Chapter Twelve #2
more about becoming acquainted with the area than actual exercise.
He was getting plenty of workouts because his Daisy was
insatiable.
“So Theo and Big Tag come in from behind.” He could see them
moving into position. “We need the targets in the courtyard.”
Erin nodded. “Boomer told me the courtyard would be perfect.
He has an unobstructed view from the west side of Sanctum if they’re in the
courtyard.”
“Li, I think you and Erin should ease out the front and stay
in the shadows around the parking lot,” his father explained. “Nate and I can
use the west side exit to come around on either side of the building, and then
they would be in a nice trap. Even if Boomer can’t take them, they would be
facing six of us, and there won’t be any place to run.”
His gut tightened. “How would we get them into place?”
He knew what was coming.
Daisy’s eyes lit up. “Me. I’m bait.” She actually smiled. “I
think I can be good at this.”
Her cell trilled again.
“You’re going to have to answer them, sweetie,” Erin said,
her voice tight. “If you can hold them off even for a few minutes, it will be
so helpful.”
“So answer them but don’t answer them.” Daisy nodded and
then slid her finger across the screen to answer the call. “Hello? Excuse me,
who is this?” She giggled. “Sure, Hunter. Try again. Like you don’t try to
scare me all the time. I’m not some ditz who falls for it.” She hung up. “That
should buy us a minute or two. And I promise I can word salad them for a long
time.”
“Excellent, then maybe you won’t have to be bait,” Nate
pointed out.
“Daisy, I know I shouldn’t ask this of you, but they’re
going to have guns on Devi,” Erin began.
Liam puffed up a little. “Now, Erin…”
“We can handle it without risking Daisy,” Nate assured them.
“But this is all about me,” Daisy argued.
“I’m worried about how close they’ll keep Devi to them. If
Boomer can’t get a shot or if we end up in a standoff…” Erin began.
“Devi could get killed.” Daisy shook her head. “I’m not
letting anything happen to Devi.”
“You’re not allowing anything at all, girl,” her father
announced.
“Da, I can handle it,” Daisy replied stubbornly as her phone
went off again. “You’re wasting time. Get into position.”
Erin was already moving. “We need a distraction, Daisy.
Something that will make those men drop their guard for a second or two.”
A silent look was exchanged between the two women, some
communication Nate didn’t get, but Daisy nodded her aunt’s way.
“I know exactly what to do, Aunt Erin,” she said resolutely.
“I won’t let you down.”
“Daisy, stay bloody well safe, girl.” Liam moved out behind
Erin.
They eased out of the building to get where they needed to
be.
Nate’s father came in from the opposite hall. “I’ve got Ian
and Theo in position.”
“Erin and Li just left.” Nate checked his SIG. “Dais, you’re
going to answer now. It’s time. If you have to walk out, you go with your hands
up, and the minute I give you the signal, you take cover, all right?”
“I’m supposed to distract them,” Daisy insisted.
“Cry,” his father said, checking his own weapon. “Give them
a good cry. It unnerves men sometimes. Don’t worry. We’re going to handle it.
Now answer. We need roughly sixty seconds to get into position.”
Daisy answered, and it was the hardest thing he’d ever done
walking away from her, but he did it. Somewhere in the Sanctum building there
was a whole team with eyes on the area. She had six trained operatives watching
her.
“She’s going to be okay, son,” his father whispered as they
snuck out of the building, taking the opposite route Li and Erin had. “She’s
been in tight positions before.”
“Yes, that’s what scares me.” Nate moved behind his father.
“She thinks she can handle anything. I’m worried about what she’s going to
think a distraction is.”
He should have stayed with her. Should have ensured she
didn’t walk out of the building.
But then he saw the door to the van open and a tall man
exit. He immediately turned and had a gun to Devi’s head. In his other hand, he
held a cell phone.
The second kidnapper exited the van and stayed at Devi’s
back. Naturally he had a gun, too, and it was pressed to Devi’s side.
“That’s right. You come out here and come out alone, and
we’ll let your friend go,” the man was saying.
“They’re too close,” his father whispered. “If there were
only one of them I would say Boomer can take him out, but if the other guy…”
If the other guy had enough time to pull the trigger, Devi
would be gone and her whole family gutted. Daisy would never recover from
watching her friend die in front of her.
His heart thudded, but Nate forced himself to remain calm.
“I can see Big Tag, but they can’t. Is there anyone behind
the wheel?” Nate asked.
“Can’t tell.” His father’s back was to the wall, clinging to
the shadows. “Bloody surprise op. I’m carrying comms from now on. I don’t like
not having someone in my ear.”
But Nate knew comms could blow. His father had worked from
the cozy comfort of a team with every possible technological advantage. Nate
hadn’t gotten comfy yet.
“I don’t see you,” the man was saying as he moved Devi
along.
Devi started to stumble, but the second man held her
upright, keeping a tight hold on her. “My mother is going to kill you.”
The second man chuckled. “Sure. Your mom. I’m real scared,
kid.”
They should be. They had no idea they were about to be
surrounded by Taggarts. The only question was could they get the shots they
needed without endangering Devi’s life.
“They’re almost where we need them,” his father whispered.
“When Boomer takes his shot, I want you to roll out and get into position.
We’ll still have one to deal with. You’ll be behind him.”
Nate cautiously looked around the corner while the
kidnappers were arguing with Daisy about why she was stalling. They kept Devi
in between them. The good news? She was half a foot shorter than one of the
men. It would make for an easy shot. The bad? She was as tall as her second
kidnapper. She would be an excellent shield for him.
He would have to be careful. So careful.
“She’s coming out,” the taller one said. “I think your
friend wants you to… Holy hell.”
Both men stopped and their guns lowered suddenly, their eyes
on whatever was happening in front of them.
Was Erin moving in early? He barely had time to register the
grin that came across Devi’s face when the tall guy’s head snapped back.
Boomer’s aim had been true, but the second guy was a harder target. Nate’s
training kicked in. He strode out from behind the building and took the shot
because Devi had been able to move away from him slightly. Nate fired, catching
the guy in the head and ending the threat.
“Daisy O’Donnell!” Liam jogged over from the outer edge of
the parking lot. “You put on some clothes right now.”
What? Nate looked over, and Daisy was smiling wearing
nothing but the glorious skin she was born in.
She shrugged one gorgeous shoulder. “They were distracted.”
Erin ran in, grabbing her daughter and moving her away from
the dead bodies.
Ian sat down in the middle of the parking lot and laughed
his ass off while Theo joined his wife and daughter.
His future wife was still standing there. She was getting
such a spanking. Nate tugged his T-shirt over his head. “Daisy O’Donnell, you
know damn well that was not the distraction I was talking about.”
“But, Nate, it worked,” she replied. “Devi, you okay?”
“Thanks to you, bestie,” she called out.
“Hey, Dais, you’re looking good.” Hunter stood behind her.
“Thanks. I totally work out,” she said with a grin.
“Nathan.” Liam managed to make his name a command.
A command to deal with the source of all the storms in their
lives. He moved in, shielding her as he stuffed her head through the opening of
his shirt. “Do you want to keep your eyeballs in your skull, mate?”
Hunter immediately averted his gaze. “I thought you said we
could look. I’ll go give the all clear to the rest of the guys.”
He’d changed his bloody mind about that, but he wasn’t going
to argue with anyone but Daisy. “This is not the club. You were supposed to cry
or something.”
Her chin came up, and she was so fucking gorgeous his dick
hurt. “This was way better. They actually lowered their weapons.”
“I need a bloody drink,” her father exclaimed. “Nate, she’s
all yours, son. Like I said. No take backs.”
“I was good,” Daisy insisted.
“Yes, you were, sweetie,” Erin said as she helped Devi up
the stairs. “You were perfect.”
“I always knew Daisy’s boobs would save the world at some
point.” Devi gave her a watery smile.
She’d put herself right in the line of fire. “You are never
doing that again.”
Her hands were on her hips, and she faced off with him. “You
don’t get to tell me what to do, Nathan Carter.”
“I bloody well do since I’m the man who loves you. I’m the
man who’s going to marry you, and this right here? Hard limit, Dais. Hard
fucking limit.” He’d been calm, but now he realized how close she’d come to
getting hurt.
“Well, I’m the woman who loves you and is going to marry
you, and this is not the sixteenth century where you own me,” she shot back.
“So we should agree to disagree and then go inside and take out all of this
adrenaline on each other before the cops get here.”
“You honestly believe we’re going to have sex now?” She was
going to drive him mad. Utterly bonkers.
Her lips curled up. “Yep. See you inside, Nate.”
“Hey, are we doing something with these bodies?” Big Tag
stood looking down at them. “Also, Boomer says all the sniping made him hungry.
My kitchen is not equipped for him tonight.”
Nope. He had something else to attend to.
“I think we’re letting the authorities handle this one,” his
father said, joining Big Tag.
Nate followed his future wife. His job wasn’t done.
* * * *
“Did you have to do that?”
Daisy slid onto the barstool beside her father, feeling
infinitely better. Well, mostly. Her backside was a wee bit sore because Nate