Page 46 of Taken By the Mobster

“I plan to,” Declan said. He cleared his throat and looked away. “Conor, how’s it going?”

Conor looked up from the floor next to the stove. “I think we’re good.” He checked his watch. “We have fifteen minutes.”

“What happens in fifteen minutes?” Ruth asked.

Conor and Declan exchanged a look, then Conor made an exploding sound and spread his fingers wide.

“Boom,” Conor said.

Ruth smiled. “Promise?”

“I thought you were doing this for the money, Ruthie,” Declan muttered with a smile.

The petite redhead punched Declan on the shoulder. “You know this has never been about the money. That was just a bonus. But it’s coming to a head, Declan, and I will be right here, watching Donovan Muldoon’s world crumble around him. Which is more than he deserves. The only thing better would be his death.”

Conor put his hand in the middle of Ruth’s back and looked at her tenderly. “Let’s see if we can make that happen.”

Ruth smiled at Conor over her shoulder and pointed at a set of stairs tucked in the corner. “How about we go get your girl, Declan?”

The three of them hurried through the kitchen and up the service stairs. At the juncture where two hallways met, Ruth stopped short. She put a hand on Conor’s chest and her finger to her lips, tipping her head to one side as she listened intently. She glanced at her watch.

“All right, you two, wait here,” Ruth said. “I’ll tell the boys outside Olivia’s room that I heard something. That should get one of them down here. You two take care of them, but make sure you wait until I’m inside the room. We don’t have much time before the next shift shows up, only five minutes.” She picked up a small bundle of clothes from beneath one of the hall tables, straightened her dress, fluffed her hair, and gave Conor a wink. “Showtime.”

Ruth hurried around the corner, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor, which drew the attention of the men guarding Olivia’s door. Declan heard Ruth telling them she heard a noise in the back corridor, an unusual noise that she thought they should check out while she looked in on their guest. A few seconds later, Ruth’s voice faded away, and a door closed.

Declan and Conor stepped back against the wall, into the shadows. It wasn’t long before Murphy rounded the corner, his eyes widening in surprise when Conor stepped into the light. He opened his mouth to say something, but Declan coldcocked him, knocking him out. Conor caught him and lowered him to the floor.

Declan peered around the corner. Walsh leaned against the wall by the door, examining the toe of his shoe. Declan tapped Conor on the shoulder and pointed at the man passed out on the floor.

“I’m gonna move him, put him in one of these spare rooms,” Declan whispered. “You take care of Walsh.”

An almost evil grin spread across Conor’s face, and he cracked his knuckles. “Gladly.” He stalked down the hall.

Declan heard something hit the floor and several quiet curses. With two sets of zip ties from his pocket, he secured Murphy’s hands and feet. He opened the nearest door, grabbed the unconscious man beneath the arms, and dragged him inside. He dumped him on the floor, ripped the tie from Murphy’s neck, and used it to gag him.

Declan slipped back out the door and closed it quietly behind him. He pulled his gun from its holster and made his way down the hall, just in time to see Olivia leaving the bedroom, her hand in Ruth’s.

Chapter 22

Olivia

Olivia wasn’t sure why she bolted upright or what drew her attention to the bedroom door. She sat up in the middle of the bed with her head cocked, listening. A few seconds later, the door opened, and Ruth came in.

“All right, girly, this is where you get off,” she whispered.

Olivia shoved the pillows surrounding her to the floor and jumped off the side of the bed. “What do you mean?”

“Put on some shoes and something warm. You’re leaving.”

Olivia was confused, but she did as she was told. She put on her shoes and grabbed a sweatshirt from the back of the chair, then Ruth took her hand and pulled her across the room. Ruth pressed her ear to the door and listened.

Olivia didn’t know what Ruth was waiting for, but it was several minutes before she opened the door and peered out. Whatever she saw must have been to her satisfaction, because she let it fall open and pulled Olivia into the hall.

Walsh, who had been guarding her room, lay on the floor, unconscious, with Conor standing over him.

Olivia gasped when she saw Conor. A second later, Declan came around the corner, his gun in his hand. He slid to a stop when he saw her.

He exhaled loudly as he strode toward her. “Olivia. Jesus, sweetheart, am I glad to see you.” He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her against his chest.

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