Cole
Ikept a tight hold on Lili as I carried her to my villa.
Her body was lax, her head lolling over my arm.
Fuck, please be okay.
My muscles were tense, and I couldn’t draw in a decent breath. I kept seeing that guy touching her, kept seeing her sitting on the floor of a fucking bathroom, dazed and out of it.
Landon kept pace beside me, and I knew the rest of the gang wouldn’t be far behind.
“She’s going to be fine, Cole.”
“You don’t know that.”
He opened the front door to my place, flipping on lights. I strode straight to my bedroom and carefully laid her on the bed.
Her dress was ripped. She’d looked so pretty in it. She’d been having a nice time.
Fuck. I wanted to kill someone.
I really wanted to kill Chadwick Goodyear.
Landon sat on the bed beside Lili, opening his medical bag. “Breathe, Cole.”
“That fucker drugged her. If I’d been a few minutes later, he would have taken her.” She would have been gone, and I would have been sitting there, drinking my goddamn beer, thinking about the sounds she’d made when I’d made her come.
My friend grabbed my wrist. “Breathe.”
I managed a breath. I watched as he checked Lili over.
My phone pinged and I yanked it out. “Nash is questioning that asshole. He confirmed that he gave her ketamine.” I resisted the urge to crush my phone into pieces.
Finally, Landon sat back. “She’s fine. She’ll sleep for a bit, and the drug will wear off in a couple of hours. She’s going to be tired and groggy, most likely. Sometimes people feel emotional and vulnerable after. Everyone reacts differently.”
I blew out a ragged breath.
My friend rose and clapped me on the shoulder. “Sit with her. We’ll be in the living room if you need anything.”
I sank onto the bed and carefully stroked her hair. When I ran a finger down her cheek, she turned her face into my palm, like a kitten seeking comfort.
“Damn, I’m sorry, Lili. I promised you wouldn’t get hurt again…” I ground my teeth together.
Her eyelids fluttered and then opened. Her eyes weren’t focused, but as she looked at me, she smiled. “Hey.”
“Hey, sunshine.” I stroked her hair. “You’re home. You’re safe.”
“I love your face.”
I blinked. “What?”
She lifted a hand and missed my face by inches. “Love all the rugged edges. Even your scars are sexy.”
I shook my head. I was pretty damn sure my scars were not sexy. I looked like a scary motherfucker.
“I really like your eyes. Like the ocean.”
“Baby…” I threaded my fingers through hers. God, this woman undid me.
“I like all of you. You look after me. No one ever has before.”
I felt that burn of anger again.
She let out a gusty sigh. “Tired.”
“I know. Sleep now.”
With a goofy grin, she rolled over and sprawled across the bed. I stroked a hand down her back.
She was okay. She was going to be okay.
But as I watched her, the anger twisted and grew.
I needed to do something.
Pushing to my feet, I headed for my closet.
I stripped off my clothes and pulled on my work gear—black cargo pants, black shirt, utility belt.
I opened a door, then pressed my palm to the high-tech reader on the large safe behind it.
The door clicked open. The safe was filled with my weapons—mostly knives and handguns.
I pulled out my Springfield Hellcat handgun and two combat knives, and slotted them into the sheaths and holster on my belt.
Then, with one last look at the woman sleeping in my bed, I stalked out.
Georgie, Bastian, Lark, and Landon were all in my living room. I assumed Nash and Rafe were still with Goodyear’s goon.
When the men saw me, they stiffened. They all knew exactly what I intended to do.
Lark knew too. She just smiled.
“Georgie, will you stay with Lili? Get her anything she needs.”
“Of course, Cole.”
I looked at my friends. “Watch over her.”
Bastian lifted his chin. “No one’s getting to her.”
“Cole, you can’t go off half-cocked,” Landon said.
I pinned him with a look. “You ever know me to go off half-cocked?”
“No. But you’ve never had a woman you care about before.”
I looked away, trying to get a grip on my control. “I won’t rush in, but I’m sending that fucker a message.”
“He isn’t at home,” Bastian said. “He has some fancy dinner event tonight.”
“What are you going to do?” Landon asked.
“Told you. Send a message.”
I strode out. I climbed into my black Ram and started the engine.
The drive to Goodyear’s place didn’t take long.
He lived in an exclusive area of Summerlin called The Summit Club.
Hell, it even sounded pretentious. It had an expansive golf course, tennis courts, country club and was packed with huge, sprawling mansions, with swanky swimming pools and lush gardens that wasted a lot of water.
I stewed the entire drive out there. I drove onto the main road into the community and stopped at the gatehouse. It was manned by half-decent security guards, but this wasn’t the first time I’d been here. I lowered my window and held out my fake ID. I was Roland Crichton, refrigeration specialist.
The guy checked my ID, then their list of approved contractors. Then he handed the ID back with a nod. “Head on up.”
“Thanks.”
I followed the curving road past the golf course and tennis courts.
I didn’t pull into the huge clubhouse building with its large pool.
I followed the road around and then turned off into another.
I parked on the street behind an SUV, in an area I knew there were no security cameras, and cut the engine.
Goodyear’s mansion was around the corner, and I could just see the front of it.
He wasn’t home, and yet, every light was on in the huge house. I knew he had a couple of security guards. My lip curled. And a fancy security system that I enjoyed setting off.
This time, I was leaving a more personal message.
I climbed out of the truck and walked in the opposite direction. Down the street, I slipped into the shadows and climbed a fence of a neighbor’s property. I knew where every security camera in the area was, and I followed the path through the blind spots to avoid detection.
Seconds later, I slipped over a fence and into Goodyear’s yard.
Ahead was a patch of pristine green lawn and the edge of a gleaming blue swimming pool.
I waited under the shadows of a large palm tree and checked my watch.
Thirty seconds later, one of the guards appeared on the long outdoor terrace.
He lazily scanned the pool, then turned a corner and disappeared again.
Moving quickly, I crossed the grass and moved onto the terrace. The house was all modern angles, glass, and gleaming tile. At the glass door that led into the laundry area, I pulled out my lockpick. It popped open ridiculously fast and then I was inside.
I moved steadily. I’d memorized the layout of the house months ago. Like the outside, it was glossy and fancy inside, with sleek furniture that looked uncomfortable, and lots of art on the walls. I took the sweeping curve of stairs to the upper level.
Goodyear’s bedroom was at the end of the long hall. His wife had the adjoining room. I didn’t blame her for not wanting to share a bed with the asshole, but I blamed her for staying with a man she knew was a sorry excuse for a human being.
I nudged the large, double doors open.
The bed was huge, with a giant headboard and black covers, and a chandelier overhead.
I went straight to the bathroom and shook my head.
Goodyear decorated in gaudy. Like he thought the more he added to his décor, the more people would be amazed at how rich he was.
There was no hint of subtlety in the floor-to-ceiling dark marble, another crystal chandelier, and gold accents on the walls. The large tub also had gold accents.
I went straight to the huge rectangular mirror framed in gold. I was already wearing gloves. I grabbed some soap and wrote a message on the mirror.
I know what you are.
Your time is running out.
For Brent Green, Austin Ramirez, August Zillman, and Jason Quinn.
I stared at my old name for a second.
And for Lili Armstrong. This was for her as well, but I didn’t want Goodyear any more focused on her than he already was.
I grabbed a cloth and carefully cleaned the soap off. But I knew that next time he showered, and the mirror steamed up, he’d see my message.
Back in the bedroom, I walked over to the huge bed. I knew he slept on the left side, where a phone charger and alarm clock sat.
I pulled out one of my knives. I already knew it was clean, with no fingerprints or DNA on it. Then I stabbed it into the center of Goodyear’s pillow.
It wasn’t enough.
For months, I’d been toying with him. But for touching Lili, more than once, for terrifying her, and being prepared to fucking ruin her life, I was done.
Goodyear was going to die.
Finally, I’d get revenge for my friends.
And set Lili free.
It would be so easy just to wait here. To be here when he stumbled back in, and end it with a slash of my knife.
Not yet.
But soon.
I slipped out the way I’d come. By the time I got back to my truck, I was ready to get back to Lili.
Fuck, seeing her so out of it tonight and the worry of knowing she had drugs surging through her had nearly pushed me over the edge. Now, I just needed to see her. To see her face, to see the steady rise and fall of her chest.
When I got back to my villa, only Georgie and Nash were there. I saw a flash of relief in Nash’s face as I walked in and put my keys down.
“Okay?” he asked.
I lifted my chin. “How’s Lili?”
“Sleeping,” Georgie answered. “I got her to drink some water.”
“Thanks.”
Nash gripped my shoulder. “Any time, Cole. You know that.” He wrapped an arm around Georgie. “We’ll head home. By the way, Theo scheduled extra security patrols around the villas. On a random schedule.”
“Good idea.” Goodyear and Kamensky knew she was here. It paid to be prepared for anything. Tonight had proven that.
After they’d left, I locked the door and set my security system.
The bedroom was quiet. The curtains were open, light filtering in. Lili was in the middle of the bed and it looked like she was sleeping soundly.
As soon as I sat down, she stirred and rolled over.
“Cole?”
“Shh, baby, I’m here.” I touched her hair.
In the darkness, I saw the whiteness of her smile. “Good. You okay?”
“Yeah. How are you feeling?”
“Sleepy. I woke up and you weren’t here.”
“I’m here now.”
She tugged on my arm, and I lay down beside her. I pulled her closer and she snuggled in without hesitation.
And suddenly, everything felt right in my world.
I breathed in and felt my chest loosen for the first time since I’d pushed open that bathroom door.
“Where did you go?” she murmured.
I was silent for a moment. I felt her tense, like she expected me to lie to her. “I went to leave Goodyear a message.”
Her hand played with the button on my shirt. “Georgie told me that he killed your team.”
Damn. “I went tonight because of what he did to you, Lili. But I want to take him down for both you and Delta Team.”
“Tell me about them.” Her voice was slow and lazy. I was certain the drugs weren’t out of her system yet.
“Their names were Brent Green, Austin Ramirez, August Zillman. We called him Gus.” My lips quirked. “They were the funniest, most loyal fuckers I knew.”
“And your name wasn’t Cole Black back then, was it?” Her fingers stroked my arm.
I stared at the ceiling.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” she said hurriedly. “Sorry, I was—”
“Jason Quinn. My name was Jason. But that man died in Mexico alongside his friends. We were on a job, thought we were providing security for a legit company. When we realized drugs were involved, we refused to transport them. Apparently, Goodyear gave the order to give our location to the cartel. They ambushed us.”
“I’m so sorry, Cole,” she whispered.
“Since everyone thought I was already dead, I changed my name, recuperated, then became the Darkwolf. I wanted every skill I needed to find who was responsible for Delta Team’s deaths and take him out.”
“Why haven’t you killed him?”
“Because it would be over too quickly. He doesn’t deserve it to be quick.” It hadn’t been quick for Ramirez.
That slim hand slipped inside my shirt, smoothing over the skin on my chest. Like she knew I needed that touch.
“You want him to be afraid,” she whispered.
“I want him to be terrified.” I pulled in another breath. “He killed my friends, my brothers, without a single fucking thought.”
She pressed into me.
“I’ll never share the details with you.” Those bloody moments that had ripped me apart…I never wanted her to share that nightmare. Never wanted to touch her with that. She’d never know my terror as the bullets ripped into my skin, the hot spill of blood.
She hugged me tighter. “Tell me more about them.”
I stared at the ceiling, wondered how, with all the things I’d done in my life—things only the darkness knew—I’d ever deserved her holding me, comforting me.
“Brent would always start singing when he had a few too many. God, the man could murder You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'. Austin considered himself quite the ladies’ man, and Gus told the worst jokes.”
And then, holding sunshine in my arms, I told her about my friends.