Page 66 of Vail

“Well… No. But if you show me quick, I can learn.”

“You stay here with Sylvan. You’ll need to keep him company anyway. He might wear a path in the floor from worrying over us.”

“I’ll be fine,” Sylvan said, his hand shakily moving to his hair.

“Uh huh.”

We had to say a quick goodbye to Sylvan while Jordan and his team entered a bedroom and came out with an arsenal of weapons.

“Jesus, where the hell did that come from?” I asked. We’d been in every room of the house when Sylvan gave us a tour. I definitely would have remembered one of the bedrooms being filled with guns and bulletproof vests.

“It’s a safe house, remember?” Sheldon winked as he walked past. He slipped a vest over his head. “We’re equipped to hunker down and kill anyone who finds us here.”

“I thought safe houses weren’t supposed to be known about, and where people feel, you know, safe.”

“They are, but with the technology now, drones, trackers, and whatever the fuck else, is anything really secure?”

“You have a point.”

“I usually do.”

With the SUV Vail was in damaged, Reghan went into a big garage behind the house and opened two of the bay doors. There were more Lincoln Navigators inside.

“Did you get a special at the dealership?” I asked. “Buy ten get three free?”

Jordan’s hand went to the back of my neck again, this time to propel me forward. “Just get in.”

Jordan, Vail, and I slid into the back while Albert climbed behind the wheel and Oleander sat in the passenger seat.

“You’re hurt,” Vail said. “Jordan, he shouldn’t come.”

“Just like I apparently can’t tell you what to do, I can’t where he’s concerned either. Besides, his shooting arm and hand are just fine.” Oleander proved Jordan’s point by pulling out his gun and making sure it was loaded.

Another SUV followed us down the driveway, the gate opening before we got to it. We were only on the road for a little bit when two more SUVs joined us.

“How many men did you call?” I asked as I looked over my shoulder. It was like we were driving the president somewhere. Instead, it was a mafia boss and his partners.

“As many as I could spare. I still have to protect other areas, but Gil won’t have just one guy protecting him. I need to bring more in anticipation of what he has.”

There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. What if everyone didn’t walk away? What if Jordan lost some of his men?

I glanced out the window, unable to stop the thoughts from swirling around my mind. Jordan knew what he was doing. I doubted this was the first time he’d gone on a mission like we were. And I was certain it wouldn’t be the last. That didn’t mean I had to like it or fully understand it. Every life was precious, yet these men would willingly give theirs up for him.

I couldn’t do what Jordan did. Not only the trafficking of illegal shit but asking people to join me who might not live through the day. I got that they knew this when they took the job. That didn’t diminish their role and what they might have to sacrifice.

At least my brother stayed behind. Having one person I loved going in there was bad enough. Jordan could handle himself. I hadn’t seen him in action, but he didn’t survive this long by being unskilled.

The trees flew past us in a slow blur. The roads became less occupied the farther away from the city we went. The houses were more spaced apart, and farmland spread out on either side of the road.

There were people in these homes having a meal or playing with their children. Working, wondering how they would pay next month’s bills. If only we were one of them and not on our way to rescue loved ones with a chance of not all of us returning.

Here I thought my biggest problem was trying to pay down the debt on my grandfather’s home. Nope, that wasn’t even close. A day facing that outstanding bill was nothing compared to what had unfolded today.

“Are you okay?” Jordan asked.

I turned to find Vail rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m good. My neck’s just a bit sore. Probably from the accident.”

Jordan, ever the problem solver, put his phone to his ear and called a chiropractor to book Vail an appointment tomorrow. Today, well, none of us knew what was about to happen. Hopefully, we’d be fine, and Vail could make his appointment tomorrow while Cat and the kids were safe in their home, no longer having to worry about Gil.

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