Chapter 4
FOUR
BUTCH
Stepping off the hotel elevator, my eyes sweep the hall. I don’t like feeling vulnerable, and right now, I might as well be a goddamn sitting duck. If these people aren’t who or what they claim—or decide I’m in their way—I could be fucked sideways.
And that would really fucking piss me off. Especially since finding Becca so I can take her with me would slow the process of getting the hell out of here way down.
I walked out of our meeting at the restaurant uncertain about Alaskan Security.
Technically, I’m still uncertain, but there’s no way in hell I’m leaving these dipshits in charge of Becca’s safety.
She’s too smart for everyone’s own good, and with her sister’s life on the line, I wouldn’t put anything past her.
The woman is small, but determined as fuck.
That’s why, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do, I had to leave her behind ten years ago.
Cut off all contact and walk away. She would have made me, and it wouldn’t have taken long.
I believe her when she says she wouldn’t have told anyone, but just knowing would have put her in a position that could be dangerous.
And I would never intentionally do that to her.
When we met, I was living a completely different sort of life. Affiliated with the worst of the worst. No way would I have brought that to her doorstep.
But now…
I reach the room number Heidi gave me when I messaged to let her know I was ready to talk. Giving the hall another scan, I lift my hand and bang the side of it against the door. It takes about two seconds for it to open.
And even less time for me to be pissed off.
I know these guys don’t like me. The bulkier one in particular—Owen—seems to hate my fucking guts.
He’s in for a rude awakening if he thinks it’s going to bother me.
I don’t give a shit. Other people’s opinions of me aren’t my fucking business.
And as long as he stays out of my way, we won’t have any problems.
Owen looks me up and down, his scowl almost as deep as mine. “What are you doing here?”
“I told Heidi I was ready to talk and she sent me here. If you have a problem with that, take it up with her.”
I don’t know Heidi well, but I’ve talked to her more than I have anyone else at Alaskan Security, and I can say without hesitation she’s a force to be reckoned with. One I can’t imagine Owen will be eager to take on.
The second guy—the tall one, Luca—grabs the door and pulls it wider, standing shoulder to shoulder with his buddy. He also tries to out scowl me. He also fails.
Along with my patience.
“You guys want to know what I’ve got, or not?” I’m not wasting my fucking breath, so if they don’t give a shit, I’m leaving.
But since I’ll be leaving with Becca, I don’t expect it to be an uneventful process.
After a few more silent seconds, Luca jerks his chin toward the inside of their room. “Come on.”
The meeting with Alaskan Security didn’t do a hell of a lot to convince me they know what they’re doing.
Sure, they seem professional enough, and it’s clear the owner—Pierce—has money to burn.
But money and knowledge will only get you so far.
Motivation is what really gets shit done, and I’m not seeing what’s in this for them.
I can’t imagine Becca is footing the bill for this whole op, and there’s no way in hell Pierce is doing this out of the goodness of his heart.
Even if he was, goodness is about as useful as a fucking dog turd when dealing with men like the ones we’re facing.
And since I’m not convinced I can trust them, I held back.
Gave them just enough to feel like I’m willing to play.
Would I have been more forthcoming if Becca had been there?
Maybe. But they claimed she wasn’t feeling well, and didn’t seem interested in giving me the opportunity to check for myself.
Yet another strike against them.
I don’t like them controlling my access to her. That’s why I’m now sitting at my table, setting up a burner phone. Adding in the number to my own temporary cell while it charges. The next time I see Becca—and there will be a next time—I want her to have a way to get in touch if she needs me.
Or even if she doesn’t.
I’m just finishing up the process of organizing the installed apps when my phone starts to ring. I quickly connect the call. “What?”
“Get to the hotel. Becca and Audrey were abducted.” I don’t know any of the men well enough to identify who’s calling me, but since they put her name first, I have to guess it’s one of the two who are supposed to have their eyes on Becca.
And while I’m still not sure I’m interested in playing nice with Alaskan Security, I’ll be damned if I let those fuckers allow her to get hurt.
I grab the phone I got for her, yanking the charging cord out of the wall before grabbing my truck keys. “I’m on my way.”
I get to the hotel in half the time it would normally take, pulling right up to the front doors and parking in the fire zone.
Don’t. Fucking. Care.
I charge into the lobby, scanning the swarm of shithead teenagers clogging the space, before zeroing in on the trio decked out in tactical gear. They see me right when I see them, and cut the distance in half.
Maddox—the only one of the three not obsessed with Becca—passes his phone to me. “Here’s the security footage.”
I stare down at the video playing on the screen.
It’s grainy, but it’s still easy to identify the assholes putting their hands on Becca.
“I know these guys.” Using my thumbs, I enlarge the feed, listing off the names of the pricks who might not survive the day.
“They’re low-level criminals who’ll do anything for a buck.
” I return Maddox’s phone. “How long have the girls been gone?”
“According to the security footage, they walked out of here fifteen minutes ago.” Maddox shoves his phone into a pocket. “Do you have any idea where they might have taken them?”
“A few, but only one of the locations is close by.” I start moving.
We’re not getting to Becca any faster by fucking standing here.
“Since it doesn’t seem like Trevor has anywhere of his own to go, they’re probably taking them to one of the properties the two bigger guys inherited when their father died. ”
Maddox is tight at my side as I cross the lobby and reach the doors. “Brothers?”
I nod, relaxing a little as I settle into my element. “And they’ve got about three brain cells between both of them, which could work in our favor.” After unlocking my truck, I jump behind the wheel.
“How would them being dumb work in our favor? My experience is, the dumber people are, the more dangerous they tend to be.” Luca wedges his tall body into the back seat of the extended cab as I start the engine.
“That’s why it will work in our favor.” I almost smirk. “Becca’s smart enough to use their stupidity against them. They’ll be reactive and easy to manipulate.”
I hit the gas and aim for the main road, choosing speed over safety.
“Becca’s not the only smart woman we have on our side.” Maddox’s eyes stay out the windows, scanning the road. “I sent everything we have to the team at Alaskan Security who handles the bulk of our cyber investigations.” He turns to Luca. “Send Harlow the names of the three men Butch identified.”
Like Maddox, Luca’s eyes are outside. “Already did.”
I might not like these guys, but so far it seems like they’re at least a little competent when it comes to dealing with a situation like this. Competent enough I’m not worried one of them is going to get shot.
Not right away, anyway.
I might shoot one of them when it’s all over for letting these idiots get their hands on Becca.
Owen reaches between the seats to grip Maddox’s shoulder. “We will get her back.”
Maybe I was wrong about their lack of motivation, because Maddox looks and sounds just as ready to bash heads together as I am when he says, “We fucking better.”
I barely slow, pointing out the side window at an old fast-food restaurant. “We’re coming up on the closest location I think they might be.”
Unfortunately, the place is deserted. No sign anyone’s been there in months, let alone the past hour. It’s also got the look of emptiness. It’s a hard thing to explain, but vacant buildings have a certain feel about them. This one has it.
“I don’t think they’re here.” Owen points out the obvious. Fucking rocket scientist, that one.
“Agreed. The other best option is a little more secluded, but it’s in worse shape.” I push the truck faster. “If that’s where they are, and they stationed someone outside, it might be trickier to get in without being seen.”
“I don’t care about being seen.” Maddox leans forward in his seat, pulling out his sidearm to check it over.
“Don’t listen to him. We’re not going in guns blazing.” Luca grins, looking more dangerous than I expect. “But we will clean the house before we leave.”
I worked within certain guidelines as a cop. Had protocol to follow and rules to abide. Even when the men around me were going off the fucking rails, I still went by the book. Still did what was right.
And I still plan to do what’s right. I just won’t be following someone else’s fucking rules while I do it.
I grip the wheel, facing down the kind of reckoning I’ve never been able to deliver before. “No argument here.”
The buildings lining the street start to thin, and soon I’m pointing through the windshield at a shitty looking commercial building with a worn-out sign that stopped being legible years ago.
“This is our second option.” I take a steadying breath.
“Hopefully they’re here, because option three is twenty minutes away. ”
Maddox’s spine snaps straight as we pass. “They’re here.”