The roar of the engine and the sound of brakes squealing around a corner announces Blake's arrival. He slams the door of his SUV, fury radiating off of him in waves as he strides toward us.
"We need more men.” he rumbles. “Grace isn’t the only one they have in there, and I was able to get close enough to hear the guards talking. Auction is tomorrow.”
Now we’re on a deadline. An urgent one. A slave auction will have a lot of security, and a lot of bad people there with their own personal security. We will not have the manpower necessary for an undertaking of that magnitude, not without a lot more advance planning and coordination with Weaver and her team. If we can’t get to Grace and the others before the auction, I will have no choice but to call Agent Weaver and let her run point. This is something way bigger than what is between me and Dominic. All of the people he has taken deserve justice, and the powerful men willing to buy them to use sexually do too. I want them all to pay the price that I deem necessary. Their lives. I know that realistically I can't and won't go on a killing spree, so letting the Feds step in and make arrests is the right thing to do. With that in mind, I turn to Travis.
“After we get Gracie, and whoever else is there, I'm going to tip Weaver off about the auction and let her people step in and stop it. I'm sure Dominic isn't the only one who plans to be selling tomorrow.
He nods his approval before saying, "Sounds like a plan." Turning to Blake, he asks, "Who else should we bring in on this? Right now, it's us three of us, plus Geno and Grayson." We have been trying to keep this as quiet as possible, not wanting anything to leak to Dominic or to the authorities. We are definitely not sanctioned to do what we are about to do.
"Let me see who might be available," Blake says, phone already in hand.
“Why don't we go up and see the girls before we head out, ‘Travis suggests, gesturing toward the door.
“Good idea, " I say as Blake takes his laptop out of the back of the car he was driving, and walks toward the elevator without a word. Travis follows, and I trail behind, placing a call to the kitchen for an early dinner. We might as well eat something before we go running into trouble. Plus if I know Ana, she won't think to eat right now and I’ll be damned if she misses a meal because she’s worried about me.
Ana
The men thunder into the penthouse, their voices are strained and quiet, but when they see us lounging in the living room, all of them force smiles to their faces.
Blake sets up his always present laptop in his usual spot on the dining room table and slumps into a chair, his fingers flying across the keyboard. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Ellie watching him intently. It makes a little burst of
sunshine erupt inside me! I knew she would be interested in him, now Blake just has to get in the game and do something about it! Ellie won't make the first move…
Faye rushes to Travis like he’s been gone for days instead of down in Xavier’s office for a couple of hours, climbing right into his arms and peppering his face with kisses. I have to admit I'm not just a little bit jealous of her agility as I waddle across the room to my husband. I love the way his chocolatey gaze melts as a smile softens the grim lines of his lean face as he watches my approach.
“Hey sunshine,” He whispers against my ear, his warm breath sending delicious shivers racing down my spine, as he pulls me into the warm circle of his embrace. My cheek rests against his hard pecs as one big hand smooths down to rest on my burgeoning belly. “Blake found Grace.” he murmurs for my ears only. My eyes shoot up to his, a thousand questions on the tip of my tongue.
“Not now, baby,” He breathes, leaning down and quieting me with a soft kiss. “I ordered dinner. We will answer all your questions while we eat.” I mumble my agreement, relaxing into his arms before my attention is caught by Ellie hovering nervously beside where Blake is focused on his computer. Her eyes are fixated on the stern set of his jaw, and I recognize the softness in them from here. Probably because I see it in my own eyes when I think about X, and see it every time that Faye even thinks about Travis. Ellie is smitten by the big man hunched over his computer. Sighing, I look up to see X shaking his head and grinning. Travis has the same look of amusement on his face when I look over at him and Faye. I think that Blake is the only one who doesn’t realize how Ellie looks at him. Truth be told, she doesn’t seem to know that he usually can’t take his eyes off of her. They are both so adorably clueless that I want to do something to make them see what's right in front of them.
Finally, all the eyes focused on them seems to register to both Blake and Ellie. He pushes back from the table and looks up at Ellie as she stumbles back a step, almost falling in her haste to put distance between them. Her cheeks turn bright pink. Blake turns quickly and reaches for her hand, pulling her toward him before she can tumble down. She pitches forward into his arms, mumbling a shy thank you and apology all at once, before gingerly pulling away from him and rushing into the kitchen her tan cheeks bright with her blush. X pats me softly on my ass.
“Go take care of your friend.” He breathes quietly, pushing me toward the kitchen. Faye follows me as I go to talk to an obviously mortified Ellie.
Ellie is leaning over the sink, taking deep breaths when I walk in behind her. “Why do I always act so stupid around him?” She whispers into the sink as I rub light circles on her back.
“You weren’t acting stupid, Ell,” I whisper back.
“Did you miss the part where I was hovering there like a creeper?” she groans.
“He’s the stupid one,” Faye grumbles, glaring toward the dining room. That makes Ellie huff out a little laugh. She turns to face us, her face still red, tears shining in her eyes.
“Can’t I just go home?” She asks.
“No!” Blakes crisp voice startles all of us, making Ellie jump a little. Her eyes widen with surprise at his sharp tone.
“Why- why not?” she asks, her voice reedy.
“Because Dominic’s men have been watching this place, and they know that you are friends with Analise. That means that you are in danger. Just like Ana. Just like Faye. So until that danger has passed, you stay here, where I know that you are safe!”
I don’t think he realizes how much he just revealed with his words. At least to me and Faye. Smiling, we both back away from the glaring pair.
“What about my family? Auggie?” Ellie cries, dismay ringing in her voice as the reality of what he has just said sets in.
“I already have someone watching your house, angel. Nothing will happen to them. I swear.”
“Thank you,” She whispers, the fight leaving her voice. Faye and I leave them alone, and going back to our own men. It seems that they might finally be figuring it out.
Dinner is delivered, and Blake sits across from Ellie, who keeps absently touching her mouth with her fingertips. His eyes never once leave her face. Her cheeks look hot and flushed, I can’t tell if she is still embarrassed or if it’s something else. I’d practically kill to know what I missed in the kitchen, but I have my suspicions. Travis and Xavier are quietly discussing their plan for extracting Grace from Dominic’s clutches now that Blake has gotten confirmation that they have several more men arriving for their mission tonight.