Page 17 of What Lies Within

I stiffen, breath held while I wait for the driver's response.Please no.

“I don’t get paid enough for that level of care, ya bastard.”

“Ain’t me you need to bitch to about that,” Fox mutters.

"Just shut it, would ya?" The leather chair squeaks, and then, "I don't want yer prize knowin' too much."

"Like how Uncle Fox is working in cahoots with Terry's favorite cleaner to hold me hostage?” I measure the silence that follows my question before adding, “Isn’t that right,Ronan.”

A gentle chuckle is all I get in response before the car jerks to a stop and both doors, left and right ahead of me, open. Their voices fade from the vehicle, the cool night air rushing in to swirl around where I melt into a veritable puddle of stress against the soft leather upholstery.

I could die tonight. I could fucking well die, and I never got to live life on my terms. I never got to fuck Deo. I never got to open my dream store in town. I never had a husband, a home, or a garage filled with my favorite toys.

I never got to teach my future kid how to ride.

I have so much left to do before I check out.

This is not happening.Not tonight. Not like this.

The door to my left jerks open. “Come on.” Fox unclasps the belt from my lap and then jerks me toward him. “We got work to do, girl.”

Yes—yes, we do.

7

DIGGER

“I think it’s time we thought about puttin’ pressure on Terry.” I pace behind my brother’s sofa in the meeting room: his office. “I know you don’t wanna let the asshole know we’re on to him, but we’re at a loss on where to look. Somebody let Fox know we were comin’. May as well find out if it was him.”

Our brother had moved Maddie. Signs of my niece were there, according to Buster. Little clues that our princess had been held hostage at the Kenley's, just as Connor had promised. Only, they're not there now, and nobody knows where to look next. Terry's buy-up of property has gone on for six or more years. If Fox continues to use the asshole's acquisitions to his benefit, we're faced with a portfolio of land that would take days, if not weeks, to trespass and scour.

We need the man himself to clue us in on what we’re dealing with.

"No." Tyke's left heel taps a quick-fire staccato beat on the floor, his shoulder bouncing with the movement thanks to his elbows braced on his knees, hands clasped between them. "I'm not givin' him control yet."

“We don’t even know if he’s got anythin’ to do with this hare-brained idea of Fox’s,” Turnip points out. “Until we find Fox, we can’t assume who he might have helping him.”

“You don’t think Connor knowing it was Fox who took her is a big enough clue Terry’s got play?” Hammer grumbles. “The fact Fox held her on Terry’s land?”

"Either way, Fox won't be doing it by himself." Rigs absently strokes his mustache. "He never had the gumption to do something like this alone."

“What do you know about his ability in this shit?” Turnip snaps. “You were a fucking prospect when he was around. Barely patched in when he left.”

“I know enough,” Rigs bites back.

“Quit it,” I admonish, glaring at the two of them. “Your goddamn bellyachin’ ain’t helping anyone.”

“You think Connor could help narrow things down again?” Minion pipes up from where he’s kept quiet until now.

Tyke’s head snaps up. “For a price, and I’d rather not ask Rae to give that up.” He presses his palms together tight.

Minion tilts his head to the opposite side, his narrowed eyes shifting to zero in on me. "You two wanna tell me whatisgoin’ on with that girl?”

“Now ain’t the time, brother.” I lean both hands on the rear of the sofa behind Tyke, showing my support.

“Then when is?” Hammer asks without an ounce of malice. Only curiosity for the things he ain’t privy to.

Tyke sighs, head between his hands and fingers laced behind his neck. "They're right, Digger. May as well get it out and done with so these fuckers can put their goddamn brains to use on the things that matter." He lifts his head to pin them all with a hard stare. "Like bringin' Maddie home."

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