Page 94 of Sutton's Shadow

Jude returned empty-handed. “Sorry, man. I lost her.”

“Shit,” Finch barked.

Wyatt turned his attention back to Ronnie. “Do you know where they took Sutton?”

“I d-don’t know for s-sure, but they have another place. A- a farmhouse. About an hour from here.” She rattled off an address.

“Thank you,” Wyatt said and squeezed her hand.

“Tell Bethany—tell her I’m sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen.” She broke off into sobs again, but Wyatt couldn’t give her any more of his time. He had to go after Sutton.

“Go,” Logan prompted. “Evan and I will stay here with your mom and the kids and wait for the cops. Go get Sutton.”

Wyatt nodded. Getting to his feet, he took in his friends. They were with him. They walked out of the house and down the street to Jude’s truck just as the first sirens reached his ears. Even as the vise clamped around his heart tightened, he was glad that those kids would be safe.

Chapter 29

Thefarmhousecameintoview just as the sun sank below the horizon. His anxiety ramped up, imagining what Sutton was going through. It had been way too many hours since she’d gone missing. Anything could be happening to her. Some, he didn’t even want to think about.

His heart was bleeding for her. Each desperate beat pumping more out. There was a Sutton-size hole in his heart that only she could weld back into place.

“Do we wait for full dark or go now?” Wade asked.

His core said go now. But as he regarded his friends, he debated whether to risk it. It was easier to operate in the dark. But Sutton could be suffering—if she was even inside that house.

His friends would go along with whatever he said, he knew that, but he didn’t want to place them in more danger than he had to. The best men were at his back. All special operators. The best of the best.

Graham had taken Logan’s place back at the other house so the former SEAL could join them, nothing but determination in his eyes. He understood the fear Wyatt was experiencing since his fiancée had been kidnapped over a year ago. But the pair had just gotten engaged, and Wyatt wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something happened to his friend.

Logan’s hand slammed down on his shoulder. “We’re with you. Whatever you decide.” Jude and Wade both grunted their agreement.

He did his best to swallow the lump in his throat. “Let’s do some reconnaissance first and meet back here in thirty.”

They nodded before disappearing into the foliage. Wyatt stayed where he was; his view of the farmhouse was unobstructed. There were three SUVs in the dirt drive, and he’d already spotted two guys prowling around the outside of the house. Both armed to the teeth.

The armament didn’t concern him. They’d stopped to suit up with their own weapons and gear. The unknown of what they’d face inside worried him the most. They had no idea how many men they’d be up against.

About twenty minutes into their scouting, a black Tesla drove up to the house. Wyatt watched as a behemoth got out of the driver’s seat and adjusted his suit jacket, which did nothing to hide the bulge of the weapon holstered underneath. He stalked around the car, his eyes missing nothing about his surroundings, and opened the passenger door.

Another man, smaller than the first, climbed out of the car. This was the money; the behemoth was the brawn. The second man pinched a speck of something off the sleeve of his tailored designer suit jacket and sneered at the house.

The man he’d seen at Ronnie’s place stepped out onto the porch. She’d called him her boyfriend, but now he knew the truth. He’d been controlling her. Threatening Bethany to keep her in line. Wyatt would even bet he was the one who’d given her the shiner.

He was dark. Dark eyes, dark hair, dark clothes, dark expression. He oozed confidence, as if he thought he was in charge and untouchable.

Wyatt couldn’t make out what they were saying, but it was obvious the designer suit guy was pleased. He quickly followed the dark man into the house, as if he was a kid who couldn’t wait to open up his presents on Christmas morning.

“Looks like a buyer,” Wade stated. It did not surprise Wyatt to find all three of his friends were by his side again, even though he hadn’t heard their approach.

“Fuck,” Jude hissed.

“Shit, think he’s here for Sutton?” Logan wondered.

Wyatt considered the same. If it wasn’t Sutton, then there was someone else in that house in need of saving. His rage intensified. That these men thought they could buy and sell women and girls repulsed him. And the sickening things they were capable of doing to their “products” made him want to kill them all. But he’d have to settle for tearing apart their operation. This wasn’t a sanctioned mission. They couldn’t go around killing everyone. At least, not unless they were forced, and he really hoped he’d be compelled to take someone down. He would do whatever it took to protect Sutton.

“We should go in now,” Wade suggested. “They could move her shortly.”

“Agreed,” Logan said.

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