Page 75 of Hell or High Water

While we were both panting, our eyes locked. Without speaking, we stayed like that, letting our bodies cool. We hadn’t had sex, but I couldn’t imagine ever feeling this connected to another person. I was afraid it wouldn’t matter if we didn’t have sex. I was going to lose my heart to Than Carver regardless.

Thirty-Three

Than

Waiting was the smart thing. But fuck that. If the bastard had gotten on this property, then I was going to end this.

The first tap on the window I’d thought was part of a dream. But the second crack of a limb from a foot stepping on it hadn’t been a dream.

I sent a text to Bane and Oz before taking my Glock from beneath the mattress, where I’d stashed it while Montana was in the shower, and headed for the door. Hopefully, she slept through this. Stepping out onto the front porch, I had my gun already cocked. Bane’s text said to wait, that he was on his way. Then there was one from Oz.

Oz: What the fuck!

Which was what I thought too. Trying to figure out who the son of a bitch was who had snuck past, undetected, and how wasn’t something I had time for. But I knew he had. Just like I knew he’d tapped on the window to her bedroom, knowing she was in there.

This would be the last time I underestimated him. He was a professional. One who knew too much. And he had some obsession with Montana. My skin felt too damn tight, and rage simmered under the surface. I tried to ease myself with the reminder that we were going to catch him and I’d end his life. Along with his obsession.

The sound of an engine grew closer, and I muttered a curse. Which one of them had driven out here? I wanted to catch the son of a bitch, not send him back into hiding. After glaring in the direction of the headlights, I turned my gaze back to the darkness. If he was still out there, then he was scurrying off into whatever hole he’d crawled out of.

Dammit!

Bane’s truck pulled up in front of the cabin. Scowling, I waited for him, keeping my eyes on the darkness. I wanted to track the fucker back to where he’d gotten onto the property, but that meant leaving Montana here alone, and that wasn’t happening. Not now that I knew the guy wasn’t just a pro at overriding security cameras, but sneaking past us. Which wasn’t something I would have thought possible. Someone hadn’t been paying attention.

“I told you to wait,” Bane said, coming up behind me.

“It’s not like he’s gonna be out here now that you drove up in a truck.” I didn’t hide my irritation.

Bane might be the leader of the Mississippi branch one day, but he wasn’t yet.

“Didn’t have time to come on foot. Seeing as your ass is doing exactly what I guessed you would be. Disobeying orders.”

“You don’t give me orders,” I snapped.

“Maybe not yet,” he drawled with warning dripping from his tone.

My scowl deepened. “He was outside her fucking window. How did that happen? Who all is on watch tonight?”

“How did you hear him outside her window? The sofa seems like it would be a little too far away,” he said instead of answering my questions.

Grinding my teeth, I cut my eyes back at him. “You know that answer.”

He nodded. “I figured.”

A crackle of leaves to the left of the house had me spinning around with my gun aimed while Bane’s was out of his holster and pointed in that direction almost instantly.

“It’s me.” Oz’s deep voice carried through the darkness.

Both guns lowered in unison.

“Why the fuck are you coming out of the goddamn woods?” Bane asked.

“Why the fuck did you drive here? If he was out here, then you scared him off,” Oz retorted.

I looked back at Bane. “Like I said.”

“If I could have trusted you to stay the fuck inside until you had backup, then I would have come through the woods like a ninja too. But I knew you’d be out here.”

“What is with the bickering? Jesus,” Oz muttered.

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