25. In the Heart of Darkness #2
Instead, all I can do is watch from the shadows as more vehicles arrive. As Alessandro’s army prepares for whatever war is coming.
And pray that when the shooting starts, Leo isn’t caught in the crossfire.
The wind whips my hair across my face as I crouch behind a stack of empty pallets, watching the sudden flurry of activity at the warehouse entrance.
My heart pounds against my ribs, a steady drumbeat of fear and anticipation.
Next to me, Rissa’s breathing is shallow but controlled as we observe more than half of Alessandro’s men pile into black SUVs and speed away.
“What are they doing,” I whisper, unable to shake the feeling that this sudden exodus is too convenient. In my years as a detective, I’ve learned that when things seem too easy, they usually are. “Why would they leave now?”
Rissa’s eyes narrow as she does a quick count of the remaining guards. “Down to skeleton crew. Four, maybe five guys left.” She glances at me, the unspoken question in her expression: Do we move now?
I bite my lower lip, weighing our options.
The rational part of my brain—the part that’s gotten me through countless dangerous situations—screams this is a trap.
But then I think of Leo, my sweet nephew alone and scared somewhere in that warehouse, and rationality takes a backseat to the primal need to protect him.
“We can’t wait for backup,” I decide, checking my service weapon for the hundredth time. The familiar feel of it grounds me, reminds me of who I am and what I’m capable of. “If they’re moving him …”
I don’t finish the thought. Don’t need to. Rissa’s already nodding, her own hand moving to her holster.
“Your play, partner,” she says softly. “How do you want to handle this?”
The warehouse looms before us, a hulking shadow against the star-studded sky. Two guards visible at the main entrance, another patrolling the perimeter. The loading dock on the east side appears unguarded—our best shot at getting in undetected.
“Loading dock,” I whisper, already plotting our route through the shadows. “We split up—you take the guy on patrol, I’ll—”
A distant engine roar cuts through the air, growing louder by the second. My blood runs cold as multiple vehicles appear on the access road, moving fast.
“Shit,” Rissa hisses. “Company.”
Three black SUVs tear into the warehouse lot, followed by what looks like a small army of sedans. Even from this distance, I recognize the lead driver’s broad shoulders and commanding presence. Zeke .
“No, no, no,” I mutter, watching in horror as my rescue operation—stupid as it may be—dissolves into chaos. What the hell is he doing here?
The vehicles screech to a halt in a coordinated pattern of military precision. Men pour out—at least twenty of them, all armed, all moving with lethal purpose. At their center stands Zeke, his dark form radiating controlled violence as he barks orders I can’t quite make out.
The remaining warehouse guards snap to attention, weapons raised, but they’re hopelessly outnumbered. One makes a break for the door, probably to raise the alarm, but he doesn’t make it three steps before Eli materializes from the shadows and snaps his neck, taking him down with brutal efficiency.
“Eve,” Rissa’s voice is urgent in my ear. “We need to move. Now. Before this turns into an all-out war zone.”
She’s right. Whatever Zeke’s planning, it’s going to get messy fast. And somewhere in that warehouse, Leo is waiting for us.
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to think tactically rather than emotionally. “Okay. New plan. We use the chaos as cover. While they’re focused on each other—”
The sharp crack of gunfire splits the air. A window shatters somewhere above us, raining glass. More shots follow, the sound echoing off metal and concrete until it’s impossible to tell where they’re coming from.
“Move!” I grab Rissa’s arm and we sprint toward the loading dock, staying low and using the parked vehicles as cover. My heart threatens to burst from my chest with each step, every shadow potentially hiding a threat.
We reach the loading dock without being spotted, though whether that’s due to skill or the mayhem erupting around us is anyone’s guess. The metal door is locked—of course it is—but Rissa makes quick work of it with a set of picks.
“Sometimes it pays to have a misspent youth,” she mutters at my raised eyebrow.
Inside, the warehouse is a maze of shipping containers and towering shelves. The gunfire sounds muffled in here, but no less terrifying. Especially when I think about Leo somewhere in this mess, probably terrified out of his mind.
We move carefully through the space, checking corners and staying alert for any movement. The floor plan we studied shows offices on the second level—a likely place for a hostage.
A door slams somewhere above us, followed by rapid footsteps. I gesture to Rissa, and we take cover behind a stack of crates just as two of Alessandro’s men rush past, heading for the back exit.
“...the fuck is King doing here?” one of them pants.
“Doesn’t matter,” the other replies. “Burn everything and—”
They disappear around a corner before I can hear the rest, but the word “burn” sends ice through my veins.
They wouldn’t. Not with Leo still inside.
But I know they would. Men like Alessandro Costa don’t care about collateral damage. Especially not now with Zeke’s forces bearing down on them.
The smell of smoke reaches us moments later.
“Stairs,” I say, already moving. “Now.”
We find the metal staircase and take it two at a time, weapons drawn. The second floor is a series of small offices with glass walls—most dark, but one at the far end shows a faint light.
More footsteps thunder below us, accompanied by shouts and the continued pop of gunfire. Through the windows, glimpses of gunfire flashes and lights up our path. The air grows thicker with smoke.
We’re halfway down the hall when a door flies open and a figure lunges at us. I react on instinct, stepping into the attack and using the man’s momentum to throw him into the wall. His head connects with a satisfying crack, and he crumples.
“Aunt Evie?”
The small voice comes from the lit office. My heart stops, then restarts at double speed.
“Leo?” I rush forward, Rissa covering our rear. “Baby, are you in there?”
“Help! I’m tied up!”
The door is locked but a swift kick takes care of that. And there he is—my precious nephew bound to a chair, tears streaking his face, but alive. The relief that floods through me is so intense it makes my knees weak.
“I’ve got you,” I say, already working on the ropes. “You’re safe now. I’m here.”
He throws himself into my arms the moment he’s free, sobbing against my chest. I want nothing more than to hold him forever, to never let him out of my sight again, but the smoke is getting thicker, and the sounds of fighting are moving closer.
“We need to move,” Rissa says from the doorway. “That fire’s spreading fast.”
I lift Leo into my arms and he clings to me like a monkey, face buried in my neck. “Can you walk, baby? We have to run.”
He nods against my shoulder but doesn’t let go. I adjust my grip on him, making sure I can still use my weapon if needed. Together we head back the way we came, Rissa in the lead.
We’re almost to the stairs when the power cuts out, plunging us into darkness. Something explodes below us, making the whole building shudder, and a familiar voice calls out from behind us.
“Eve! This way.”
I spin to find Zeke at the other end of the hall, backlit by the emergency exit sign. Even in the dim light, there’s desperation on his face.
“The stairs are compromised,” he says, already moving toward us. “Fire’s taken the first floor. We need to go out the back.”
Part of me wants to run to him, hug him and hold him close, but there’s no time. The heat is becoming unbearable, and Leo is trembling in my arms.
“Lead the way,” I say.
Zeke takes point as we navigate through smoke-filled corridors toward the rear of the building. Every few steps he checks back, his eyes lingering on Leo with concern.
We reach a fire escape just as another explosion rocks the building. Metal groans ominously beneath our feet.
“Ladies first,” Zeke says, holding the door. “My men have the perimeter secured.”
The fire escape descends into controlled chaos. Eli and several other men form a protective circle around us as soon as our feet hit the ground. In the distance, sirens wail—backup finally arriving, far too late to be useful.
“Eve.” Zeke’s voice is urgent. “You need to let me take Leo. The police can’t find either of us here.”
He’s right, damn him. Any chance of handling this through official channels died the moment his private army showed up. But the thought of letting Leo out of my sight again? Panic threatens to take control of me.
“I’ll keep him safe,” Zeke promises, reading my hesitation. “I won’t fail you again.”
I hold his gaze and all I see is honest loyalty, love, and determination to keep us safe. I don’t want to leave Leo, but Zeke’s right, and I need to trust him. As my husband and protector. “Okay, don’t get caught.”
Leo lifts his head from my shoulder, eyes wide and frightened. “Don’t leave me, Aunt Evie.”
My heart breaks. “Just for a little while, baby. I have to help catch the bad guys who took you.” I stroke his hair, trying to project confidence I don’t feel. “Uncle Zeke will take you home, okay? He’ll make you feel better, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
He sniffles but nods bravely. I pass him to Zeke, watching as my husband—my dangerous, complicated, surprisingly gentle husband—cradles him close.
“Go,” I say roughly. “Before the cavalry arrives.”
Zeke hesitates, then leans in to press a fierce kiss to my lips. “Be careful,” he murmurs against my mouth.
Then he’s gone, melting into the shadows with our nephew while his men provide cover. I watch until they disappear into waiting vehicles, trying to ignore the way my arms feel empty without Leo’s weight.
The sirens are much closer now. Rissa touches my shoulder. “Ready to give our statement? We’ve got a hell of a story to spin.”
I take a deep breath, shoving my emotions down where they can’t interfere with what needs to be done. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”
The warehouse burns behind us, orange flames licking at the night sky. In the morning, we’ll tear this place apart for evidence. For now, though, all that matters is that Leo is safe.
And Zeke , a small voice whispers in my mind. Zeke came through when it mattered most.
I push the thought aside as the first patrol cars screech into the lot. There will be time later to deal with my complicated feelings about my husband’s methods. Time to figure out how to reconcile the man who so tenderly held our nephew with the one who just orchestrated a small war.
For now, I have a job to do. A role to play. Detective Landry, following procedure, doing everything by the book.
Even if nothing about this night has been by the book at all.
Rissa squeezes my hand as we walk toward the approaching officers, their red and blue lights painting the world in shifting shadows. I squeeze back, grateful for her steady presence.
“Hell of a night,” she murmurs.
I watch another piece of the warehouse collapse in on itself, sending sparks spiraling toward the stars. “Hell of a night,” I agree.
And somewhere in the darkness, my family is heading home without me.