Chapter Fifty - Elise
CHAPTER FIFTY
Elise
Well, this makes things significantly more difficult.
Joshua looks on the verge of going on a murder spree of his own, so I decide it’s best to wait for him to cool down before speaking. However, the longer I stay still, the more my body realizes just how exhausted it is. I’ve spent the whole night fighting, and it’s finally catching up to me.
I let my eyes close, just for a moment…
“Elise!” Joshua’s hiss pulls me back to reality, and I blink rapidly as I process that he’s holding me up by my shoulders. I hadn’t realized that I’d fallen over.
Once I’ve regained my balance, I look up at Joshua through thick lashes. “I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not.” He pulls me to the couch, and I sit. When he lowers himself in front of me, I repress the urge to fall into his strong arms.
He begins scanning my body, his eyes growing wide as he inspects the torn fabric that only halfway covers the cuts on my arm. I let Joshua lift my arm to get a better look, though the motion elicits a whimper.
Swallowing back the nausea that creeps up my throat, I glance down at the wound.
Blood and bruising cover the entirety of my upper arm, but the letters spelling brAT can still be clearly made out.
I’d been so focused on escaping that I hadn’t realized Tripp actually finished the word.
Aside from the top line of the “T” being shortened, the full word is visible.
“Who did this to you?” Joshua’s deadly calm tone sends a shiver down my spine.
“Tripp. But I already told you, he’s dead now.”
He sucks in a sharp breath but doesn’t press for more answers.
When I push myself to stand, I’m thankful that Joshua can balance me before I fall on my ass.
He curses under his breath. “You’ve lost too much blood. I need to get you out of here.”
I’m shaking my head before he even finishes the sentence. “We can’t leave without that flash drive. As it is, we have no idea how many soldiers Mason has working for him or what kind of resources they have. If he has that information too, we’re going to have a huge problem.”
“Then it’s a problem we’ll fix another day,” he says, and his resolute tone almost convinces me to back off.
Almost.
“I won’t be the reason you lose everything.”
Joshua takes my face in his hands. “Elise, I lost everything when you walked out of my office today, and I won’t make that mistake again.”
I have no idea if the tear falling down my cheek is a product of my pain, exhaustion, or utter relief that Joshua still wants me the way I need him.
I’m about to tell him how much I love him when I’m interrupted by the static of a radio. My body jolts in surprise when the sound comes from inside the office, but it only takes a moment for me to realize it’s coming from the radio attached to Nate’s hip.
The voice that comes through is unmistakably Mason’s. “I want eyes on every exit of this building. They’re not leaving this place alive. Do you copy?”
Joshua and I share an apprehensive look. Getting out of here is going to be easier said than done.
An unfamiliar voice answers. “We lost track of the group. Should we keep searching or come back?”
Our apprehension turns to relief. The others are safe. Splitting up bought them the time they needed to make a safe escape.
“I want one unit searching. Everyone else come back now,” Mason barks.
“Yes, sir.”
With my good arm, I reach for Joshua’s hand, taking it in mine. “There’s a good chance we don’t walk out of here tonight, and if that’s the case, I want to die knowing we did everything we could to stop him.”
“Don’t say that.” Joshua squeezes his eyes shut. “We aren’t dying tonight.”
His shoulders relax when I rub small circles against his hand.
“Then we might as well take Mason down on our way out.”
Joshua’s eyes open, and I hate the pain that I see there. His sigh is one of defeat.
He presses a gentle kiss to my forehead, and I stand frozen in place as he approaches Nate’s body.
I don’t ask what his plan is, and I don’t need to.
I’d follow Joshua anywhere.
He stands, bringing the radio to his mouth. “Mason, ready to talk?”
“Moreno. What a pleasant surprise,” Mason deadpans only seconds later.
“Likewise.”
“Save us both some time and tell me where you and my sister are.”
Joshua’s fist tightens, but his voice remains perfectly calm. “I want my flash drive, then my fiancée and I are walking out of here.” He speaks with such authority and confidence that I half expect Mason to simply agree.
Of course, he doesn’t.
Instead, humorless laughter comes through the line. “Over my dead body.”
“I assure you, it will be.”
Even I get goosebumps at the ice in his tone.
“We’ll see about that.”
A buzzing catches Joshua’s attention, and he wordlessly hands me his phone. I take it, checking the notification.
Ryder: We’re in the clear. Status?
I turn the screen so Joshua can read it, and I can practically see the wheels turning in his head.
He has a plan.
“Give an update, and tell him to initiate Goliath,” Joshua whispers.
I raise an eyebrow, but Joshua doesn’t elaborate.
I type out the text saying we’re alive but not leaving without the flash drive. I end the message by telling him to initiate Goliath.
“What is it that you want here, Mason?”
Mason’s grating voice answers. “You and my traitorous siblings out of the way. With my dad dead, I’m one step closer to taking you all down.”
The phone buzzes, and I scan the text.
Ryder: You’re sure? Countdown?
I have no idea what to make of the message, but Joshua seems to understand when I show it to him.
“Yes, I’m sure. Fifteen minutes,” he quietly confirms before speaking into the radio again. “Oh, please. You’re an ignorant, narcissistic child trying to play with the big boys. It’s all the same to me, though. You served your purpose.”
I type as Joshua talks, and Ryder responds immediately.
Ryder: Done. I hope you know what you’re doing.
“And you served yours by giving me unrestricted access to disappointed soldiers looking for a strong leader. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your empire.”
“You won’t get the chance, kiddo.” Joshua’s laugh almost sounds genuine. “There’s a janitor’s closet in the same hallway as the cells. Go there.”
I raise an eyebrow, but Joshua only winks.
“This isn’t a game, Moreno.” Mason seethes.
“But it is a game. A game that you were stupid enough to start even though you never stood a chance of winning.”
“Are you sure about that? Because the way I see it, it’s the two of you against my army.”
Joshua nods toward the door. “Get ready. We’re about to get out of here.” His next words go to my brother. “I would hardly call what you have an ‘army.’”
I wordlessly obey.
“What about the flash drive?” I ask, but my voice is drowned out by Mason’s reply.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” my brother spits.
“No need to bluff, kiddo. I saw your army in the workroom. I know what I’m up against.”
Joshua joins me by the door, tensed for a fight.
“We still outnumber and outgun you,” Mason grates out.
I can’t believe it worked. Joshua got him to admit to exaggerating his manpower.
He lifts the radio to his mouth. “Are you at the janitor’s closet yet?”
A long moment passes with no answer.
“Why do you want him to go there?” I ask in a whisper.
“Now that we’re sure his resources are spread thin, knowing he’s on the lower floor will mean he’s not blocking our exit,” he explains.
“But what about the flash drive?”
Joshua’s hand squeezes mine, but he avoids my gaze. “Goliath will take care of that for us.”
“And what exactly is—”
Mason cuts me off again. “What the hell is this?”
He must’ve reached the closet.
At Joshua’s nod, I slowly turn the handle and open the door.
“A little taste of what you can expect very soon,” Joshua warns. He doesn’t give my brother a chance to respond because he drops the radio to the ground and stomps his boot over it until plastic and metal shards are all that remain.
Joshua and I exit the office holding hands with our guns ready in the other, and I almost laugh. I always pictured my love story would look a little more like Cinderella and Prince Charming and a little less like Bonnie and Clyde, but here we are.
I’m grateful that Joshua is here because even just by holding my hand, he’s supporting my weight more than I care to admit.
I brace myself as we turn the corner and are faced with three armed soldiers. Our not-so-subtle approach gave them plenty of time to point their weapons in our direction.
I suck a deep breath in and let Joshua pull me back behind the wall before a barrage of bullets fly exactly where we’d been standing. Our current position doesn’t offer us any real protection, and my mind races to find a way to get past them.
When no ideas surface, I’m about to panic, but Joshua’s expression is utterly unbothered. I have no time to react as he releases my hand and launches himself into the line of fire, gun aimed toward our attackers.
My horrified scream bounces off the walls when another round of bullets flies toward the man I love. Seconds later, the gunfire ceases.
Joshua pushes himself to his feet, and I take in the miracle before me.
He’s unharmed.
“H-how did you do that?”
Joshua pulls me along. “This isn’t my first time, Princess.”
I’ve never truly seen Joshua in action until today.
Sure, I’ve seen him command his soldiers, torture Tripp, and yell at me, but this is different.
Watching Joshua antagonize Mason over the radio and single-handedly take out three shooters in under a minute reminds me just how powerful he really is.
And he’s mine.
I recognize the end of the last hallway and know that as soon as we turn that corner, we’re free. However, the chances of the door being unguarded are slim, so I prepare for another fight. Though—after watching Joshua take out the others—I’m feeling better about our odds.