Page 44 of Beautiful Vengeance

He stared at her for a long moment, so long she worried he might actually check with Trinity. But she maintained her expression and finally he relented with a nod. “When I check in with you, you’d better answer,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m a grown-ass woman. Don’t ever treat me like a child.” As she strode for the door the other four didn’t even look up at her.

Slipping out the back, she made sure Trinity and Eden were gone before going to the fence. She wasn’t sure when Marcus planned to check in with her, but all she needed to make this work was a twenty-minute lead.

Scaling the fence, she hopped down and hurried out of view, whispering under her breath as she thought of how Marcus and the others would react when they learned she was gone. “You left me no choice.”

Chapter Thirteen

Marcus made himself wait a full fifteen minutes before texting Kiyomi, so it didn’t seem like he didn’t trust her at all on this.Are you in position?he asked.

She responded seconds later.Yes.

Relief slid through him. He’d pissed her off earlier, but he wasn’t sorry. His whole purpose for being here was to keep her safe, even if it meant protecting her from herself.

He started to put his phone in his pocket. A niggling sense of unease made him text Eden, not wanting to interrupt Trinity while she was sorting out the Atlanta op.You in contact with Kiyomi?

No. Why?

Dread trickled through him.Is she watching the northwest?

No. She’s still at the house.

The dread turned to fear.

He dialed Trinity, his pulse thudding in his ears. “Is Kiyomi with you?” he demanded when she answered.

“No. Why, what’s going on?”

She’d lied to him. Looked into his eyes and fuckingliedto him. Christ! “Did you ask her to pull security with you?’

“No. Marcus, what—”

“She’s gone.”A shot of adrenaline burst through him. Ty, Megan, Jesse and Amber were all staring tensely at him now. “And we all know where she went.”

Fucking hell. She’d gone after Rahman. Alone.

“Christ,” Trinity hissed.

Marcus dragged a hand over his face, thinking fast. Shite, he’d known she was too quiet at dinner, and she’d given up arguing with Trinity much too easily.

“When did you last see her?” Trinity asked.

“About eighteen minutes ago, give or take.” Shite. Way too long. Kiyomi had an almost twenty-minute head start on them. They wouldn’t be able to stop her in time.

“We’re heading back now. Be ready to move when we get there.”

“Aye.” As soon as he rang off, he dialed Kiyomi’s mobile. It kept ringing, didn’t even go to voicemail.

Fear ground in his gut, eclipsing the anger. He hated that she’d done this, even though he understood it on a personal level. Revenge was a powerful motivator.

Crossing the room in three strides, Marcus pulled Amber’s laptop toward him. “We have to stop Kiyomi. This is the fastest route to Rahman. If he’s still there,” he added, tracing the route on the satellite map on screen with his finger. She would have stolen a vehicle. Something small, nondescript and maneuverable.

“Holy shit,” Ty muttered, shaking his head.

“She didn’t trust that we’d take him out later, so she’s going to do it on her own,” Megan answered, reaching for her weapon. “We better haul ass.”

“I’ll drive.” Marcus snatched up the keys to one of the vehicles and the others followed him out back.

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