The King (Gentlemen Rogues 2)

LACHLAN

I wokeup to ringing ears, a blasting headache, and one word on my tongue. "Saff." Saff had been blown up. The house... Barbed wire squeezed around my heart, but my brain refused to acknowledge what had just happened. "Saff?"

"Would you quit your bitching? I'm right here."

Her voice was clear, right bloody next to me. I frowned trying to blink as I came fully awake.Obviously, I was dreaming. "Saff?"

"That's my name. Don't wear it out."

I dared to turn my head, and there she was, sitting upright. Her face was smudged with dirt, and she had some cuts and bruises, but otherwise, she was fine. "B-b-but you… You were in the house."

She nodded. “Yeah, Webster set some charges. I was closer to the front of the house and the explosion took out the back. I was barely touched. There was some flying debris which accounts for my scrapes, but otherwise, I was not hurt. I'm really lucky. Are you okay?"

I winced as I sat up. “Yeah, but I’m not sure why. He could have killed me, Saff, but he didn't."

She nodded. "Same for me."

Rook groaned from the corner. "Well, he actually shot me. So, fuck that guy."

When I glanced around, I realized we were in some kind of white medical looking room. Tabs nodded at me. "Surgeon's office. He's a friend."

I lifted my brows, but she didn't elaborate. “Did we get Webster?"

Tabs shook her head. "No, but Saff has an idea."

“Yeah, we didn't catch Webster, but we all kind of brushed with him and he didn't kill any of us. Sure, he shot Rook, but it could have been worse. It was through and through and completely superficial. He didn't hit anything vital."

I frowned at that. "He hit nothing vital?"

Rook shook his head. “It was like he just wanted to slow me down."

"This doesn't make any sense."

Saff nodded. "Exactly. But seeing that he didn't hurt any of us”—she held up a hand toward Rook—"seriously, I don't think he wants to. Which means he also wants us to find him, or at least find what he's going after."

Tabs crossed her arms and leaned against the door. "And what do you think he's going after?"

“I think he's going after Graciella."

"But why does he want Graciella?" she asked.

Saff shrugged her shoulders. “I don't know. All I know is that I misread the situation. From some of what Webster said when he had me, I don’t think she’s dating him. I think she's seeing the old man. I also think she was really hoping Webster would eliminate us, which means she has something major to hide. And while I want him in custody with the strength of a thousand suns, I still think we can get them both. He mentioned something about the Highland. We need to find out what that is.”

Tabatha nodded. “I know some locals I can ask for help. I think it’s a hotel, but you never know.”

Saff agreed. “Perfect. I think we can get two heads for the price of one. If we can get local help, even better.”

I frowned at Saff. She couldn’t be serious. She’d nearly been blown up by a psychopath. That same psychopath who had shot Rook. We needed to regroup, not jump in head first.

Are you thinking that because she’s putting herself in more danger, or because you honestly think she’s mishandling the mission?

It didn’t fucking matter. She wasn’t seeing this clearly. She was being driven by revenge and her emotions. I was afraid she was going to get herself killed, and just the idea of losing her had that barbed-wire feeling wrapping around my heart again. There was no way this was a good idea, and I knew I had to speak up.

"We've taken enough hits today, don't you think? You were just fucking kidnapped by that psychopath."

Saff pursed her lips. "That's just it. I think he only took me because he had to. I don't think he wanted to take me with him, but he couldn’t risk leaving me where I was for some reason."

She was grasping at straws, and I pressed on. “Is this your gut talking? Because it’s already been wrong today."