Page 92 of Forbidden Vows

We spot movement about fifty yards ahead, two guards lingering outside the front entrance—a massive set of double doors made of corrugated metal. The lights are on inside.

“I’m still in bed recovering, sir, but I figured I’d be of help,” he says.

Declan can hear him, too. “You’re off your rocker, Nest.”

“Right back at you, Robin. But at least I’m being useful. The warehouse was fitted with a CCTV system a few months back.”

“How do you know?” I ask.

“I hacked into Lee’s phone and email when you and Mr. Benedetto sat him down for coffee.”

I give Declan a startled look while we remain still in a dark corner. “How the hell did you do that?” I reply in a low voice, but I’m sure Ian can sense my outrage.

“Don’t be mad, Sir, but I planted several apps on your phone that allow me to access other devices by proxy. I didn’t think I’d everhave to use them, but I was comforted to have a contingency in place, should anything happen to you.”

“Nothing happened to me.”

“No, but I can still use your phone to help Eileen.”

“Fair enough. Tell us about the security system,” I concede.

“I just disabled it. They won’t see you coming. I left some standard empty segments looping on their screens. I doubt they’ll notice the time stamps.”

Declan exhales sharply. “He got himself hooked up with a laptop at the hospital not two days after getting shot. The man is unbelievable.”

“And you’re welcome,” Ian replies. “Best of luck, gentlemen.”

“Yeah, we’ll talk about those apps you installed without my consent when I get back, but thanks, Ian.”

Declan and I approach the front entrance from two different angles.

The guards fail to spot us until it’s too late. Declan shoots one in the head, and I get the other one in the neck. They both drop dead. I briefly stare at their bodies and the pools of crimson blood spreading on the ground, wishing there had been an easier and better way to do this.

But there wasn’t.

Slowly, we go inside.

“Looks quiet,” Declan whispers.

Indeed, the ground floor is a vast space of nothing. But I don’t like it.

“It’stooquiet,” I whisper.

POP. POP.

Bullets whizz past us.

They either heard us come in or their outside boys didn’t check in when they were supposed to. It’s on, whether we like it or not.

Declan is quick to spot one of the shooters at the top. He fires back. The assailant drops from a considerable height with a sickening crunch of his bones. More of Sergei’s people come at us from various locations within the dark warehouse.

I shoot at everything that moves without discrimination.

“Ground floor, birdies!” I call out through my earpiece.

Immediately, four of our men join the gunfight.

I hear the bullets as they ping across the room from multiple directions. Sparks fly. Wood gets blown to splinters while Declan and I split up and take cover.

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