Page 83 of Guarded from Corruption

As I start jogging in that direction, I reach for my Sig—an instinctual move engrained after years of battle—but it’s not there.

Shit.

Of course, I left it in the car. It didn’t seem appropriate, meeting my girlfriend’s parents for the first time while armed. Now I wish like anything I had it with me.

Do I have time to run to the car? Or are those precious minutes Jade doesn’t have?

While I run down the hall, checking each room, I spot something.

It’s obviously Bell’s office. There’s a giant wooden desk and oriental rugs and bookshelves stretching to the ceiling and—thank you—a gun cabinet.

I slingshot myself into the office and sprint over to the cabinet. The door is unsurprisingly not locked, so I yank it open and snatch up a Colt single-action revolver, which isn’t nearly as good as my Sig, but will get the job done.

Hopefully, it won’t come to that. But better armed than not.

It takes another minute before I hear the voices.

Just ahead. Coming through a closed door on the left.

I have no idea what I’m going to find. Other than Jade in trouble. Needing my help.

Rather than burst into the room, though that’s what my body is aching to do, I get close to the door and listen.

It’s Garrett Bell, his voice harsh and biting.

“Come on, Jade. It’s not that bad. All the men who were interested in you—they’re wealthy. Successful. You would have been treated like a treasured prize, just like your mother. You’d have a fulfilling life instead of this ridiculous job of yours, living in a crappy apartment, wasting your prime years…”

He pauses. “Anyway. Enough of this. You ruined everything, so now you’re going to help me recreate a new operation.”

“You’ll be caught.” Jade. Sounding scared but still steady. “Everyone is going to jail.”

“Not me. I was so careful. None of my associates ever knew my name. All the payments were in cash. And it’s so easy to hide profits when you own a pharmaceutical company. It’s perfect, really.”

Ah, shit.

An inferno of rage ignites. His daughter. My Jade.

Bell huffs an impatient sigh. “Alright. I know what you’re doing. Trying to stall. Hoping I’ll change my mind. I won’t. And my patience is running thin. I have a client that is waiting for you. He’s very eager.”

“No,” Jade retorts sharply, “I won’t.”

“Yes.” It’s a hiss. “You will. You’re going to make me millions. Enough to start my operation again. And if you fight me, I’ll kill your boyfriend. So you’re coming with me now.”

This fucker.

Tears are in Jade’s voice. “People will look for me. You can’t just make me disappear.”

“I won’t.” It’s smug. Triumphant. “You decided to leave town. Too many bad memories. And once you’re trained… You’ll convince everyone you want to be there. That you’re in love. That you want nothing to do with that rent-a-cop out there.” He pauses, then adds, “Unless you want me to kill him instead.”

Fuck no. Jade’s not leaving, her father definitely isn’t going to kill me, and this whole monstrous thing ends now.

Her father growls at her, “Let’s go, Jade. Now.”

A second later, I hear a pained yelp.

And that’s my signal to move.

The door is locked, but I’ve been practicing lock picking since I agreed to join Blade and Arrow. “You don’t have to,” Cole told me during one of those early phone calls, “but we’ve found it helpful in critical situations.”

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