Chapter Thirty-Five
Talia was back.
Isabella scrambled out of the storage unit.
Despite the glare of the overhead lights, the air was cold. Stale. The corridor silent.
She glanced one way, then the other, taking in the line of yellow corrugated metal doors. Her muscles bunched with the need to run.
The sharp click of heels on polished concrete made her pulse stumble.
She took two quick steps in the opposite direction—
and froze.
Talia’s shoes weren’t the only ones echoing through the cavernous space.
Bending, she slipped out of hers and tiptoed as fast as she could without making noise.
Talia’s steps picked up speed, getting louder. Overhead lights flared across the lofty ceiling, lighting her way.
“Izzy!”
Adrenaline surged hot through Isabella’s limbs. She broke into a run.
More overhead lights popped on, giving away her location.
Shit, shit.
It wouldn’t be her heart, or her shoes that gave her away. It would be the lights.
“I know you’re here. We don’t have time for this.” Talia’s voice grew nearer.
Another turn to the left. No end in sight. Too long. Each junction she passed led to more corridors.
Which way to the elevator?
Click. Click. Click. Every strike of Talia’s heels sounded like a death knell.
Talia didn’t run or bother to mask her approach. She just followed the lights as they flared to life with every corridor Isabella entered.
She forced her nerves back and focused on what Danny had taught her. She hadn’t taken all those escape and evasion lessons to die now.
Finally, an opening up ahead.
The elevator lobby.
Isabella jabbed at the down button. The elevator whirred to life as it rumbled upward.
Slowly. Too slowly.
“Come on. Come on.” She stared at the painted steel doors.
The sound of Talia’s shoes grew closer. “Stop running, Izzy.”
The light on the button went out.
Crack!
Isabella threw her hands over her ears at the sharp retort.
Something stung her cheek. There was a nick in the painted concrete block next to the elevator that hadn’t been there a second ago.
She whirled to face Talia.
Holding a gun.
Pointed at her.
“I won’t miss again.”
Danny rounded the corner of the two-lane highway that went from high-density retail to wooded residential.
The two storage companies came into view on opposite sides of the road.
The one nearest him had three buildings surrounded by an eight-foot-high black steel fence.
Several moving trucks for rent sat parked behind the fence, next to the main building.
He pulled into the visitor’s lot and got out of the Mustang, scanned his surroundings, then pivoted to glance across the street at the other business. Two buildings—a two-story and one with three floors.
No property fence. Easier to access.
Fuck me. It would have been too easy if each place only had one building for him to search.
Work the problem.
If Talia were still here, her car would be here.
He made his way into the open retail space in the first building. The lone employee, a man about his age with light brown hair, looked up from his computer.
“Good morning, sir, can I help you?”
Danny shoved his hands into his pockets and adopted a confused expression.
“Yeah, man. I was supposed to help my girlfriend move some stuff into her storage unit. But she didn’t tell me there were two companies across the street from each other.
” He shrugged. “She’s not answering her phone.
Do you know if anyone’s here? I know it’s kind of early. ”
The man checked his computer, then shook his head. “Last time someone accessed the facility was last night at seven-thirty.”
Too early.
Danny puffed out his cheeks. “Man, I wish she’d answer her phone.”
“You might want to try across the street, but their office doesn’t open up for another hour.”
“Mind if I just walk the fence line, make sure I don’t see her car anywhere?” He was pretty sure this wasn’t the place, but he’d be a fool if he didn’t do a basic perimeter check.
“Go ahead.” From the bored expression that had already settled across the man’s face, he really didn’t care what Danny did.
“Thanks.” Danny slipped out the door and abandoned all pretense of playing it cool, jogging along the fence as he peered down the alleys separating each building, looking for Talia’s car. He noted the location of security cameras in case he needed to jump the fence and break in.
Nothing.
The insistent prickle on his scalp told him he was running out of time.
He jogged back to Consuela and zoomed across the road into the parking lot of the other storage facility. The main office was dark, which was just as well, because he wasn’t going to ask for permission to access the storage units.
The only vehicle parked at the main building was a shuttle van with the storage company’s logo on it. When he rounded the second building, his heart stopped for a primal beat.
Talia’s car. Parked next to the emergency exit stairs on the back side of the building.
A vicious smile curved his lips. The mission calm he’d been desperately seeking settled on him like a familiar coat.
He texted Nathan.
Call the police.
Then he dropped a pin to his exact location before placing his phone on silent and pocketing it.
Opening his glove compartment, he retrieved his weapon, then popped the trunk and took out the handy compact pry bar he kept in his bag of tricks.
Messing with the electronic keypad was a waste of time. He stepped up to the double glass doors of the main entrance and drove the pry bar into the seam where the doors met, shoving his weight into it.
The frame flexed.
He shoved again, grimacing at the loud screech of metal giving way as the latch tore free.
Not that he gave a damn, unless it had alerted Talia.
He’d probably just triggered a silent alarm and would have the men in blue here in a matter of minutes. Hopefully, Nathan would get to them first, so they wouldn’t be coming in blind.
Bella’s life—maybe his—depended on it.
Slipping inside, he eased the door closed and gripped his weapon.
Three floors to clear.
He stepped into the first corridor. Overhead lights snapped on with an electronic buzz.
He froze.
Motion lights. Should have realized that.
Fuck it. He had to rely on speed rather than stealth at this point and clear each floor as quickly as possible before Talia knew he was here.
Weapon raised, he slipped down the first corridor.
Crack!
Danny’s head snapped up.
The sound had come from the floor above him.
He knew exactly what it was. His fingers tightened around the grip of his gun, and for a beat, his knees refused to hold his weight.
Bella.
The shot had come close to the elevator banks.
Focus on your training.
He scanned for stairs.
There. His hand closed around the handle as he gently pried open the door to the stairwell, making as little sound as possible, then slowly guided it shut with a muted click.
Isabella swayed on her feet.
Talia had shot at her.
She couldn’t look away from the barrel of the gun—pointed straight at her heart. “Please. Don’t do this.”
Talia’s shoulders dipped a fraction before straightening. “I have to, Izzy, I’m sorry.”
She gestured with the gun toward the flatbed cart parked next to the elevators. “I’m going to need you to bring that back to the storage unit.”
Isabella remained rooted where she was.
Talia’s eyes went cold. “Now.” She lifted the weapon, her finger curling around the trigger. “If I have to shoot you here, where I’ll have a big mess to clean up, I’m going to make it hurt.”
A cold sweat trickled down Isabella’s back. Whoever this woman was, she wasn’t the best friend she’d counted on for the last eight years.
Eight years.
With a resigned sigh, she walked over to the cart, her palms curling over the handle.
“They’ll know it was you, Talia. As soon as Danny realizes I’m missing, he’ll call the police. Olivia Flores will tell them about your connection to Omar Hassan.”
“I know.” Talia lifted her shoulder in a careless shrug.
“I’ll reinvent myself somewhere else. I’ve done it before.
” She gave a disgusted huff. “If it wasn’t for that reporter and your boyfriend, I wouldn’t have to.
” Petulant, like a child who hadn’t gotten her way.
“I could have been there for your parents. Been an honorary aunt to your nephew.”
Isabella’s grip tightened on the cart handle at the thought of Talia playing the grieving friend to her unsuspecting family, worming her way into their lives.
She pushed the cart down the hall, retracing her steps while Talia prowled behind her with her gun.
A list of regrets played in her head like last rites.
I’m sorry, Mom and Dad.
Her brother. Sister-in-law.
Her baby nephew. She’d never see him grow up.
What would happen to Trip? Would Talia take him? Or leave him to be discovered in her home when someone finally went looking for her?
Danny would adopt him. He adored Trip.
Her steps faltered. Danny. She’d never told him she loved him.
“Keep moving.”
Hard metal prodded her back. She forced her feet to continue, not looking back. She’d wanted forever with Danny and had already decided she’d rather face the realities of his job than live without him.
Now she’d simply have to be grateful for the time they’d had.
He’d grieve her.
Her ribs squeezed so tight she thought they might crack.
He may not have said it, but he showed he loved her every time they were together. She didn’t need the words to believe that.
Anger swept in like an out-of-control forest fire, burning away fear and leaving her clearheaded. What the hell was she doing, walking like a lamb to her own slaughter?
She would not make this easy for Talia—she’d bleed all over this concrete floor if she had to. Force Talia to drag her body to the storage unit. Roll her up in that rug.
Get blood on her clothes.
Isabella slowed her steps, taking in every angle, every junction that led to another corridor.
A distraction. That’s what she needed.
An overhead light came on with a loud buzz.
Not the hallway she and Talia were in.
Talia whirled toward the sound.
Isabella took flight. Bare feet slapped concrete. She didn’t look back.
“God damn it, Izzy!” Talia screeched. “I don’t care anymore. I’m going to fucking kill you!”
Another junction up ahead.
Left or right?
Didn’t matter. She had to choose at random. Keep Talia at bay until she could reach an exit or a place to hide.
Almost there.
“Izzy!” Behind her, Talia’s voice was sharp. Triumphant.
Something buzzed by Isabella’s ear, the sound of a large insect.
Crack!
Head down, Isabella made herself ignore the gunshot and keep going.
More footsteps. Heavier ones. Fast and to her left.
A flash of red and blond, and then the world went sideways as a heavy body took her to the floor.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
Gunshots. Too many to count.
The body above her grunted. Shifted slightly.
More gunshots. Too close.
Her face was mashed into a chest that smelled like—
Beach. Sun. Driftwood.
Silence. Deafening in its stillness. The red shirt lifted enough for her to focus on it. Palm trees. Pink flamingos.
Trembling fingers touched her cheek. “Are you okay, Bella?” Desperate. “Tell me you’re okay.”
“Danny?” Now that she could take a full breath, her vision cleared.
His ashen face stared down at her. He’d come for her.
She frowned. Why was he so pale?
“You’re here.” She wrapped her arms around him, brushing damp spots that clung to his back.
He hissed and rolled off her.
The slam of a door and heavy footsteps shattered the silence.
“Danny!”
Nathan Long’s voice, deep and urgent.
Danny lay on his back, his breaths rapid and shallow. Sweat beaded his forehead.
Isabella’s brows furrowed. “Danny?”
She scrambled to her knees. Something was wrong. Her hands slipped on the floor, leaving red smears. She raised them.
Why were her palms red?
Her horrified gaze flew to Danny, then she threw back her head and screamed. “Help!”
The heavy footsteps stopped, then pounded in her direction. Nathan appeared, and next to him, a tall man with black hair and striking green eyes.
Nathan dropped to his knees next to Danny. “Easy, amigo. Police just arrived.”
“I’ll tell them to call an ambulance.” The black-haired man had a Scottish accent. He disappeared as quickly as he’d arrived.
Nathan carefully removed the gun from Danny’s hand. He looked up at Isabella, his icy gaze warm with concern. “You okay, darlin’?”
“Yes.” A whisper. Her entire focus returned to Danny. All that gunfire. She’d thought it was only coming from Talia.
Danny’s attention fixed on her. “I almost lost you.”
She grabbed his hand. His skin was cool. Clammy. She ran trembling fingers down his face. “You saved me.”
A faint grin tilted lips that were too cold and tinged blue. “I’m a full-service boyfriend.” Weak. Strained.
Nathan reached for the front of Danny’s shirt and yanked, ripping it open. “I’m going to have to move you, Chaos.”
Danny grunted as Nathan moved him onto his side, quickly assessed, then pressed Danny’s wadded-up shirt against his back.
The black-haired man with the Scottish accent returned. “How many times was he hit?”
“Hit?” Her brain was sluggish.
“Twice,” Nathan said. “No exit wounds.”
A shudder swept through Isabella’s body. She placed her face next to Danny’s. Wrapped her hands around his. “I love you. Don’t you dare leave me.”
More footsteps. People shouting. She didn’t look up.
Something flared in Danny’s eyes. His fingers tightened around hers.
“Never,” he whispered. “I love you, too.”
Medics hustled down the corridor, a stretcher between them.
Nathan snorted. “You owe me two hundred bucks.” The tension in his voice told Isabella he wasn’t as unaffected as he appeared.
Danny’s gaze locked with Nathan’s. “Don’t leave her.”
It was the Scot who answered. “She’s safe with us, you have our word.”
Then medics were there, and Nathan was lifting her to her feet, away from Danny.
Only then did she let herself look down the corridor.
Talia lay on the floor, legs folded, arms outflung, the gun still clutched in her hand. Red stained the floor around her. Two police officers stood over her, one speaking into the mic at his shoulder.
A bout of queasiness attacked Isabella.
Nathan used his enormous body to block her view. “Don’t look.”
The medics boarded Danny and put him on the stretcher.
“Bella.” He croaked her name. Reached for her.
“I’m here.” She swiped at her face because her eyes wouldn’t stop leaking, then twined her fingers with Danny’s as the medics rolled the stretcher to the elevators. Down to the first floor. Outside, where the ambulance waited.
Pressing her lips to Danny’s, she cringed at how cold they were. How blue. “I’ll be right behind you.”
The medics lifted the stretcher.
Nathan whispered in her ear. “You gotta let him go, darlin’.”
She unlaced her fingers from Danny’s and watched as his stretcher disappeared into the wagon.
Sirens blared to life as the ambulance shot forward, taking her entire world with it.
“Never,” she whispered.