Page 44 of Ruthless Vow

I wonder what my little wolf thought when she found the door of her holding cell unlocked. I imagine she thought back to the unloaded gun she’d grabbed from my waistband. I imagine she thought this was another test.

It isn’t.

Her escape was carefully and methodically planned, at least on my end. On her end, it was a fleeting opportunity, one she grasped and made the best of. I expect nothing less of her.

The dot continues to move slowly across the screen.

I picture her, her steps quick and sure as she walks the maze of city streets, thinking she’s finally slipped through my fingers.

But she hasn’t. She never will.

The door to the study opens on silent hinges. Damian steps inside, followed by Luca, Cassio, and Dante. They’re all dressed, as am I, in loose-fitting black tactical trousers, black t-shirt, black hoodie, black tactical boots. My gun is in my inside waistband holster, my knife at the small of my back. The others are similarly armed.

I study Dante for a moment, relieved to see he looks healthy. His green eyes are clear, his light brown hair trimmed and styled. He’s carrying himself with confidence and poise.

“You good?” I ask.

“Looking forward to an adventure,” he says, his tone deep and resonant. He sounds like himself. He doesn’t wait for me to ask. “Haven’t had a drink in days,” he says. “Haven’t wanted one.”

I nod.

“Where’s she heading?” Luca asks, moving to look over my shoulder at the screen.

The dot has stopped moving. I check the address. “She’s near a storage facility on Freemont, near the Mob Museum.”

“Smart girl,” Damian says. “Probably has cash and weapons squirrelled away.”

My eyes stay fixed on the blinking red dot on the screen while the others joke and banter amongst themselves. The dot stays put for fifteen minutes, not moving. Then it shifts slightly. I’m guessing Nicole was scoping the vicinity before heading inside.

“You think she knew you were setting her up?” Dante asks, coming to stand beside me and watch the dot.

“She would have considered it,” I say. “But the opportunity was too good to pass up.”

“She’s loyal to whoever she’s working for,” Cass says.

I look away from the screen for a moment, flicking a glance his way.

“See, I don’t think she is,” I say. “I think that she’s being manipulated. That whoever she’s been reporting to has leverage. That they’re forcing her to follow their orders.”

“What kind of leverage?” Cass asks.

“She has a younger sister,” Luca says.

“One she hasn’t been allowed to see in over two years. One she’s only been allowed to speak with three times.” I meet the gaze of each of the men in turn. “Sibling love and loyalty,” I say softly.

There’s no need for me to say more. Each man in this room would kill to protect each of the others. To protect Sabina. We know a little something about sibling love and loyalty.

And though Luca isn’t our brother, we love him like one. Our mother took him in when his mother died. He’s one of us.

“That puts a bit of a different spin on things,” Damian says.

“Doesn’t it?” I reply. It wasn’t long ago that Alina almost got killed trying to protect her brother.

“So Nicole told you about her sister,” Damian says with a frown. “She trusted you with that information, but not with the identity of her boss.”

“Which is why I wanted her to run. She’s going to run straight to him and we will follow.”

“So she’s just bait?” Dante says.

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