“I don’t have much time, Shan. I’ll explain later.”
Before she can answer, I run over to Blake, He’s lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, his eyes drooping heavily. I kiss the corner of his mouth and run my fingers through his beard.
“Lil—”
“Shhh, baby. I’m sorry. Just sleep. It’ll wear off in a few hours.” I stand back up and take a few deep breaths to fight back all the emotions raging through me. Teresa comes back from the kitchen, and without saying anything, she and Sammi start hauling everyone, carefully dragging the bigger men, into the living room.
I run to mine and Blake’s bedroom and change into my work clothes and grab my bag out of the closet. Shannon is standing in the kitchen, her hands on her hips as I come back down the stairs. For the first time, I honestly think she’s contemplating killing me.
“What the hell, Lily? You better start explaining, right now.”
Sammi comes to my side and slips an extra gun, her gun, into my hand. “Just in case you need it.”
I nod a silent thank you just as the hum of a helicopter echoes in the distance. As I move toward the front door, Shannon steps in my way.
“Explain,” she says, her fists balled at her sides.
“I don’t have time. I did this for them. When I get back, you’ll understand.”
Gently I push past her, and even as she begins to scream at Sammi, I don’t look back. If I do, I’ll miss my ride, and all of this will be for nothing. For the next few hours, I need to focus on the mission, not on the team. Nothing, even with all this time to prepare, has helped me get ready to face who I know will be waiting for me.
It’s time Jax and I have a little talk.
30
~Lily~
Nighttime makes missions easier to pull off. It’s the only comfort I have going into this alone. Part of me really wishes Dresden was with me. He and the others are probably giving Sammi hell right now. The sleeping medication should only have knocked them out for about an hour and I’ve been gone for over two.
This is the smallest auction I’ve taken down— ten girls, seven Taurus members, five buyers— and, I’m still trying to tell myself Jax won’t be here. Reaching inside my pocket, the smooth plastic and metal panic button Sammi gave me helps still the rising fear in my blood. Coming here alone, even as small scale as this is, is dangerous.
Picking the lock on the front door, my chest tightens, thoughts of Blake’s impending fury sweeping through my mind. It’s the only way, though. If Jax is helping the Taurus, it’s under the same circumstances as Sammi. He’d never willingly aide an organization like them. Not after what he saved me from. He couldn’t . . . he wouldn’t do that. That’s what I’ve been telling myself since I got in the helicopter, even though my gut is screaming otherwise.
The door swings open with a gentle groan from the metal hinges. The red emergency light illuminating the hall casts shadows off the walls. My heart pounds in my ears, them and my cheeks warming with the excessive blood flow. The duffel bag clinks softly on the concrete floor.
Fishing out the long rope, my fingers move with hardly a thought, tying each doorknob together. This building is set up much like the one Dresden and I did before. The windows lining the opposite hallway are blacked out. Crouched down, I move along the wall, the hair on the back of my neck standing up.
Something isn’t right . . .
I pull my guns from their holster, taking deep breaths before kicking open the auction room door. The wood splinters and cracks as it flies open and slams against the inner wall. The room is stark white and completely . . . empty.
The last thing I should do is move any further into this room. Regardless of how empty the building seems, there’s no way someone sent me to the wrong location. This entire place smells of a trap. My stomach drops as I spin around toward the exit.
Jax blocks the doorway, his eyes downcast. He’s in a skintight white shirt, no sleeves, and black dress pants. There’s no doubt in my mind his boots are steel toe.
“Hello, Lily.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, choking back the bile rising from my stomach. His voice is cold, callous, with not so much as a hint of emotion.
“Jax.”
Hiding my emotions is impossible. This isn’t the Jax I know or love. But, he’s in there. This man raised me, saved me. No matter how angry I am with him . . . he’s family. The only family I had for a decade. If I can get him to tell me what leverage the Taurus has over him, we can work together, and get him out and back with us, where he belongs.
“I knew you’d come alone. Your emotions have started to affect your judgment.”
“Why are you working for them, Jax?”
He steps into the room, closing the door behind him. Every muscle in my body tenses, rooting me in place. Jax presses a red button next to the door. My grip tightens on my guns, keeping them targeted on his face. Loud clanking reverberates through the room, and a hole in the ceiling opens. A large hook descends, gently swinging back and forth in the center of the room.