Chapter 47
Zane
I was at the back door of the building Jordy had identified.
The white Tesla was parked next to a Buick.
“Report,” Lucas said in my earpiece.
“Nobody has gone in or out. None of the windows are clean enough for me to see anything inside. Wellbourne is four minutes out and wants you to wait.”
“I’m in position,” I reported with my eyes closed, preparing for the darkness inside. “We can’t wait,” I added even though it wasn’t my call.
“Ready,” Constance said. “And I agree.”
“Ready,” Pete repeated.
“On three,” Lucas said. “One…Two…”
I’d already picked the lock. On three, I pulled open the door, rushed inside, picked a direction and opened my eyes.
“Zane,” Peyton cried out.
I pivoted the other way, raising my weapon.
O’Connor was behind her. He pulled out his revolver and put it to her head. His hand was unsteady, his eyes bulging. “Move, and she’s dead.”
Peyton’s eyes locked with mine. “You came.”
“Shut up,” O’Connor said. He roughly pulled her head back by her hair. “Put the gun down, March.”
“I told you I wasn’t letting you go,” I assured my woman.
A dead man lay slumped against the wall to my left, a gun at his feet.
O’Connor cocked the hammer. “Shut up, tough guy, and put the gun down, now.”
“No,” Peyton cried.
“I’m putting it down,” I said, slowly lowering my weapon. I had no play. With the hammer cocked and his finger on the trigger, even if my shot ran true, his finger could spasm and kill her.
“Zane, no.” A tear streamed down her cheek.
“It’ll be okay.” Even if he took me out, the other three would get him and save her. I laid my weapon on the floor.
“Kick it over here.”
I did.
O’Connor chuckled. “Checkmate, March.” O’Connor chuckled, then swung his gun toward me.
Peyton
Zane had come for me, but now he was defenseless.
O’Connor pulled my hair harder and chuckled, then he extended his gun to shoot Zane.
Never give up. Fight with everything you have.
I hit his arm, lifted my foot and brought my heel down as hard as I could on his foot.
The roar of the gun was deafening. The shot missed Zane.
O’Connor squealed like a stuck pig, dropped the gun and released my hair as he doubled over.
Simon appeared in the doorway and pulled out his evil gun.
“Behind you,” I yelled.
Zane lunged to the side.
Simon shot and missed.
Zane slid across the floor to Buzzcut’s feet, grabbed the gun and fired twice.
Simon fell back against the wall.
O’Conner leaned over to pick up his gun.
I brought the pointy end of my shoe up into his crotch as hard as I could.
He screamed in pain and curled into a ball on the floor.
Zane got up and kicked O’Connor’s gun away.
I kicked the detective again. “That’s for Cassie.” And again. “That’s for Olivia.” And again. “And that’s for Nancy.”
Suddenly, Zane lifted me off my feet. “That’s enough, Angel.” He spun me into a hug, and I held on tight.
Constance came through the door next to Simon. “You okay?” She knelt beside the short evil man and felt his neck. “This one’s dead.”
“We’re good,” Zane said, squeezing me tighter.
“See, heels are good in a fight,” I said into his chest.
“Uh-huh.”
Lucas ran in.
“You’re late,” Constance chided.
“All the fucking interior doors were locked,” he explained.
Pete arrived next and looked at the two dead men. “This mess is going to mean paperwork for somebody.”
An hour later, Zane and I were on the smelly couch, but I couldn’t give a damn. I was in my man’s arms and nothing else in this world mattered.
Lieutenant Wellbourne had complained when he wanted to take my statement, and I told him I was not letting go of my man for anything or anyone.
He took notes and recorded everything I said, with only a few clarifying questions. He did the same with Zane, then got up. “I have to say, you’re one brave lady.”
“That she is,” my man agreed.
The lieutenant held up my watch in a plastic bag. “Unless we get a confession, I’m going to have to keep this for evidence.”
I nodded. “Whatever it takes to put him away.”
Wellbourne walked over to O’Connor, who was sitting in the corner still holding his groin. The fat man was cuffed and guarded by two cops. “You’re a fucking disgrace to the badge, O’Connor.”
The detective spat at Wellbourne’s shoes, but missed.
“You’re going to really enjoy spending the nights until your arraignment with Big Ben. Oh, he’s really going to like you.”
“I’m law enforcement,” O’Connor stated. “You have to keep me in protective custody.”
Wellbourne opened the detective’s credentials. “No, I don’t. These look fake to me.”
“You can’t do this. They’re the real deal.”
“You’re in with Big Ben until I can verify them on Monday.”
The cops guarding the detective chuckled.
“You can’t do this. I’m a brother in blue.”
“Like I said, these look fake to me.”
“He deserves it,” I told the lieutenant when he came back over to us.
Wellbourne shook his head. “What he did makes me sick.” Then, he patted Zane on the shoulder. “Take care of her. You two can go now.”
Zane pulled me up to stand. “Oh, I intend to.”
Those words sent butterflies fluttering in my stomach. “It’s been a long day. Maybe we can move the date to tomorrow?”
“Not a chance. I made you a promise, and I keep my promises.”
I hesitated, but I’d promised him. “Will you take me to hospital instead? The big guy banged my head against the asphalt outside.”
He felt the bump on the back of my head. “Let’s go.”