Chapter Twenty-Five
Neil
DESPITE BEING in some deep shit he’d probably need years to dig himself out of, he still had a few contacts both in- and outside the Agency. He still had a few assets at the ready. One of those people was an analyst who was too damned good for the Agency. She’d found the place where Alvaro was storing some of Marco’s product. The crates they’d stolen from the container.
That’s where they were headed now. Rome bringing Juno along had made him want to smile. They could use the extra pair of hands, but he also thought it might be good for Marco to see. Not that he thought it would change their situation but there was a spark of hope inside him.
They parked within walking distance of Alvaro’s warehouse. It was a legit place, which meant legit security and innocent people who might get caught in the crossfire. He didn’t like it.
He got out of the car, eyes trailing after Marco as he stepped out and leaned against the side of the car, eyes on Juno and Rome’s car as it pulled up next to them.
Neil pulled out the duffle bag he’d shoved in the back and grabbed a few spare magazines to slide into his belt. Gravel crunching under shoes had him looking up to see Juno and Rome walking toward them.
“Recon first,” he said, giving Marco a stern look. “Don’t get too close.”
Marco’s huff had him glaring harder. Not that it mattered. Marco was going to do whatever the fuck he wanted anyway. He grabbed the binoculars out of his bag and threw them to Rome who caught them with a confused look at Neil.
“Juno, with me. You two,” Neil said with a glance between Rome and Marco. “Find a good spot to use that.”
He turned and headed toward the warehouse, Juno quickly catching up to fall into step with him.
“So, you and Marco, huh?”
A groan passed his lips, and he refused to look at Juno.
“Getting with a man like Rome isn’t sunshine and rainbows,” he said. “He’ll never be able to hold your hand on the street. He’ll never take you out for dinner and a movie.”
Juno grinned at him, and something settled inside him.
“Rome’s not the only one who’s a criminal,” Juno said with a shrug.
“I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.”
“Why?”
He stopped walking and Juno turned to look at him with a frown forming between his brows.
“Because once you’re in, there’s no getting out.”
From the understanding look in Juno’s eyes he knew Neil wasn’t talking physically out. Once your heart was in it, there was no escaping men like Marco and Rome. They would take up your whole heart and they would never let you go. You would never belong anywhere else other than with them.
“I don’t need him to hold my hand,” Juno said, lips spreading in a wicked smile, “I just need him to fuck me hard and thoroughly.”
Neil gave him an unimpressed look to which Juno simply winked at him.
He shook his head and started walking again. They completed their round of recon in silence for which he was grateful. He could barely concentrate, his thoughts returning to Marco and how much they’d been like Rome and Juno in the beginning. How much they’d believed their relationship would survive anything.
Returning to find Bones, a King, waiting by their cars, didn’t do much to brighten his mood, either. The man agreeing to help them did, though.
“We need a keycard and a passcode to get in. The guards have both,” Rome said.
“Doesn’t matter. Auggie’s gonna let us in. I figured you were here for the warehouse so he’s just waiting for my text,” Bones said.
August Alling. The King’s hacker. Perhaps they might succeed after all. Auggie would be able to override the keycard and passcode. The man knew what he was doing. He would’ve had a bright future in the Agency, but he didn’t think he would’ve been as happy as he was with the Kings.
“I doubt the workers are gonna be armed,” Juno said. “The two guards are, though.”
Neil nodded. “Let’s keep this to no casualties. These men aren’t involved and are only doing their jobs.”
“We’re gonna need a truck,” Rome said.
Did the man think he was a newbie?
“Already taken care of.”
Rome gave him a surly look but he ignored him in favor of popping the trunk of his car. He grabbed the ski masks and gloves he’d shoved in there earlier. They would need them even if Auggie could fry the security cameras.
He handed out the masks and gloves, then sent a text off to make sure their truck would be in place by the time they’d cleared the warehouse.
They went inside, splitting up to cover more ground. Once they’d rounded up the workers, he stepped forward and, using a British accent, he said, “This is a robbery.” He pointed toward the office and said, “If you want to live, you go in there.”
The workers made their way toward the door, their frightened faces making Neil’s gut clench. They were probably going to need therapy after this, but at least they’d be alive.
He motioned for Bones and Rome to follow, then turned to Marco and said, “Find the damned crates.”
He went into the office and closed the door behind him, attention snapping to the workers Bones and Rome were instructing to sit down on the floor.
“If you know what’s best for you, you’ll stay on your arses,” he said, wanting them as close to the floor as possible at the odd chance shooting would become necessary.
With the workers squared away, they headed for the loading dock. They’d need all of them to get Marco’s crates in that truck fast, and they needed to be fast. He didn’t want to get caught in the warehouse if Alvaro’s men showed up. That could only end in a bloodbath.
The got all of Marco’s crates into the truck his associate had left for them outside and then he got behind the wheel, leaving the others to ensure the authorities found the workers so they wouldn’t be stuck inside the office until the next shift arrived.
He drove the truck to a safe location and left it there with the crates still inside. There was no use in unloading them. Once Alvaro had been dealt with and Marco was no longer in danger, he would need his product back at his usual location.