Chapter 62 Bane
Bane
“No, I can’t wait. I’m going to lose my nerve.” Slade shoves her hands through her hair.
Len and her team are here, having come bearing news that the plan was paused while they pivoted.
Slade’s reaction is telling; she doesn’t want to do this, even though she’ll force herself to go through with it.
Tag steps in front of me when I move toward Slade, and I swear, that bastard has a death wish.
“Get out of my way,” I snarl, baring my teeth and giving him a look filled with menacing wrath.
Rolf joins us and says quietly, “Just let Len explain.”
Len watches Slade. In so many ways, she’s just like Army. Cool, aloof, and pragmatic; a soldier through and through, even though she’s no longer anyone’s subordinate. But she gives a shit about Slade, who’s essentially a stranger to her.
It’s Ryn, though, who goes to Slade and convinces her to sit down. “We just need a bit of time for our tech and behind-the-scenes team members to get set up with this change in plan.”
The change in plan is because they discovered new intel last night. Randolph isn’t just in the city for the bounty hunter to bring Slade to him. Once Randolph has her, he has plans for her that are worse than we ever could’ve imagined.
Len’s behind-the-scenes team members—AKA Zane Andrews and Kotan Luo, if my suspicions are correct—had succeeded at hacking into the security cameras at the warehouse where Randolph is holed up at.
They overheard his conversations with some of the sick fucks in the international network about training Slade.
To complete what Antwane had started while Randolph live-streamed it, with a live auction for some sick motherfucker to buy her.
“Going to where Randolph is already set-up actually works in our favor,” Ryn continues. “It removes the wildcard piece of trying to get him to chase you.”
I remain silent, watching Slade carefully.
Len crouches in front of her. “We’ll still be broadcasting to the authorities, and with the auction going at the same time, we’ll be able to hack into Randolph’s computer and latch onto the stream and trace several of the IP addresses involved.”
Slade bites her lip and glances up at me. Doubt and fear still lingers there, but her determination and courage is stronger.
I want to haul her away from Len and her team, no matter how well-intentioned they are. The words, the order, for us to leave and run, are on the tip of my tongue.
Slade rises off the couch and comes to me, tucking her head under my chin and wrapping her arms around me, guessing my intention. “I can’t live with looking over my shoulder, that these people will find us and hurt you or our future children.”
My chest caves at her being all-in with me, including a future family.
But I know she’s right.
And now that we have time before the plan is put into motion, I also know what needs to happen before I send my small, fierce, and unbelievably strong warrior queen out to face and destroy her demons.
I look down at her. “Trust me?”
There’s not a second of hesitation. “Always.”
Slade lies on the recliner chair, her eyes on mine, as Tats applies the protective covering over the tattoo on her throat with my brand. Her green orbs, so full of light and life, shift to look at the tattoo on my throat.
Tats grins and sits back. “I now pronounce you Old Man and Old Lady. Congratulations.”
Slade lets out a small giggle as she sits up—a sound I haven’t heard in years. Since she’s been feeling again, she’s laughed, but never giggled. Tats looks like he’s choking up, much like me, and he blinks, turning away.
I pull Slade to her feet, planting a possessive kiss on her lips, then gaze down at her. Logistically, being here was a nightmare, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
“How does it feel?”
“It’s tender,” she replies.
“Good.” Then I explain when she hikes her brows, “I’ll be in communication with you over the earpiece, but now I’ll be there physically, too, in some capacity. Focus on the ache to remind you that you wear the mark of being my woman and remember that I’ll never leave you.”
Then my stomach and heart are lying at my feet as I ask, “Ready, baby?”
Her look is steady and confident. “Ready.”
The front door flies open, and I shove Slade behind me, going for my gun.
It’s Ash, and his face is grim. “Word is out that Slade is here.” His eyes lock with mine. “Go.”
Tats pulls an M4 Carbine assault rifle out from under the front desk. “We’ll hold them off, but you guys get out of here before you’re pinned in.”
I grab Slade before she can protest, pulling her toward the back door, toward the armored vehicle that Len lent us. She looks back over her shoulder at Ash and Tats.
“Come back home where you belong, peanut,” Ash says before I pull her out the door.
Rolf and Tag are beside the vehicle. From the grim looks on their faces, I’d say they got the update that there are hostiles approaching.
Rolf jumps into the driver’s side, and Tag gets into the passenger seat. I load Slade in, and we’re taking off before my door is even shut. Tag checks the magazine of his gun and looks back at me.
“Anything it takes,” I warn him, holding Slade close to my side. Anything it takes for Slade to walk out of this alive and intact.
He exchanges a look with Rolf, then nods. “Anything it takes.”