Page 52 of All In

The phone clicks, and I pull the screen away from my face to see the call has disconnected.

Rage fills my entire body.

I glare at Will’s bound and gagged form in the chair across from my desk.

Well, I suppose I owe him an apology for assuming he was involved with her disappearance.

My mind races as I try to formulate a plan and determine which calls to place.

Most likely, she’s safe for the moment. As long as she doesn’t cause them any trouble, they’re unlikely to kill someone they were paid to rescue.

I’m actually fucking relieved her sister stole nearly a hundred grand in drugs.

I would have given her the cash myself if she had only explained the situation, but she had no way of knowing that.

The one good thing about mercenaries is that they honor the job when they’ve been paid. If they don’t, they quickly gain a reputation for being unreliable.

It’s time to pack, put in some calls to gain information on Assurance Security, and hire my own group of mercenaries.

It looks like I’ll be taking a trip to Virginia.

Chapter Fifteen

Tanner

Ranger is back by the time I exit the bathroom. He and Laken are sitting on opposite beds, refusing to make eye contact with one another.

“We’ll be leaving in less than an hour,” he says, swiping his curly brown hair back from his eyes as he stands. “You will be coming with me to my home in Virginia. I suggest you quit pouting and look in the duffel bag. It has basic necessities.” He gestures to the bag in question that’s tossed near her feet. “I need to coordinate with the others.”

“Do you plan to put on clothing?” Laken asks in a sassy tone that makes me do a double take. “Or are you so desperate to escape my presence that you’re planning to stay in your pajamas all day?”

Ranger goes rigid, and his head tilts animalistically.

He finally spins to face me. “Every time you exit the room, fall asleep, or take a shower, she attempts to contact people from her old life. I’ve tried to convey how dangerous that is for anyone she truly cares about, but the woman clearly doesn’t hear a word I say.” He strides over, grabs his bag, and disappears into the bathroom. “Don’t take your eyes off her. The next successful phone call she makes will cost you three days in my basement.” He sticks his head back out, giving Laken a cutting smile. “If you’re fond of Tanner, I can’t imagine you’ll want to see him punished for your sins. Consider this a lesson to the both of you in how I do business.”

“I’m probably going to end up stabbing him,” she says as the bathroom door closes.

My eyes widen.

Holy shit.

What the hell did I sign up for when I left Vegas?

“Listen,” I growl, stomping over to Ranger’s side as he stands, talking to his sister. “I don’t know what your problem is, but she’s not a prisoner. If she wants to talk to her friends and family to let them know she’s alive, that’s her right.”

Annika snorts, glancing between me and Ranger. “He has no tact. None. Occasionally, you’ll see a glimmer and think maybe he’s not as awful as you’ve made him out to be, but you’d be wrong.”

“Not a single person reported her missing,” Ranger says. “That tells me all I need to know. Jobs and apartments are replaceable. Do you know what’s not, Tanner?”

I stare at the psycho, blinking in pure bewilderment.

“No one reported her missing?” I look over my shoulder at the omega in question.

She’s in the back seat of one of the SUVs, glaring murderously at Ranger.

Shit.

I hope that look isn’t directed at me too.

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