Stumbling onto my feet, I rushed to grab my phone, still sitting in the console of my car, my fingers flying over the keyboard. I thanked all the saints for installing a tracking device in the necklace I gifted her.
“We should check your head,” Arthur suggested.
“Later,” I waved him off. Ainslee was my priority. “Wales,” I told Arthur. “She’s in Newport, Wales.” It was less than an hour away from here. Jesus, was I out that long?
My grandmother’s parents used to live in Newport. My uncle had to be hiding there. I had never been, both were dead before I was even born, but it made sense he would hide there. Fire raged through me, every single muscle in my body tense.
I rushed into my building, Arthur at my heel. I had a private elevator to my penthouse, and we both stepped inside it.
“Get everyone ready,” I told Arthur as the elevator swiftly moved up to take us to my penthouse. “Every fucking man we have.”
Tonight, I’d clean out the damn underworld. If it was the last thing I did on this earth, I’d save my Nightingale and incinerate my uncle along with his associates. I would destroy them all. Once the lift stopped, it opened into my penthouse and I strode through it then pushed through to my bedroom to change, while my men assembled.
I was going to get my woman back. For the next two hours we organized all our men. I got the layout of the place my uncle was hiding and pushed it to all my men’s devices. There were fifteen of us in my penthouse. I’d have to get a new penthouse now. I hated strangers in my private space, but I was grateful they assembled so fast.
“We surround the building from all four sides,” I told them all. I shared the layout through iCloud so I could highlight the locations where I wanted everyone to stand. “No bullets until I know exactly where my woman is. Once we locate her, start eliminating men.” I separated us into groups of four. “Each one of us has the side to clear out. But not the ones next to her. Leave those to me and Arthur.” I looked at Arthur. “Once we know where she is, you and I will work our way to her. My guess is Hector won’t find Ainslee as much of a threat. He’ll have a max of three men with her. ”
He nodded his agreement. Maxim would have been good in this attack, but I didn’t want to pull him into this.
As we laid out the plan and prepped a plan to get them all surrounded, all I could think about was Ainslee in arms’ reach of my sick uncle. I knew exactly how cruel and twisted he could be. Anger simmered in my veins, but I forced myself to keep a clear head. For her.
Once she was safe, I’d wipe out my uncle, all his associates and his Russians. There would be no alliance going on with them on this territory. Ever. Whoever was there was considered an enemy. No negotiation.
“Nobody goes in until I give an order,” I said. “I’m not risking anything. Once we are in, kill everyone. I’m not risking them coming after Ainslee again.”
Arthur nodded. Tonight, it was my uncle’s turn to burn. We’d handle this like a military operation. Except, it wouldn’t be in and out. We would go in, retrieve my woman, and kill them all. I dressed all in black, armed with weapons and knives. My men were decked out with guns, ammo, and knives too. This wasn’t just about my uncle and me; it was about reviving his old empire full of terror and teaming up with the worst of the worst.
My uncle’s men left him to work with me so he went to the Russians. He’d realize how badly he fucked up tonight. He should have taken the early retirement option.
My phone beeped. Everyone was in positions.Good, let's get this shit-show finished.
“Fall out,” I ordered my closest men.
We took my private elevator down and into the garage, then loaded into our vehicles. Arthur and I took the Land Rover. Ainslee’s perfume still lingered in the air, punching me in the gut. I had to keep my head clear. I couldn’t afford to let anger consume me. She needed me; she was my reason. I vowed to keep her safe, and I intended to keep my word.
I took a deep breath, letting the stealth calm wash over me. It had been what kept me alive during all those combats. It was all so I could keep my woman safe. It was good that Arthur was behind the wheel. I had a feeling I’d be crashing through the city to get to Newport as soon as possible, probably getting us into a damn car crash on our way.
We made the ride in silence, and it seemed to take forever. When we finally stopped, I saw the warehouse was surrounded by Russians and a few of Uncle’s men. I spoke into my speaker, giving my final order before we’d let the bullets rain.
“No prisoners,” I said. We used a military grade thermal scanner which allowed us to see where everyone in the building was and where Ainslee was being kept.
I cocked my gun and the first round of shots were fired. My men opened fire, efficiently killing men that tried to fight us. They were disorganized, sloppy. My men kept the firm line, and we pushed on, killing them all. Bullet by fucking bullet. The Russians and my uncle’s men started dropping, crumbling under our attack. I would never forgive anyone for coming after my woman, for daring to take her. I might have not put a ring on her finger… yet. But she was mine.
My past. My present. My future.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ainslee
The building was empty, nothing around us as far out as my eyes could see. The wind whipped around, freezing my exposed skin.
I didn’t know what I expected, but this wasn’t it. Once I was ushered in, Daniel’s uncle shoved me into a small room. It looked like it was an office at one point in time. My heart raced with fear, scared what he would attempt. I had no experience with danger. I have never been exposed to it, and now I was right smack in the middle of it.
Daniel’s uncle laughed, startling me out of my stupor.
“You seem a little bit out of your element,” he chuckled but there was no humor in his eyes nor voice.
I pressed my lips tight, unwilling to answer his taunting. I refused to be his little toy to torture. Daniel would come for me, I was certain. I just had to drag this on, until he arrived.