Page 56 of Tainted Reasoning

Chapter Twenty-Five

William

“When was the last time you drove?” I ask my brother who, despite being in a Lamborghini, is driving like an old grandad.

“William, I’m doing over a hundred miles an hour. If I go any faster, we’ll attract the police, get pulled over, and we won’t be able to get to her in time. Calm down.”

“It feels slower,” I protest and check the gun attached to my body for the millionth time since we got in the car.

The phone rings. I look down at the caller ID on the screen and it reads, ‘Matthew Carter’. I know he’s my brother’s contact in all matters requiring a bit of additional help. He’s ex-MI5 and still has connections there. He’s also the current bodyguard for one of the richest men in the UK, a property tycoon named James North.

“Matthew?” Nicholas answers.

“Yes. We’ve identified the last known location of Miss Bennett’s phone prior to it being, unceremoniously, returned to your house...my men are on the way there now.”

“Our ETA is five minutes.” Nicholas tells him.

“You’ll probably be there before my men. You going in alone?”

“Yes,” I reply before giving my brother a chance to say no. I’m not going to leave Tamara alone with Lord West for a minute longer than I have to. I know exactly what the bastard is capable of, and I refuse to let Tamara be subjected to that while I wait around outside for reinforcements.

The line remains silent while my brother neither confirms nor denies what we are going to do when we get to our location.

“I understand. I’d do the same for my woman,” Matthew finally responds. “Do whatever you need to, to get her out safely. My men can handle the aftermath.”

“Thank you,” Nicholas replies. “So, what do I owe James this time?”

Matthew laughs down his end of the phone.

“I think he’d like to surprise his wife with a title of some sort for Christmas. Perhaps you could have a word in Prince John’s ear. I know you and he have been close in the past.”

“If you’re suggesting I’ve fucked alongside him, then yes I have, but not since Victoria came into my life.”

“He’s too busy being ridden cowboy style by his pregnancy hormone flooded wife,” I mutter without thinking. Damn. That’s one of those filter things I’m supposed to remember. There is too much etiquette when it comes to society. Why can’t we just say what we want and not have to mind our tongues.

“Good to hear it.” Matthew chuckles at my faux pas.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Nicholas answers.

“Be careful. Call me when it’s over.”

“Will do.” My brother ends the call, and we pull over in a densely forested area. Up ahead, I can see an opening, which appears to lead to a long driveway. There are one or two other houses scattered around but nothing that would cause major issues if we make a bit of a disturbance.

We’re dressed all in black – our standard uniform for returning artwork seems to have transformed into the perfect outfit for rescuing damsels in distress and slaying the bad guys without a spot of blood showing.

It’s dark out, the winter sun having set hours ago. Nicholas pulls down his night vision goggles, and I do the same.

“We go in the back way. You got your silencer?”

“Yes,” I reply.

“Stay together. Follow my orders. We’ll get her out.”

“I know. You’ve got my word…no heroics. You’ve got a wife and baby to go back to, and I’ve got a woman to repair.” I reply, reassuring my brother that I’m not going to go all commando on him and lose my head in there.

“She’s stronger than you think. She’ll give Lord West a run for his money.”

“I hope so.”

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