Page 87 of My Grumpy Billionaire Protector

Evie blows out a breath and shoves her hair out of her eyes. “I know, but it doesn’t mean I’m not still concerned.”

“Cory knows what he’s doing most of the time. He’s our go-to when it comes to The Syndicate, so let’s hope he can do a halfway decent job.”

“I heard that,” Cory grumbles from somewhere up ahead. He stops and looks back at us with a scowl. “I know what I’m doingallof the time, cuz. I managed to help sneak her out of the compound the night of your accident, didn’t I?”

“Lucky shot,” I say, with a roll of my eyes. “And Pierce helped you, remember? Now, come on. Are you going to brag all night or actually get us out of here undetected?”

Over the past few months, there have been a lot of changes, most notable of which is the capture and subsequent handing over of Joaquin Lopez. After interrogating him, a process Isaiah personally oversaw, he’d confirmed everything we knew. Even after having weeks to come to terms with the truth, Evie still cries herself to sleep, the sound of her shudders and whimpers fill the room.

I haven’t been able to do much but be there while she battles her demons.

Isaiah, on the other hand, is another matter. With the information being brought to his attention, he’d been rattled. And with the information I’ve given The Syndicate, they haven’t stopped coming for him.

He’s been so concerned with protecting his own ass that he didn’t even bat an eye when we broke out, thanks in large part to the deal I made with The Syndicate.

It made kicking him out of the company easier, even if we still have a lot of damage control to do because of his stunt. I don’t care about any of that though.

All I care about is making sure Evie’s grandpa got what was coming to him.

I want Evie as far away from this as possible, to shoulder the sin alone, but she still won’t listen. I know it kills her to keep this hidden from her friends, but it is as much about protecting them as it is about going after her grandfather.

Evie is a force to be reckoned with.

And it makes me love her all the more.

Especially when the two of us are dressed in head-to-toe black and attempting to sneak away from Evie’s apartment and into an abandoned warehouse.

When it comes to Governor Coombes, who has eyes and ears everywhere, we have to be as careful as possible.

He has been watching Evie carefully since her miraculous rescue.

It is why we are sneaking around in the dead of night with a crescent moon overhead and a fierce wind howling around us. When we make it past a set of old and creaky wrought iron gates, Cory leads us down a side path toward two motorcycles parked behind a pair of bushes. Once he shows me the narrow path, I help Evie onto the motorcycle and fasten my helmet.

She wraps her arms around my waist and leans in. “Aren’t they going to hear us? The SUV parked not far from my apartment building, I mean.”

“Don’t worry about that. I took care of it.” Cory jumps onto his own motorcycle and leans forward. “Follow my lead. I know the best route to get to Dinah.”

I nod, and Evie’s grip on me tightens. “You ready?”

“No, but Dinah is waiting for us, so let’s go ahead and get going. The longer we’re gone, the more suspicious it’ll be.”

With that, I turn the key, and the engine purrs underneath me. Cory rides ahead of us, keeping his body down against the machine while we follow at a safe distance. I blink, the wind making my eyes burn. Buildings and people rush past on either side, a flurry of activity and color, until we reach the outskirts of the city.

I bring the motorcycle to a stop in front of an abandoned cottage with weeds growing out front. Dirt and gravel are kicked up as I kill the engine and hop off. Wordlessly, I hold out my hand to Evie, who takes off her helmet and eagerly scrambles off.

Then she cups a hand over her mouth and lets out a loud, ear-splitting whistle.

Moments later, another whistle comes from behind the cottage, and a figure emerges. I inch closer to Evie and peer into the darkness. My hand immediately goes to the gun in the waistband of my jeans, but Evie reaches for my hand and gives a slight shake of her head.

Dinah steps out underneath the flickering street lamp and gives us all a tight smile. “Great company you’re keeping.”

Evie draws her hand back and throws herself at Dinah, the two of them embracing fiercely. “I missed you. When you didn’t respond right away, I was worried.”

“I’ve been distracted with Grandpa, and trying to make sure he doesn’t suspect that we’re onto him,” Dinah murmurs, her voice barely carrying over before she draws back. “What about you? Are you doing okay? How’s the new school?”

“It’s fine.” Evie’s eyes roam over her sister before she takes a step back. “You can still back out, Di. It’s not too late. This is way more than you bargained for.”

Dinah shakes her head, wisps of dark hair framing her face. “No way. I’m helping you with this, whether you want me to or not.” She shoves her hands into her pockets and glances over at Cory. “Do you have the stuff?”

---