Chapter Twenty-Five
“Thank you.” Keely smiled and took her receipt, hoisting the heavy bags on her hips.
It’s like carrying two toddlers.
The cashier didn’t say a word. He rounded the counter and followed her through the store until they reached the door.
Even with her handful of bags, he didn’t offer to open it.
She was forced to shove her shoulders against the glass.
The minute she walked out, she heard the lock set in place.
Keely glanced through the window and saw the CLOSED sign flip over.
Sorry about that. She’d gotten a later start than expected and didn’t make it to the store until ten minutes before closing.
When he turned off the lights, it darkened the sidewalk, and she rushed down the street.
There had been quite a few more cars lining the street when she’d gotten here.
Now? It was practically abandoned, giving off an eerie vibe.
She picked up her pace, keeping her eye on her car but staying alert to her surroundings.
The store was nestled in an industrial section of the city.
There were only a few retailers, all of which had been closed when she’d arrived at the small grocer.
It wouldn’t have been her first choice, but they had everything she needed for the dinner she was planning.
She checked the time. It would take her about two hours to make it, start to finish.
Caine didn’t specify exactly what time he’d be home, but she figured it gave her plenty of time.
It was rare he arrived before midnight when he worked.
She tapped her key fob, unlocking her trunk, and placed the bags inside. She was rounding the bumper when she saw a figure move through the adjoining parking lot with a duffle bag over his shoulder. She wasn’t sure why she stared so long, but quickly realized she recognized the man.
What the… Jared?
Keely walked in front of her car and up onto the curb, squinting.
From this angle, she was getting a clear view.
It was definitely Jared. Keely rounded the corner of the building, peering into the lot.
There were several SUVs tucked into the far corner.
It was impossible to know if one of them was Jared’s.
They all looked identical. She craned her neck, watching him climb up the outside steps and disappear into the metal door on the fourth floor.
Don’t do it. Ambushing him into talking to her hadn’t been part of her plan. But when life hands you an opportunity, you take it.
Keely walked through the desolate lot and grabbed the railing, peering up.
Creepy as fuck. What the hell was he doing here?
It was like something out of a horror movie.
That thought alone should’ve had her rethinking the plan.
Unfortunately, it didn’t. She walked up the stairs, occasionally glancing over her shoulder.
The vibe was completely off and had her second-guessing her decision to follow him once she reached the landing.
She looked down at the lot. Aside from the SUVs, there was a large box truck, which blended into the background of the brick wall. It seemed strange all the vehicles would be huddled together in the darkest corner considering the size of the lot.
Keely turned back to the warehouse. Unfortunately, there were two doors a few feet apart.
She couldn’t be sure which one Jared had gone through.
She considered a game of Eenie Meenie Miney Moe, but time was of the essence.
She was already a few minutes behind him.
In a warehouse this large, it might take her some time to locate him.
She grasped the handle and pulled open the heavy door.
Please let there be electricity.
Keely walked inside and blew out a heavy breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
The light was dim, but at least she could see.
She scanned the large but empty windowless room.
It was completely silent with no signs of anyone.
She took a few steps and circled around the space.
At one time, it must’ve been a working manufacturing plant.
Keely started walking toward the opposite end of the barren room when she heard hushed voices, and she glanced up at the ceiling.
It was impossible to make out what was being said, but from the deep baritone, it was definitely a man.
She made her way to the metal stairs in the corner and looked up.
There was a brighter glow of light coming from the floor above, and as she walked up the flight of stairs, the voices became more clear.
Jared was obviously not alone. Her first thought was to abandon her plan.
But curiosity got the best of her, and she continued up the stairs, stopping on the second to last one.
Her position gave her an unobstructed view of the entire room.
It was relatively the same size as the one below, but it wasn’t empty.
There were half a dozen men, and they were standing in a large circle. Keely angled her head. She could only see their profiles. She’d expected to see Jared, but she sucked in a breath when she saw Caine standing next to him. Between Jared and another guy, she saw what looked like a huge pile of…
Keely gasped, covering her mouth as her heart raced, pounding in her chest.
Oh. My. God.
She immediately darted her gaze between the men, locking eyes with one familiar member of security. Cyrus stared back at her intensely, and she heard his deep, menacing whisper.
“Caine.”
He, along with the rest of the group, looked over at her.
There was a wide range of reactions and none of them good.
What the fuck had she walked in on? Her breath shallowed when she took another look at the bodies in the center of the group.
Am I a witness to a…murder scene? Keely’s head grew light, and she swayed, gripping the railing to steady herself.
“Keely.” Jared’s voice knocked her out of her daze. He was walking toward her slowly, followed by Caine.
There was something similar in their eyes. A look she hadn’t ever seen in either of them. A feral, menacing, and predatory stare. It made them almost unrecognizable. Keely had just walked in on something she was never meant to see. That made her prey.
Keely had little time to think, and she acted on instinct.
Fucking run!
She spun around on the steps but only made it down two when she tripped, twisting her ankle and falling backward.
Her back struck the metal steps with such force, pain shot up her back, and she rolled down the last remaining stair.
Her arm, shoulder, and hip slammed against the concrete floor.
It should’ve made her immobile, but she was working off pure adrenaline.
She managed to get to her feet and run. But she only made it a few feet before her legs gave out, and she dropped to her knees.
The thunderous footsteps sounding against the metal stairs had her flipping onto her back, rising up on her elbows.
She ground her teeth, fighting against the pain coursing through her arms, back, and legs.
One quick glance over her body had her gasping for a breath.
Her jeans were ripped apart in two sections with blood soaking into the denim.
That wasn’t even the worst. Blood dripped from her arms, pooling on the concrete.
“Fuck!” Caine’s deep growl had her eyes shooting up and meeting his hard glare.
“I won’t say anything, I swear,” Keely pleaded incoherently and sucked in a breath. “I didn’t see anything.”
It was a lie. She’d seen everything .
“Keely.” Jared’s tone was softer, but there was an edge that had her crawling on her back as he started toward her. “Calm down.”
“I won’t say anything, Jay, I promise.” Tears welled in her eyes as her panic spiked.
“Keely,” Caine said, and she swiftly jerked her head. He held up his hands and inched closer. “Just relax.”
“N-no, n-no, please Caine, I’m sorry.” Her last words came out as a strangled plea.
As Caine and Jared approached, she crab crawled as best she could to put as much distance between them as possible. A flash of long, dark curly locks came into her view. Jessie. She stood in front of both men with her hands held up.
“She’s fucking terrified right now. You force this, and you’re gonna send her into shock.”
Keely could barely make out what Jessie was saying, but it seemed to stop Caine and Jared from getting any closer.
Keely’s short breaths echoed through the empty room as she looked between them standing in a line, staring back at her. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she made no move to wipe them. In fact, except for her beating heart, Keely was frozen.
In fear.
****
During any and all jobs, it was important to anticipate issues.
It was part of his position to have a plan in place should a deal go bad.
Expect the unexpected and be ready to handle it.
Nothing could’ve prepared him for this scenario.
How the hell did this happen? And what the fuck was she doing here?
Caine heeded Jessie’s warning not to approach Keely. It wasn’t what he wanted. Keely was beyond scared. He’d seen a lot of fear in the eyes of others through the years in his time with the Underground. Nothing came close to Keely’s. She wasn’t only afraid of the situation, she was scared of me.
Caine carefully eyed her injuries. She’d taken quite the fall and was bleeding on her arms and legs from what he could see. It took every ounce of control not to disregard her fear and tend to her wounds.
“Cy,” Caine snapped, and Keely’s eyes widened, her lower lip trembling.
“Yeah?”
“Go get the kit.”