Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The car raced out of Chase’s neighborhood. Some beefy guy was sitting in between her and Devon.
“He needs a hospital,” Aurora said.
“Tanner is a field medic.” In the front seat, Max had his phone to his ear and was alternating between speaking to Aurora and shouting commands into the device. He was telling Sylvie to check surveillance footage for the black Escalade. They had to find out where it had gone.
But Aurora could only think about Devon. He’d been shot. He was bleeding. Her stomach had lodged right in her throat. Please let him be all right.
Devon was too quiet. She leaned around Tanner. “What’s happening?”
Tanner was doing something to Devon’s arm. “I applied a quick-clotting agent from my kit. Looks like the bullet went straight through. He’s in some pain, but it doesn’t look too bad. I’ll bet he’s had worse.”
Devon nodded slightly. “This is nothing.” The muscles in his jaw bulged like he was clenching his teeth together. His eyes found hers, and Aurora saw so much strength there. She wished that she were the one checking on him. Holding him.
He’d taken a bullet trying to protect her. She had to do something.
She’d had every intention of running as far and fast as she could, just as Devon had instructed. But when she’d heard those gunshots, she’d frozen. She just couldn’t leave him behind. And when she’d actually seen him get hit?
Her heart had burned with the knowledge: my man is in trouble.
Though Devon obviously wasn’t her man, not after such a short time together.
They were barely even dating. And she obviously didn’t have the right training or abilities.
But in the moment, none of that mattered.
Nothing could’ve stopped Aurora from going back to help him.
Max turned around. “You’re sure the Escalade driver was the same guy you saw before?”
“Um, yes.” Aurora had to tear her gaze away from Devon.
Max’s face made a funny expression, glancing from her to Devon and back again. Did he see something there?
“Definitely the same guy. I think I saw him at the ‘Angels and Demons’ party, too.”
“And Sylvie said he wasn’t part of the Syndicate. So, what the hell is going on?” Max slammed his palm against the dashboard. “And how the fuck did he know where you were? As of this morning, nobody except the people in this car—and Sylvie—knew where you were.”
And Chase and Lana, Aurora thought, but she didn’t think it would help to say it.
Tanner had tensed beside her. Aurora didn’t know the guy, but he seemed to be doing everything in his power for Devon, so she was disposed to like him.
Max shook his head like he was shaking off the thought. “Once we get back to the office, we’ll reassess.”
“That’s where we’re going? Your headquarters?”
But Max didn’t answer. He’d sunk down in his seat, apparently deep in thought.
“You’ll be safe there,” Tanner murmured. “You’ll have half a dozen bodyguards and all of your brother’s tech to protect you, not to mention bullet-proof glass and steel-reinforced doors.”
“I wasn’t thinking about me. What about medical facilities? Devon needs a real doctor.”
“We’ve got one on call. We’ll take care of him.”
Aurora reached past Tanner and put a hand on Devon’s leg. Tanner’s eyebrow arched, but that disappeared when she scowled.
“I’m really okay,” Devon whispered. “I just wish I’d stopped that bastard before he got away.”
Tanner chuckled. “You’re lucky the bullet hit your left arm. That right hand’s your closest friend.”
Devon used the hand in question to flip Tanner off.
Aurora could hardly sit still. She stared out the window, jumping at every black SUV that passed. They wound through the streets of West Oaks and then onto the freeway, where the ocean appeared, glittering in the distance.
Around ten minutes later, they pulled into the driveway of a brick building. This was the far edge of the waterfront, past the nightclubs and boutiques of Ocean Lane and the touristy beaches. Here, the waves crashed directly onto rocks and tossed foam into the air.
The driver swiped a keycard against the reader, and a heavy metal door opened.
Inside, they parked in a garage among a handful of other cars.
Bright lights flooded the space, making every corner visible.
Although the vehicles were average, it looked more like a car showroom than a typical parking garage.
Max breathed out, fixing the shotgun back into a special case below the dashboard. He pushed open the passenger side door. “Lock down the building,” he said to the driver. “Tanner, take Devon to the infirmary and have the doctor contact you directly when he arrives.”
Aurora got out on shaky legs. Immediately, she rounded the car to the other side, where Tanner was helping Devon to stand.
Max reached for her arm. “Aurora, come with me. This place might look secure, but I’d feel a lot better if you were upstairs in my office.”
“I’d rather stay with Devon. I want to make sure—”
“Whitestone can manage just fine without you. Can’t he?” Her brother regarded her, scrutinizing her response.
Devon’s sharp gaze warned her. She was giving too much away.
“The guy got shot trying to protect me. Don’t I owe him a little concern?”
Max put a firm hand against her back, ushering her toward an elevator. “True. He made all of us proud. I take care of my people, Aurora, and Devon will be no exception. Now let’s get you upstairs. Lana is waiting.”
As the doors slid open, she couldn’t help glancing back at Devon. He was settling into a wheelchair that someone had brought down. He didn’t look in her direction.
The elevator whisked her and Max to the main floor. They walked out onto polished concrete. One side of the massive space was all windows overlooking the ocean. The view was spectacular, just sky and water stretching away from the horizon, and Aurora paused for a second to take it in.
We will get through this, she thought, repeating Devon’s words from earlier. Her heart tugged, wanting to know where he’d gone. Whether he was in pain. But Max gestured for her to follow him.
While the front half of the main floor was pure windows, the back half was an ocean of computer screens.
They showed various camera feeds, metrics, databases.
Far more information that Aurora could begin to process.
Desks occupied the open workspace, with a dozen employees chatting or poring over the data on their screens. They all looked up as she entered.
Sylvie dashed over and gave her a hug. “Thank god you’re okay! I’m so sorry, Aurora. I’m trying to track the guy who attacked you. I swear to you, I’ll find him.”
“I know.”
“If I’m the one that led him to you, if he followed me…”
Aurora didn’t want her to blame herself for the attack. “I can’t imagine that’s it. I have faith in you. You’ll figure it out. But could you check on Devon for me? I’m really worried.”
“Of course.”
“I’m up this way.” Max waved her toward an open-riser staircase made of more glass and steel.
Aurora said goodbye to Sylvie and followed her brother.
Max’s office was perched above the others, with glass walls overlooking his employees beneath.
So much money must’ve gone into building this.
Max had to be proud of it. But her brother had always liked to show off a bit, even when they were younger and had nothing.
Max would deprive himself to save up for one nice pair of shoes or a trendy coat.
It was like he wanted to prove to the world that nobody could keep him down.
Her brother had liked to portray a careful image.
Strength, prosperity, ease. Even though their lives had never been easy, especially his.
“Aurora!” Lana ran out of Max’s office and wrapped her in a bear hug. “I was so scared!”
Tears stung Aurora’s eyes as she returned her friend’s embrace.
“Get in here,” Lana said.
They sat together on the couch. Max came in behind them, closing the door. From Aurora’s seat, she could still see the gorgeous ocean landscape, but the workspace and its busy screens had disappeared from view.
Lana rubbed the knots between Aurora’s shoulders. “You’re sure you’re okay? Do you need anything, like maybe some tea?”
I need to know how Devon’s doing, Aurora thought. She remembered what Devon had said—he just kept looking forward. That was the only way to cope. Aurora needed to do the same.
“Water would be great. And maybe some coffee?”
“I’ll call downstairs. Someone will bring it up, cause this place is fancy.”
“No kidding.” She got up and paced.
Max stopped her, putting his hands on both sides of her face. “We’re all thanking our stars that you’re safe. I should’ve brought you back here the same night of Wolfson’s murder.”
“I wouldn’t have wanted to be stuck here, anyway.”
He smiled wryly. “I’m sure you wouldn’t. But I underestimated Crane. I’m not going to let that happen again. The guy who went after you is staying ahead of us for now, but I’ve got my best people on it.”
“And Chase Collins? It was his house that got shot up.”
“I’ll do whatever I can. Even write him a check and help arrange contractors.”
She was glad about that. So many people had been affected by this mess. “There must be something I can do. Max, if I have to sit here like some princess in a tower, I’ll lose it.”
“You’ll manage. The sooner I shut all of Crane’s people down, the sooner this will be over.” He strode toward the exit, already thumbing his phone. “I’ll be back later.”
The door clicked closed behind him. Through the glass, Aurora could see him jogging down the stairs.
Aurora threw up her hands. “You see how impossible he is? He doesn’t listen to me!”
Lana shook her head, and Aurora suspected she was annoyed at both brother and sister.
“Sometime, you two need to sit down and have a candid discussion. But this is not that moment. There’s way too much going on.
Speaking of—come back here. Slow down and breathe.
” She tugged Aurora to the couch. “Tell me honestly. What are you feeling right now? This office is soundproof, by the way. Scream if you need to get it out.”
“I’m tempted.” Aurora dropped her face into her hands. “My head is spinning. Last night was possibly the best night of my life, and today was in the top five for the worst.”
“Last night? What do you mean? Wait…”
Aurora looked up.
A devious smile had spread across her friend’s face. “Do you mean Devon? You and the hot-neighbor-who’s-actually-your-hot-bodyguard?”
Aurora shushed her. “Quiet. Max probably has listening devices in here.”
Lana made a face. “No, he doesn’t. We’re fine. Now you have to tell me everything.”
This topic was the perfect distraction. Once Aurora got going, she kept finding more to say about Devon.
How easy he was to talk to, how kind, how he’d lost so much, yet had such an open, generous heart.
She didn’t kiss and tell, not in any detail.
A jealous part of her wanted their sexiest moments all to herself.
But she hinted that Devon was every bit as good-looking with his clothes off. And every bit as strong.
Lana nudged her arm. “You really like this guy.”
“Yeah. I think I do. I know it’s fast, but Devon is amazing.
He did lie to me about his identity, which pissed me off, as you know.
But I understand now that it wasn’t his choice.
” Aurora frowned as she thought of her brother.
“And do not defend him,” she added when Lana opened her mouth.
“Max actually threatened to fire Devon if he touched me. So, you can’t even hint to Max about what you know. ”
“I’m not getting in the middle of you two. These lips are sealed.” Lana glanced at her watch. “Well, sealed about you and Devon. I have a conference call in twelve minutes.”
“You do?”
“With Dominic Crane’s defense counsel. He called before you arrived, just after the news broke about the second attempt on your life.
Which can’t be a coincidence. Usually, I’d be in my own office over at the judicial center, but with you in danger and Max consulting on the case, I’ve been camped out here. ”
Aurora felt a surge of fury. “Tell them I won’t be intimidated. I’m going to testify, no matter what.”
“You could tell them yourself. Jump on the call with me. Make them squirm.” Lana tapped her fingertips together like she couldn’t wait.
“Tempting. But actually, I’d rather spend my time a different way.”
“Do you need a shower? I brought some of your clothes here.”
“Ugh, yes. You’re the best, thank you. And then, I have an idea to get this princess out of her tower.”
“Is this idea going to make Max furious with me when he finds out?”
“Probably. But I’ll be furious with you if you don’t help me, so…” This wasn’t true, and they both knew it. But Aurora really did need her best friend’s help right now. That was the only way she could stage the escape attempt she had in mind.
Lana groaned. “All right. Tell me what to do. But we’d better make it quick because I am never late for a conference call.”