and turn around.”
He froze, then slowly raised his hands. He turned and met my gaze, his baleful and angry.
“I can make this worth your while,” he offered. “Lots of cash. You just turn your back for a moment, and I’ll be gone.”
I barked out a laugh, advancing toward him. He moved away from the safe, and we circled each other like animals getting ready for a fight. “I turn my back and you shoot me, you mean.”
He shrugged. “Like you wouldn’t do the same.” He moved, sliding more to the right, and I followed, my gun trained on him.
The lights flickered, my apprehension growing. “You can’t run. It’s over, Dean. All of it.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Running and hiding—that’s what you do, isn’t it? Like a coward. You lie, steal, intimidate, and take.”
He flashed a grin. It was cold and menacing. “We all have our talents.” He slid to the right again.
“Even with family?” I asked, matching him step for step. I wanted him to know this was personal.
“I have no family.”
I said one word. “Taliyah.”
His eyebrows rose. “That stupid little bitch again? I thought I got rid of her. I should have drowned that weak kitten while I had the chance.” He shook his head. “That fucking troublemaker. First, she shows up and takes the attention from me yet again, then she almost takes part of my inheritance. I had worked the old lady far too long for that. Hoodwinked her. She had no idea how much that fucking land was worth. I should have killed Taliyah instead of putting the fear of God into her.” He snorted. “Not that it was difficult.” His dislike was evident in his voice, his hatred bleeding through. It would break Tally’s heart.