Page 54 of Beautiful Vengeance

She kept going, driving as fast as she dared. If she could get to the highway, she might be able to lose them.

The van’s tires squealed as she took a fast left. Ahead, the SUV was coming right at them. “Shit.”

Throwing it into reverse, she whipped them into the next alley she found, skidding into it backwards. She hammered the brakes.Dead end.

“Stop here,” Marcus commanded, reaching for his door handle.

She brought the van to a rocking stop. Marcus jumped out, Eden diving after him. Kiyomi put the transmission back into drive and crept forward, following them.

Near the end of the alley Marcus crouched down on one knee, gripping his pistol in both hands. Eden was off to his right, mirroring his pose. “They gonna try to shoot out the tires?” Kiyomi said to Trinity.

Before Trinity could answer, Marcus and Eden raised their weapons almost in tandem and fired a quick burst. A second later they both stood and hurried for the van, Eden in the lead, while Marcus faced the street with his weapon still up, his gait uneven as he moved backward toward them.

An instant later a loud impact reverberated just out of view. Eden jumped in the open door. Kiyomi sped forward to meet Marcus, who practically dove inside. “Go right,” he barked, reaching for the door to slide it shut.

Kiyomi stomped on the gas, yanking the wheel to the right when they reached the street. The SUV was a crumpled heap behind them, its front end smashed into the brick building. Men were climbing out of the wreckage, weapons in hand as they turned toward the van.

“Down!” Marcus commanded.

They all ducked as shots cracked into the back of the vehicle. The rear window shattered but they didn’t hit the tires. Kiyomi raced for the next road and turned a hard right, veering out into traffic. As soon as she’d steadied the vehicle she looked in the rearview.

Trinity whipped around to look in the back. “Everyone okay?”

“Yes.” Eden popped upright, then Marcus, and Kiyomi’s heart began to beat again.

She kept her eye on the mirrors as she finally got them to the highway and put distance between them and the shooters. There might be others coming. “Where to now?”

“Airport, eight miles out,” Trinity replied, dialing someone from the other part of the team.

Thankfully the rest of the journey was uneventful. The others were waiting when they arrived, and the jet was fueled and ready. “What happened with the prisoner?” Kiyomi said to Megan as they climbed aboard.

“He’s currently being transported to a secure holding facility by the Brits for further interrogation,” Megan said, then cut her a look sharp enough to slice through metal. “He didn’t know the Architect’s identity either, but the data on his phone has the same Atlanta number that was on Rahman’s. You’re lucky,” she said with a bite to her tone. “Lucky you’re still alive after that stunt you pulled, and that you didn’t blow our best shot at finding the Architect.”

Kiyomi bit back the argument that sprang to her tongue. Being defensive was a dick move right now. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

The apology seemed to take the wind out of Megan’s sails, because she closed her mouth and frowned. “Good. But you just burned up a lot of the trust we had in you.”

Kiyomi nodded. “Understood.” She would apologize to Amber, Jesse and Ty once they were airborne. “What about the address in Atlanta? Did you verify it?”

“Amber did. Briar and Georgia will be checking it out. It’ll be at least five or six hours before we hear anything. Hopefully by the time we land in the Cotswolds, we’ll know something.”

Megan moved down the aisle to find Ty. Marcus was sliding into a window seat in the middle of the plane. He grimaced, grabbed hold of the armrests as he lowered himself into it.

Kiyomi made her way over to him, shoved her duffel under the seat in front and sat next to him. “You okay?”

He nodded and slid his arm around her, pulling her snug into his side. “Be glad to get airborne and put this place behind me forever.”

“Me too.” Kiyomi curled into him and wrapped her arms around his ribs. “I’m glad you’re here with me.” She planned to stay just like this for the duration of the flight. Because once they got back to Laidlaw Hall, everything would change.

He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her in answer.

Once they were in the air everyone relaxed visibly. Kiyomi closed her eyes, memorizing the feel of Marcus’s arms around her before dozing off. She woke minutes before landing in the Cotswolds, and then it was a forty-minute drive to the manor.

They arrived just after noon, the sky a solid, leaden gray and a cold wind gusting over the hills. Marcus slowed as they approached a work crew up ahead on the side of the road, working on what looked like the water main.

Marcus picked up the handheld radio and contacted Ty, who was driving the other vehicle behind them. “Go ‘round and come in through the east pasture, just as a precaution.”

They passed through a narrow gate at the eastern entrance to the property and drove across the pastures. Several minutes later, Laidlaw Hall appeared nestled in the small valley, the golden-toned stone a welcome sight in the gloom.

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