Page 88 of Twice the Rivalry

“Then maybe we need to start getting more forceful,” Hazard said with a cold, cruel smile. “Someone knows something, we just need to find the right someone. I’ve been itching to get my hands dirty. I’m sure we can make them talk.” He glanced at the others, who all nodded with anticipation. He looked back at Slip. “We’re going to find them one way or another. I’ve already got calls out to our contacts for anyone who spots them, but if not, I’ll find them myself. So I suggest you get out of my face and back to work, before it’s your ass I take it out on. Don’t think you’re not replaceable, Slip.”

Slip’s fists clenched at his sides, but he didn’t dare take a swing. That would only give Hazard the green light. For as much as he wanted to work his own frustrations out, he was out numbered and he knew it. The only one that might back him was Spook; the others were firmly in Hazard’s court. He fed their darkest fantasies, and it kept them loyal. “Fine,” he gritted out, turning and heading back down the hall of the cabin to the bedroom he set up as his headquarters, shutting the door behind him. He didn’t need to slam it, especially if he didn’t want Hazard running in here and destroying his shit. He did it once; it was the one and only time Slip went up against him. He landed himself a beating that almost left him dead, but Hazard kept him on, with the warning that if he ever did it again, he’d kill him.

He needed to kill Eliza before he went on a suicide mission by taking on Hazard. Days like these reminded him that working with his team wasn’t always fun. These were the times it was clear where each stood in the hierarchy, and as much as it burned, he was at the bottom.

He sat down at the small desk, cracked his neck, and got to work. He was going to find them, and when he did, he was going to throw it back in Hazard’s face. Hazard let his emotions rule how he ran things. Slip loved being able to prove to their team leader that he wasn’t always the smartest in the bunch.

He worked for the next few hours, scouring all the records he could find on any of the team members. He concentrated too much on Eliza, and he needed to focus on the others. Of course Eliza could hide herself online, but it would take a hell of a lot of time to hide them all, and he doubted she would put that much effort into it. And even if she had, he was sure she missed something. Not even she was perfect.

It wasn’t until three hours later he finally got the break he needed. The alert hit his system so unexpectedly he jolted and stared at it for a moment before he finally clued in to exactly what it was. Triumph speared through him as he latched on to the alert to trace it back.

It was a hospital record for Karissa Valentine, one of Eliza’s teammates from way back then. He checked the time stamp and saw it was only a few hours old. He quickly hacked in to see if she was still there. He had a moment of disappointment when he saw it was just a signature on an intake form, stating she had dropped someone off. But it was still something. Taking note of the time, he started hacking into the hospital’s surveillance system, going back to around the time she would have arrived. And that’s when he realized not only had he gotten a break, he hit the jackpot.

Right there, in full view of the security camera, was the woman he had vowed to find, following behind Karissa Valentine as she and a few other women helped a heavily pregnant woman into a wheelchair. He would recognize her face anywhere. Excitement burned in his gut as he continued scrolling through the security footage until he finally saw what he needed.

He had a location, and he finally knew how she was hiding. She was with a fucking motorcycle club. Well, it looked like it was time to pay the Dragons MC a visit, because no way was he letting her get away from him.

I’m coming for you,Eliza, he thought as he stood and headed for the door.You won’t slip through my fingers again.

CHAPTERFORTY

GLITCH

By the time they got back to the clubhouse, she was exhausted, but she couldn’t stop now. She glanced at the clock and cursed. Her team was going to be calling her any minute, and she had to be ready. She pulled away from Code and raced for the office, skidding to a stop when Tom and the other Prospect stepped out in front of her, scowling. She gave them a hard glare. “If you’re expecting an apology, you’re going to be waiting a long damn time,” she bit out. “Now, unless you would like a repeat, I suggest you get out of my way.”

Tom glared at her, but stepped aside. The other one, whose name she hadn’t figured out yet, was a bit slower but she stared at him until he finally lowered his gaze and moved. Behind her she heard Code say, “Prospects, get back to work. I’ve got it from here.”

She looked over her shoulder at him with an expression that told him exactly how she felt about that statement as she stalked into the office. “You really need to get some tougher Prospects,” she told Code when he followed her in.

Code snorted. “Kitten, they’re tough enough, but they’re not used to you and Karissa and your, shall we say, excessive use of force when they get in your way. They were doing their job, and you’ve made them look weak in front of all of us by taking them down. They’re not going to meet you here with balloons and smiles.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’ll apologize, but we both know I did the right thing.”

He arched a brow. “Did you? Because from where I’m standing, I see you putting yourself in unnecessary danger. Did you forget about the crazy mercenaries after you? Or do you just like the idea of serving yourself up on a platter for them?” He ended that last part with a biting tone and a scowl.

She looked up at him and glared. “Maybe you’re the one forgetting I can take care of my own damn self. I don’t need you and your MC to protect me, caveman. ” She shook her head. “I can’t wait to be with my team again.” She turned back to her computer and booted it up. When she looked back at Code, who hadn’t moved, he was staring at her with an expression on his face she couldn’t decipher. But his eyes told a whole other story, and she frowned when she saw the determination there. “Problem?” she asked mildly.

He didn’t move for another moment, but when he did, it was to put a hand on the back of her chair, turn her around to face him, and then place both his hands on the armrests, caging her in. Her eyes widened in surprise as she stared into his gleaming green ones. Then, he rasped, “We’ll finish this with your team, and then you and I are going to talk.” Then he pressed his mouth to hers in a hard, almost punishing kiss, before pulling away and stalking over to his side of the desk.

She stared at him, dazed, confused, and a little turned on. What the hell was that? That wasn’t him being pissed she went to the hospital, or even about what she did to mess with his room earlier. That was something else entirely, and though she didn’t know exactly what else he would have to pissed about, there was a little kernel of something starting to sprout in her belly. One she had no business entertaining.

Telling herself that she would deal with it later, she turned back to her computer and put on her headset. Then got herself ready for the mission. Karissa joined them shortly before the call, putting on her own headset to listen in.

Simba called her right on time. “We’re ready to go,” he said quietly. “Glitch?”

“I’m good. Code and Xena are here too and comm’ed in,” Glitch replied briskly.

“Code, you’re set?” Simba asked.

“Ready,” Code assured him.

“Good. Xena?”

“All good on my side,” Karissa replied. “Not that I can be of much help here, but I read the file and an extra set of eyes never hurts.”

“Good. Glitch, let us know when we’re green to enter. We’re just outside the treeline of the adjoining property,” Simba announced.

“I’ve got the drones ready to fly,” Jag added softly.

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