Page 6 of Deadly Holiday
“We can’t get out this way. We’re going to need a Plan B.”
Carefully avoiding the window on the door, they returned to the middle of the kitchen.
Three windows, but they only opened part way, not nearly wide enough to accommodate any of them to fit through. Frustrated, Cooper’s eyes traveled over the ceiling and walls, landing on a large ventilation duct half hidden behind a prep table. He quietly moved the table out of the way, and began to pry the cover off the vent. “Celina, you’re on lookout. Punto, find something to get these screws out.”
Ronni handed him a butter knife. The tip just barely fit into the screw head, making the process possible, but slow going. After several tense seconds, he finally managed to get the last screw off and removed the cover, setting it aside.
“Ladies first.” He motioned for Ronni to climb in, scowling when she shook her head.
“Celina first.”
“We don’t have time to argue, Punto. Get in.”
She hesitated a second longer, her eyes darting to Celina, but she gave him her hand and allowed him to help her squeeze inside and out of sight.
One down, one to go. With Ronni safe, Cooper turned to Celina.
Her eyes were serious, and his stomach bottomed out. “We’ve got incoming,” she whispered.
Shit. They’d run out of time. “Davenport, get the fuck in therenow.”
Her eyes widened before narrowing dangerously and he knew he would pay for that later. Fuck it. If it got her moving, then he would say it ten more times. Getting the women, especiallyhiswoman, to safety was a top priority, even if Celina didn’t agree. She hated it when he got all overprotective on her, but tough shit. She was the mother of his child and the woman he would be marrying tonight if they got out of this goat fuck alive. Until then, she could just be mad at him.
He was already going over a myriad of possible situations when he saw the firm set of her jaw, the determination in her gaze. No.No. “Goddammit, Celina, don’t you dare.”
“I love you.” Her face wavered, and she swallowed hard. “Get Ronni out of here and get some help. I’ll keep them off your back.” Celina was gone before he could argue.
Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. This wasnothappening, not now.
A shout came from the other side of the doors and he caught Celina’s calm, clipped tone as she claimed she was the only one in the kitchen. Her lie would buy him a few extra seconds before they checked things out for themselves. He needed to get his ass moving. Cooper backed into the ventilation shaft and pulled the table over as close as he could manage before setting the cover back into place.
“Where’s Celina?”
Cooper winced at the accusatory tone of Ronni’s voice. “She’s covering so we could get out. Let’s make this count, Punto.”
