Page 70 of Dead of Wynter

“Probably early afternoon to give us a chance to do some recon, but we won’t hit until the sun goes down. I was thinking maybe if we hit at the same time The Legion hits the club as extra cover. They’ll call for backup and leave the farm slightly less protected,” Rayne explains. We’ve been over a hundred different versions of the night, but this is the one that makes the most sense, even if it does mean leaving things to chance.

“Sounds like a plan,” Storm says. “I want you to take some of the guys with you, but I don’t want them to know where you’re going or what you’re doing until you’re there. Take the van so they don’t get tipped off and take the signal blocker so they can’t get a warning out if they’re the rat.”

Rayne and I nod, but neither of us says anything. The air in the office is thick with anxious anticipation, and all I can think about is curling back around Wynter and holding her for a few more hours.

I tap my phone and the screen bursts to life. A message from Tommy among the work emails I’ve been ignoring catches my attention.

Taking Wynter to the store for food. Be back soon.

“Motherfucker,” I hiss, panic settling over me.

“What is it?” Rayne asks, sitting upright in his seat for the first time since I walked in hours ago.

“Tommy took Wynter out of the house,” I tell them as I type a reply calling him every name under the sun and ordering him to bring my woman back immediately. The rational part of my mind is desperately trying to tell me I’m overreacting and that if there’s anyone who can take care of Wynter, it’s Tommy, but the possessive caveman in me is forcing his way to the front.

“Tommy would die before he let anything happen to Wynter,” Storm reminds me.

“I know that,” I snap, my body on fire with the need to protect her and know she’s safe.

Before I’m even conscious of what I’m doing, I’ve crossed to my laptop and I’m activating the tracker on her phone. I have the app on my phone, but at least on the laptop, I can hack into cameras to check where she is and that she’s safe.

“What time did they leave?” Rayne asks.

“Almost an hour ago.”

“The store isn’t far away, surely they’ll be back soon,” Storm attempts to reassure me.

The map loads and I stare at the screen for long moments as I process what I’m seeing. “I’m sure they would if they were at the store,” I grind the words out as fury radiates through my entire body.

“Where are they?” Storm asks.

“Frost Industries.” The moment the words fall from my lips, I’m jumping into action. Something isn’t right. Tommy wouldn’t take her so far away from the estate without telling us first, which means the trip wasn’t planned, and if it wasn’t planned, there has to be a reason for it.

Five minutes later, Storm and I are sprinting out the front door, leaving Rayne behind to make sure Emerson and Snow are safe, but all I can think about is getting to my woman as quickly as possible.

53

Wynter

Dread washes over me the moment we step into the elevator. There’s something wrong, and while I can’t quite put my finger on what it is, it has the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

I glance over at Tommy beside me and notice the tick in his jaw and the way his hands clench into fists. He feels it too, the ominous atmosphere that threatens to suffocate us.

If I’d known we were coming into the office, I would have put a little effort in, at the very least I would have thrown some makeup on, but I can’t seem to find it in me to care that I’m wearing activewear with my hair tied on the top of my head, and not a lick of makeup in sight.

When my parents died, Storm and I gave blanket approval for our staff to work from home in order to give them their own time to grieve. Our parents were very involved in the company, even after retirement. Mom used to bring cakes in for everyone, and Dad used to run around at the company picnics with the kids like he was one of them, and their loss was a big shock for not only our family but for the people who work for us as well. I’ve never been more grateful for that idea than I am as I step out of the elevator and there are only a few people milling around.

“Wait here, I want to do a sweep,” Tommy orders and I nod. There’s no sense arguing with these men when they go into protect mode, so why would I waste my breath?

It feels like an eternity since I was here last, but in reality, it’s only been a couple of weeks. So much has happened I almost can’t reconcile the person I was the last time I stepped off the elevator and the person I am today.

As weird as it sounds, I’m stronger now. I’ve always been able to hold my own, always been a strong, independent woman, but now I know just how far that strength extends.

I reach into my back pocket and pull out my vibrating phone. It’s the third time Everett has called me in the last fifteen minutes, and I have a feeling he knows exactly where I am. Perhaps I should feel guilty for not telling him where we were going and making him find out on his own, but if he wants to keep secrets, two can play at that game.

My thumb hovers over the answer button, but there’s no doubt in my mind that he can hack into the cameras in the building to check on me, and I don’t want to talk to him right now.

Footsteps draw my attention from my phone, and when my eyes land on Clara, I almost smile. The terror in her deep brown eyes wipes any happiness from my face. Her dark brown hair is curled around her face, but I don’t miss the bruise forming on her cheek.

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