Page 151 of Scars Run Deep

It all happened so fast.

Ronan spun, then lobbed something at the guard on the left, then a split second later, at the one on the right.

They slapped their hands to their necks and I saw two tiny silver tubes protruding.

Their eyes glazed over so quickly and then they slid down the wall in heaps.

I reacted, pulling my gun.

Before I could cock it, Ronan was there, grabbing my offending hand, stopping me with an intricate and very precise hold that prevented me from moving my fingers even slightly.

“I’m not here to hurt you.”

“What about them?”

“Tranqs.”

“How did you get those past the security check?”

“In pieces inside the cigarettes in my case.” He released my hand, but jerked the gun free in the process.

“Who the hell are you?”

He held up his free hand to indicate he wasn’t doing anything untoward or aggressive as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a silver cigarette case. I choked out a gasp at the sight of the eagle engraved on it. And more than that, the initials.

L. C.

“That’s my dad’s. When he smoked… he used to carry that.”

“And when he quit, he gave it to me.”

“What the… what the hell is going on? You’re a plant? One of his people?”

“Not a plant, but I am a friend of his. We served together. Ronan is an alias. He sent me here to watch over you when Drew alerted him that you were heading here on your mission.”

“Oh my God, my uncle knew?”

He nodded.

“The two of you were working together to get me out of here—the Christmas break idea, what you said to me after that attack the other day… this is… shit.”

“I’m sorry to hit you with all of this at once. I’ll explain more in detail later. But right now we need to act. There isn’t time. I need to get you out of here.”

“I can’t… I can’t just take your word for all of this. One of his enemies could’ve obtained that cigarette case and then—”

“Here.”

He put the case back, then brought his phone out. He smiled as he dialed. “On the ball, just like him. He’ll be proud.”

His call connected, and then he was speaking, “Yeah. She’s here. Five minutes tops? All right, make this quick then.”

He put it on speakerphone mode and held it between us and then I was staggering back a step, my heart jumping to my throat as a voice I hadn’t heard in so long sounded through the room.

“Angel?”

“Dad,” I uttered, my voice breaking.

“It’s been too long and I’m sorry, so sorry.”

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