Page 60 of Love In The Shadows

My words trailed off as every emotion flooded through me all over again. Tori was here and safe, but the thought of what could have happened had my knees ready to buckle right out from under me.

“I found Reed, and he told me about the voicemail from Richie.”

“I was so scared, Bennett. I thought he was going to?—”

She stopped, her voice choking in her throat.

I pulled her against me, holding her as tight as she could likely stand it. “Where’s Paige?”

“In a storage room like this one, three hallways down. I shouldn’t have left Paige, but someone recognized me. He was going to tell Richie.”

“Shit.”

She nodded. “Paige told me to run, but what if?—”

I stopped her with the tip of my finger pressed against her lips. “We’re going to get her. Right now. You good with your gun?”

Tori nodded. “You know it.”

I gave her a half-cocked smile. “Damn it, just when I think you can’t get any sexier.”

Tori laughed softly.

“All right. Let’s go.”

Taking Tori with me was a risk. But leaving her behind felt like a bigger one. Especially if there were other Sanderson members lurking around that could identify her as putting away one of their own. I had to keep her close. That was the only way I could guarantee her safety.

We set off down the hall. Tori didn’t say a word but gestured each time we made a turn, directing me where to go. We kept our weapons ready, and when we started down the hallway she tapped my shoulder, holding up her fingers. Three, then two, then three.

Unit 323.

I sucked in a quick breath and bashed the door open. A guard lunged for me, and I dropped him with a single shot. Tori entered the fray a moment after his body hit the ground, and we both trained our guns on Richie.

“Paige! Are you all right?” Tori said, keeping her place beside me.

Paige was still locked into her metal folding chair. Richie made a move for her, and I shot him in the knee. He let out a horrendous scream and collapsed back against the wall.

“You fucked with the wrong people, Dalton.”

“Go to hell, Starr.”

I gave him a wicked smile. “Actually, it’s Agent Marshon. FBI.”

Richie’s eyes widened, and a thrill of satisfaction rushed through me.

“Here,” I said, fishing a knife from my back pocket. I tossed it to Tori, who flipped it open as she hurried to free Paige from her bonds.

When Paige’s plastic cuffs snapped off, she popped up from her chair, rubbing her own battered wrists, and the two women raced to get behind me. It wouldn’t be long till Richie’s backup got there.

“Go, Tori. Get Paige out of here. Take the same path we came. Shoot anyone who tries to stop you,” I said, not taking my eyes off Richie’s. Footsteps sounded, and I trusted she was following my instructions.

Richie moved toward his piece, and before he could get a grip on it, I squeezed off three quick shots and dropped him like a sack of potatoes. As I watched Richie crumple to the ground, I stepped over him and made my way to catch up to the girls.

Tori and Paige were pushing through the side door as I caught up to them. Outside, the sirens were getting closer, and soon, this mess would be wrapped up, and Tori and I could start our lives together again.

It was over.

Tori remained by my side through all of the questioning and moment-by-moment replays. Richie’s men were hauled away by the handful until only the fed’s working the scene remained. With the number of weapons in their possession, none would see the sun for a long time.

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