41. Don’t Make a Sound
Chapter forty-one
Don’t Make a Sound
Charlie
I still can’t believe I’m sitting in the back of the van, Owen by my side, waiting to head into Praise on a covert mission. I know it’s not the right time to be excited, but I am. I honestly thought I would have woken up in handcuffs this morning, attached to the bed, with Owen apologising for doing it and saying that it was for my own good. I guess he’s starting to understand me; that I want to do everything I can, and I want him by my side while doing it.
I woke with Owen between my legs this morning. Best wake up call I’ve had in a long time. After which, he set about strapping a vest to me. It’s so thin, but it’s going to stop any bullets that come my way. I had to take a few deep breaths when he said that to me. I know what I’m getting myself into here, but hearing those words felt like an added layer of fear.
On the other hand, I’ve never been more turned on when he fastened the vest around me or when he drew his fingers up my thighs, when he attached the holster to the inside of my leg. I have no doubt that if we had been alone in that room, he would have fucked me right there and then. That man’s addictive, magic fingers, magic tongue, and fuck did he use them all last night. I’m not sure how much rest we actually got, but shit, it was worth every second.
Owen nuzzles into my neck, and whispers, “If you don’t stop whatever dirty thoughts are running through your mind right now, I’ll have to take you right here.” That makes me wriggle a little more in my seat, and I can feel his smile on my neck as he places a kiss against my pulse.
“The way I feel right now, Owen, I’d let you.” A growl comes from his lips followed by an almost inaudible, “Fuck.”
“My thoughts exactly.” I smirk as his eyes meet mine. I love that fire when he looks at me. Shit, I want to jump him and ride him like there is no tomorrow.
“ETA, two minutes,” comes over the earpiece we all have.
When we arrive, I step out the back of the van. Myself and Owen are being dropped off a short distance from the entry point.
Zan and Ethan head round the back of the club, aiming to gain entrance to the second floor there. Dom and Harley head up to the rooftop, while Cole’s in our ear repeating the details of where everyone is, and Millie, Jack, and Grey stayed at the lodge.
The loading bay seems to be deserted. Cole tells us it’s not. I guess we just can’t see them. As we make our way silently into the offices, I have Owen’s hand on me at all times. It’s reassuring, but I know it won’t be there long. We all have a job to do. Me included. Cole confirms there are apparently three people in the small office to our left.
I’m the distraction. I’ve got to look like I’m by myself if I’m found. I hope to fuck I’m not. My heart’s going crazy. I’m taking as many deep breaths as I can to try and calm myself down.
I’m to set a small fire in one of the rooms upstairs and get out. I can’t be looking around the room looking for them It will give them away, and I can’t do that. They need to get the device on the laptop. That’s Dom and Harley’s job. Owen has the hand-held device to start the download, while Cole does the backup from his computer. I know I won’t be alone, but I hate the thought of being separated from Owen. I know he hates it too. We have decided to stay silent over the comms, just in case anyone hears us. It’s only for backup if things go wrong.
“Go,” Owen whispers. “I won’t be far behind you. You won’t see me. I’ll never let you out of my sights, okay?” Taking my face in his hands, he places a quick but loving kiss on my lips. The tremble in his voice, and the sadness in his eyes, it kills me. “I love you,” he says, then he’s gone before I can say it back. I’m on my own. I can feel eyes on me. I know they are the ones looking out for me. I guess that’s something, right?
Moving forward in a crouch position, keeping my head low, I just keep going. I’m hoping this can be a quick in and out. There’s background noise from the club. I can hear people milling around upstairs.
Peeking through the windows of the small office, I can see it’s empty. Spotting the stairs to the right, I open the door. My heart pounding, as it squeaks in protest at the movement. I slip in and race to the other side, squatting at the bottom of the stairs.
“There are two men in the room above you, Charlie. You can slip past them. Don’t make a sound,” Cole’s voice fills my head. I don’t respond. There’s no need. I just tap my ear. This will let him know I heard him loud and clear.
I peer up the steps and I can’t see anyone, so I run for it. Out of the corner of my eye I see the two guys in the hall. Turning left, I head for the room where I plan to make the distraction.
Before I step inside, I hear noise coming from downstairs that sounds like a fight. I need to be quick. There are only two exits on this floor. Owen made me memorise them.
I have a good idea what the others should be doing right now. The office with the laptop in is on the other side of this huge building. From the data we pulled and images we’ve found deeply buried on the internet, it seems like Mr Summers has his office on that side of the building.
I think I’m running on adrenaline right now; my heart feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest.
Entering the room, it looks like it’s used for storage more than anything else.
I don’t feel safe. I can’t feel Owen’s eyes on me anymore. Looking behind me, I can’t see anything, but he said I wouldn’t see him. I need to trust him . I do trust him.
Taking the backpack from my back that Owen and Grey packed for me this morning, I pull out what I need to get this done—a small electrical device Ethan and Grey made. Lifting a large box filled with papers from the floor, I place the device inside. Grey and Ethan said it would only be a small explosion, enough to get them running in this direction and away from Dom and Harley, but I should be out the building well before that takes place. I need to trigger it when I leave the room. It will give me two minutes before it goes off.
Placing the box on the shelf, I nestle it next to other boxes filled with papers, congratulating myself on a job almost done. I pick up my bag and swing it on my back, scanning the hall before I exit the room. I head down the stairs, pressing the button to start the distraction, and setting the countdown on my smartwatch.
When my foot hits the second step down, I hear voices coming my way and my stomach sinks.
I can’t go back but I also can’t go down. I’ll walk straight into them.
Where’s Owen?
Spinning round, I head back up, running the length of the corridor, looking over my shoulder every few seconds to make sure I can’t see anyone and that no one spots me.
Twenty-eight seconds left.
The voices are almost at the top of the stairs. Quickly looking around, I open the door to another room, checking to see if anyone is in there before I walk in.
Boom. The noise from the explosion almost deafens me . Small, my arse . I’m going to kill fucking Grey . The whole floor shakes.
I dive to the floor, scrambling to hide under a desk for cover. The hall I was in thirty seconds ago is now full of smoke.
If they had no idea we were here, they do now.
“Planted.” Cole’s voice pops up, making me jump. I can’t talk. The people running past will hear me. That means Dom and Harley got it in. Owen should be close to them now.
“Fuck… it’s not working.” Owen’s voice comes over the comms.
My back is flattened to the side of the desk, just listening to them rant while I stay silent. Dom and Harley apparently had to leave. He was hurt in a fight. Zan and Ethan are on the opposite side of the building, planting the last of the listening devices and cameras. Owen can’t get close to me… he needs the distance to download the information safely—they can’t be in the same room.
Owen’s desperately asking for my location. He sounds frantic. I can’t talk. There are at least five men out the front of the office I’m in, with the doors wide open. I tap my earpiece, but there’s too much noise for them to hear it.
I can get the device to work… I can do it.
The people outside the room all seem to fall away, and the corridor goes silent. Crawling on my hands and knees to the door, I stand and see that they’re all too distracted by the fire to take any notice of me. I make my way out, running in the direction of the main office. There’s another exit there, so I can sort the device and then leave.
Pressing my earpiece, I whisper, “I’m still inside. I’ll do it.” Checking behind me, I press myself to the wall. The comms are silent. I was expecting an argument, or at least some very choice words from Owen. If I’m the only one close enough to do this, then I’m going to do it.
It’s too quiet. Touching my earpiece, I get nothing. It’s not working. A bubble of panic starts to rise. Swallowing it down, I move forward. Pressing down on the handle of the door I need to get through, the latch clicks. Dipping my head to look round, I can see the laptop. There’s shit everywhere: broken chairs, glass even the desk has been trashed.
The laptop’s sitting open on the large, dark wooden desk in the centre of the room. Reaching for it, I freeze when I see what’s on the screen. Surveillance footage showing Owen as Cole runs over. It looks like he’s shouting, but there’s no sound, so I have no idea what’s been said. But I can guess. They have eyes on us, just like we do them.
I find the device. It’s tiny, and the connection has come loose. Pressing it in firmly with my thumb, I hear the program start.
Turning my attention to the footage on the screen, I watch as Owen tries to run into the building, but the guys hold him back.
“Don’t you fucking dare come in after me, Owen,” I whisper. Owen appears to get the notification that it’s started to work. He points and mouths something at Cole, who runs in the direction of the van.
You can see the questions on his face when the others turn up and I’m not with them. I guess they never got my last message.
I can see the progress bar on the device. It’s going to take at least a few minutes to get this uploaded. Harley said they would wait for it to be done to ensure it was successful. Should I do the same?
I decide to wait, even if it’s just for thirty more seconds, to make sure we get something. I feel so vulnerable right now. I need to remember where I can go to escape.
A sense of dread creeps in when I realise I can’t remember another way out. I’ll have to go up to the roof, which is how Dom and Harley got in here. It’s written in the rules of every scary movie. Don’t go up the stairs, but what else can I do?
“Charlie?”
I turn and find a familiar face staring back at me.
“Annie?”
She looks taken aback for a split second before taking her phone from her pristine black suit trousers. I don’t understand… she looks like she does or did every day at the office. Well dressed, hair in a bun, heels as high as she can buy them.
Lifting the phone to her ear, she says, “Honey, we have a special delivery in the office. It seems they left us a parting gift.” Looking at me with a forced, mocking grin, her words are cold.
“What? Why are you here?” I can’t process seeing her here. “Have you been taken? What’s going on? Are you…” My thoughts don’t match what I’m seeing. It doesn’t make sense. She’s shaking her head, disdain written all over her face.
“So fucking na?ve sometimes, Charlie,” she sneers and the disgust on her face pales me. I don’t want it to be true. It can’t be.
“You?” I choke out. Fear, dread, and shock lace through every morsel of my being. I can’t move. I can’t… I don’t understand.
“Well done. Quick at putting the pieces together, aren’t you? Although you were slow with this one.” Annie comes to stand in front of me, arms crossed over her chest. This isn’t the Annie I know.
“You’re the one who was leaking the information to Summers?” She laughs, actually laughs.
“You still don’t get it, do you? I guess there’s no harm in telling you. You won’t make it out alive.” I stumble back at the ferocity of her words. “I am Mr Summers.” She shrugs like this information is nothing. “Technically, he was my dad. I guess you could say I took over the family business when he met an unfortunate end.”
Annie takes off her jacket, laying it on the desk beside me. I see it, something I have seen so many times before, the delicate flower tattoo on the inside of her wrist, the exact flower that matches the metal ones left facing the sky, left in the wake of ashes for each and every person she no longer needed. Catching me looking, she smirks, knowing I have it all figured out.
I have no idea who this woman is. I feel sick.
Our eyes meet and she only looks away when a group of men step into the room. “Honey,” she says, not even glancing at them. “I believe you’ve already met my boyfriend”
My gaze lands on the man who makes himself known, a man who looks so different in a suit. He rests his hand on the small of her back. Ezera Ferris.
“You… he’s…” The man she’s told me so many things about is the man who wanted to kill me in the hotel.
Nothing can prepare you for the reality of a betrayal like this.
When the first blow hits my stomach, she doesn’t even flinch. In fact, she turns away in her expensive shoes and walks out the door, leaving me in the hands of her men.