“I’ll be here,” he says, getting up and walking out of the office, closing the door behind him. Evan is still a wild card. I know he’s smart as fuck and a hard worker. I also know about his history in the military and how he was the only one to survive when his unit was attacked, but everything else about him is up in the air, and seeing he is keeping something from me doesn’t sit well.
Picking up the folder, I flip through it and shake my head. June’s going to be pissed we’re checking in on her, but knowing my cousin, she has no clue the kind of man she’s been spending time with, and if she did, she would probably lay his ass out.
Setting the folder down on the desk, I lean back in my chair and cover my face. Last night, when I told Ellie I was heading to Kentucky with Wes and the guys to check out a lead, I could see it in her eyes that she was worried, but I could also see relief that this shit may be over soon. Since her mom was in jail awaiting trial and we were on Yury’s trail, I hope like fuck that with us tracking him down, it will lead me to the man who purchased her to begin with, and we could finally put all of this shit to rest.
Standing, I shut down my computer and shove the file for June in my desk before walking out the door, coming face-to-face with Sage.
“I was just coming in to see you,” he says then dips his head toward my office. “Can we talk?”
“Sure,” I agree, swinging the door back open, walking across the room from him, and crossing my arms over my chest.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry for the way I left things the other night. I know you’re just trying to help.”
“I understand,” I tell him, uncrossing my arms.
“I’m gonna talk to her,” he says, shoving his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.
“Good.”
“We cool?”
“You don’t even have to ask that shit. We’re family,” I confirm, watching his body relax.
“You ready for tonight?” he asks, studying me.
“Yeah, Ellie and Hope are staying with my parents. If the lead pans out, we’ll call your dad and have him come in.”
“Are you and Wes going to be able to keep your cool if it is him?”
“Not sure,” I tell him honestly, knowing what the guy did to Ellie and July.
“I’ve got your back, whatever happens,” he mutters then looks at the door. “I’m gonna head out. Do you need anything before I go?” he inquires, opening it and stepping out into the hall.
“Nah, I’ll see you tonight,” I say, following behind him out of the building pulling the keys out of my pocket and locking the door as he walks across the parking lot to his car. Getting in my truck, I head over to the salon to meet Ellie for lunch then stop by my parents’ to say goodbye to Hope before going home and getting ready to head to Kentucky.
Standing in the dark hotel room, I move the curtain to the side once more and place my binoculars to my eyes, zooming in on the room across the lot from us.
The lady at the front desk confirmed the guy we’re looking for is staying at this hotel, and after Mic spoke with her, she placed each of us in a room that would give us all a different vantage point.
“See anything?” Wes asks, pulling up a chair next to me, and I swear I see the curtains in the room I’m watching move. But if the room is the same as this one, the AC unit is under the window, and that could be causing the flutter.
“Not yet,” I mutter, squeezing my eyes closed then looking through the lenses again, seeing the same thing, only this time, the movement is slightly more pronounced than it was before.
“Send Harlen a text and ask him if he’s seeing anything from his vantage point,” I tell Wes just as his phone rings.
“What’s up?” Wes asks then stands. “Are you sure?”
I pull the binoculars away from my face and let the curtain slide closed, watching as he walks toward the door.
“What’s going on?” I ask him, seeing that he’s going to leave.
“Mic said he heard banging and moaning coming from the room,” he says.
I run my hands over my face, knowing this shit could go south real fucking fast if the moaning is nothing more than someone in the room on the other side of him getting off, since this hotel is one that is known for cheap hourly rates. We set up Mic and Sage in the room next to the one Yury is supposed to be occupying then Harlen and Evan in the middle, while Z stayed in the truck outside the entry of the hotel’s parking lot.
“Fuck, let’s go,” I say, following Wes down the open second floor walkway of the hotel. Once we reach the door where Harlen and Evan are, they come out and follow behind us. There’s no way to go unnoticed. The hotel is open, with the doors of the rooms leading outside to the parking lot. When we make it to the room, I stop and pull out my gun and press my ear to the door.
Hearing nothing, I’m about to move on to the room Sage and Mic are occupying, when I hear banging and what sounds like someone attempting to scream. Without thinking, I step back and kick the cheap door with my boot, sending wood splintering off in every direction. Holding my gun out in front of me, I scan the room then my eyes land on a gagged naked woman sitting on the floor, with her hands and ankles tied and her back pressed to the AC until under the window.
“Fuck,” I breathe, seeing the bruises covering her small form. “It’s okay,” I say, walking towards her, shoving my gun away and pulling my knife out of my pocket. Removing the gag first from her mouth, her head lowers and a loud sob rips from her chest as I cut the ties that are keeping her in place. “It’s gonna be okay.” I tell her, taking off my jacket and using it to cover her up.
“He’s coming back,” she says, lifting fright-filled eyes up to meet mine. “He’s going to kill me when he comes back.”
“You won’t be here when he does,” I assure her, picking her up and handing her off to Harlen, who is standing close to my side. “Get her to the hospital,” I tell him then look at Wes, who’s barely keeping it together, then to my cousin. “Call your dad and let him know what’s going on.”
“On it,” he mumbles, stepping to the back of the room.
“Mic, see if you can close the door,” I say calmly, and Mic’s eyes darken with fury as he goes out to the walkway and kicks off the broken pieces of wood then comes back inside, closing the door behind him. Standing in the room, I look around, seeing the place is a mess. There are clothes, empty food containers, and beer bottles thrown around the room, along with open condom wrappers, which cause rage to burn through every cell of my body.
“Keep it together,” Sage says, coming up next to me. My dad’s on his way, and this guy maybe the only lead we have to find the one who wanted Ellie.”
“I know,” I agree, but that doesn’t stop the images of me putting a bullet between Yury’s eyes from entering my thoughts.
“He just pulled in,” Wes says low, walking to the door and holding his phone in his hand, typing something back on the screen before shoving it in his pocket. Pulling his gun from the back of his jeans, he flips off the light. “How pissed is Nico going to be if I shoot this stupid fuck?” he asks, and I grin then move to the side of the door.
Placing my back against the wall, I hear the sound of metal and someone walking up the concrete stairs that lead to the second level. When we finally hear keys jingling, I swing the door open and shove my gun into Yury’s face.
“Honey, I’ve been waiting for you,” I growl, grabbing his shirt in my fist and pulling him into the room. Once he’s inside, Wes kicks him to his knees as I put my foot to his back, forcing him face-first into the dirty carpet. “Try it, and I’ll fucking shoot you,” I snarl, restraining his hand he’s trying to get to his back, where he has a gun.
Locking his hands behind him, I use one of the plastic zip-ties from my pocket to bind them together then search him for any weapons. He not only has the gun from his waistband, but there’s also one in the ankle of his boot.