Chapter 10 #2
She wasn’t going to let Dani die, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to give the kidnapper reason to kill her sister before the drop-off. They had no choice but to carry out the heist and take the jerk’s diamonds.
Tapping the edge of her thumb against the soft spot of her head, she kept her gaze down. “Fine.” Her voice held the firm determination that had taken up residence in her bones. “I hope you have enough guns.”
Milo stared at the drone images of Titus’s property, which Serena had requested the previous week.
Twenty-eight shots of every possible angle leading to the house, and aerial views of the palm-tree-laden two-acre lot the property sat on.
The house was a Spanish-inspired desert retreat, and the courtyard was complete with fountain, infinity pool, and guest house.
Illegal diamond importation sure was a lucrative business.
The day had been spent drinking coffee, going over plans and making a checklist of everything they’d need for tonight.
Serena shuffled through papers and pointed to a sheet. “Two guards are on duty around the clock.”
Milo crinkled his lip. The odds weren’t horrible—two against three—but he didn’t want Serena to get caught in the crossfire.
“We need more men,” Brock said, from the other side of the island. The last few hours had taken their toll on him. Gone was the lightness in their exchanges. Now when Brock spoke it was only for good reason.
Brock had it bad. Milo remembered the two lovebirds from years ago. He’d never expected Brock and Dani to split. And if Milo wasn’t mistaken, Brock was still madly in love with her.
Milo nodded. “I agree, but I don’t have anyone I can trust. I’ve been out of this game a long time and I’m not in touch with my old contacts.” He jerked his head toward Brock.
Brock shifted on his stool. His eyes stayed glued to the counter, his mouth tense.
“We already have someone.” Serena’s hard, determined tone pulled Milo’s attention from Brock.
“Who?”
She flattened her palm against the stack of papers.
Dark circles rimmed her eyes, and for a flicker of a beat, Milo regretted the desperate sex he’d pounded into her that night.
Then her mewls of ecstasy replayed in his head and he shook off the remorse.
No way in hell he’d take back driving into her slick heat.
“Peyton Risk.”
Brock chortled. “No offense to Priss, but I was thinking more along the lines of big, burly men.”
Milo watched the hue of Serena’s cheekbones darken. Ah, hell. These two were too emotionally involved. It was only a matter of time before they took off the gloves.
Serena’s finely arched eyebrow hiked up. “I don’t think you remember Peyton’s skills. She’s a better shooter than all of us put together.”
Milo moved closer. “How do you know that? I don’t remember Peyton killing anyone.”
“Her grandpa owned a hunting lodge, and she’s been shooting since she was old enough to hold a gun. Even her foster parents were hunters.”
Brock cocked his head skeptically. “Great, sign her up. But I know a guy—”
“We don’t have time to gather a team. We’ll be lucky if we can get ahold of Peyton in time and brief her.”
“It’s not good enough.”
“You guys,” Milo said, a warning in his tone. They all needed a break. “Brock, I think you need to collect your thoughts. If you want to go home for a few hours, do that. Or rest. There’s a pullout couch in the basement.”
The hard planes of Brock’s face softened, and he nodded. “I need to let out my dog and catch some sleep. I’ll be back later. Call me if anything happens.” He swiped his keys and phone from the counter and left the house.
“What’s his deal?” Serena examined another image beneath the kitchen lights.
“I think Dani’s situation is hitting him. I know they had a rough patch—”
“That’s an understatement,” she said, lowering the paper to stare at him.
“He still cares for her. He wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
Serena tucked the corners of her mouth in. “Yeah, I can see that.” She pushed away from the island and rolled her head in big circles. His hands ached to go to her, to massage her tense muscles, but with Brock gone, Milo wouldn’t be able to control himself.
She braced her arms on the counter and dropped her face into them. “We don’t have time to get anyone else.” Her words came out on a broken note, and he couldn’t stop himself from wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
“I think you’re right. Peyton would be an asset on the team.”
She turned her face toward him. Dampness collected in her eyes, and the cavity behind his sternum ached.
“We still need to get by the guards without alerting the dogs.”
He winked at her. “I’m a good shot too.”
A snort shook her shoulders. “Still. We can’t go in shooting everything. We need a diversion or something so we can get inside.”
“We’ll make it work. I promise.” His voice faltered on the last two words, making the pledge sound weak.
She sat up and twisted in her seat. “Thanks, Milo,” she said, dipping her chin. “I don’t know what I’d do if you hadn’t stepped in.”
Ah, hell. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel indebted to him.
“You have nothing to thank me for.”
“Yes, I do. I’m dragging you right back into the thick of where you don’t want to be, right back into stealing. Isn’t that why you stayed away from me? You knew I’d contaminate your new life.” Resentment should have coated her words, but instead they rang with shame.
She was one-hundred-percent right. That was one of the main reasons he hadn’t reached out to her, but hearing it fall from her lips ate at him.
Fierce protectiveness fired through him.
He caught her elbow and gave her a light shake.
“I’m here because I want to be. Got it? Forget all that shit from before. At least for now.”
She nodded and her bottom lip quivered. She sucked it between her teeth to stop the tremble. The tiny little sniff from her nose made him pull her to his chest. He stroked his hands over her feathery hair, down her spine, and back up.
“I need to say something,” she said. “If I never see you again after this, I want you to know how much it means to me that you didn’t abandon Dani . . . or me,” she added on a whisper.
Guilt, hot and corrosive, ate at his insides.
If I never see you again after this . . .
She wasn’t talking about something happening to either of them. She was talking about him walking away from her like he’d done in the past. He cupped the back of her neck and lowered his lips to her satiny locks.
“I’ll never do that again, Serena. I was a stupid, cocky little shit to break up with you the way I did and not contact you after that. Never again.”
She said nothing, and her muscles stayed stiff. She didn’t believe him. That harsh realization hit him like a kick to the gut.
He’d prove it to her.