Chapter 35
Chapter thirty-five
The moment Blanche parks the car, I’m off Ledger’s lap and out the door. Thankfully, the gravity of the situation has overridden any animosity between the two of us at the moment. I never meant for things to get so far, but I suppose it’s better my in-laws know exactly how lethal I can be.
The only person who didn’t seem shocked when I beat up their big bad Ledger was Blanche. She gets out soon after barking commands. “Ledger honey, you stay back and wait for Taranov's men. Sasha and I will go in and follow her tracker.”
“I’m going in. I have fifty men arriving in two minutes.”
“Fifty-one. Don’t forget Jack. He’s right behind us!” Ledger calls from where he’s propped against the car.
“You’re right, let’s not forget about the fucker who dismissed his sister to be killed,” I grumble as I make my way to the back entrance of the motel.
It’s just a regular fucking motel. This guy has managed to stay off my grid for weeks and brings Lucy to a normal hotel?
Out in the open? Blanche leads the way down twisting halls until we come to an abrupt stop.
I’m skeptical by nature and all of my training would normally lead me to think this was a huge trap, but this just seems like shoddy planning.
“Is this it?” I whisper. My heart is racing, and for the first time in years, I’m nervous about how to proceed. I’m usually the leader on any mission, always making split-second decisions, but all I can do right now is look at Blanche for direction.
“Yes. Are your guys here yet?”
I nod when a glance at my phone confirms their arrival.
“Well, what are we waiting on?” Blanche kicks in the flimsy motel door and draws a handgun I didn’t know she had.
My attention goes immediately to the woman tied up in the center of the room.
Lucy. In my rush to her, I forget to check to see if there’s anyone else in the room, but I don’t care.
There isn’t a human alive or dead who could stop me from my girl.
I drop to my knees the moment I reach her, gently running my hands across her body for any sign of injury before untying her.
I’ve gotten her mouth untaped and her blindfold off when the click of a trigger breaches the silence in the room.
“Not so fast. Did you think I would just let you walk out with my leverage?”
Looking up, I’m faced with the familiar face of Lawrence. Anger like nothing I’ve ever felt barrels through me. “You’re lucky she’s not hurt,” I grit out. “If I find out you touched a hair on her body, you’ll be begging me for death.”
“Oh, you can have her back, but you either give me exactly what I’m asking for or she’s a gone—”
Lawrence stops mid-sentence as a gunshot pierces the room. I’m shielding Lucy with my body, scared to look down at her when Blanche speaks up. “Good heavens, Sasha. I don’t know how long you were going to let him blab for, but I have things to do.”
I lift my weight off Lucy and breathe a sigh of relief when I confirm she’s unharmed. I finish my job of untying her, then lightly cup her face. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, and I know I’ll have some in my own soon. “Sunshine…I’m—”
I’m interrupted by my men running into the room. “Is everything okay, boss? Is anyone hurt?”
Thankfully, Blanche speaks up for me, letting them know the situation because I don’t have any words at the moment. The group of men has just secured the room, making sure we’re all safe, when Jack and Ledger run in and I’m pushed out of the way.
After the shock of being pushed over wanes, I look to see Jack kneeling before Lucy, tears streaming down his face. In any other circumstance, I would throttle the motherfucker, but I can tell how much this means to Lucy. She reciprocates his hug as he wraps her in his arms, while they both sob.
When he pulls back to talk to her, she has the smallest of smiles on her face.
“Lucy, I’m so, so sorry. I feel like this is all my fault.
I shouldn’t have sent that man away. I swear I had no idea.
” He pauses to wipe the tears from her face.
“I promise I’ll always be here for you. Wow, I’ve always wanted a sister.
Well, I kinda had one, I guess. But then I married her. Ow…”
I can’t help but chuckle as Ledger smacks the back of Jack's head. Apparently loud enough to get both of their attention. Jack’s once sentimental face turns to anger as he appraises me.
“Why would you let someone take her? You have all of the resources in the world, and you let this asshole take my sister?”
“Excuse me?” Standing to my full height prompts Jack to do the same, and even though he’s got an inch on me, I can and will take him again if need be. “You’re the one who literally told Lawrence to kill her. Why don’t you back down before I beat your ass again.”
Jack opens his mouth to respond, but before anything comes out, Lucy squeals. It all happened so fast, and if I would’ve blinked, I would’ve completely missed her standing up between us as she’s now back in the chair she was tied to.
“Ouch! Fuck!” she says, waving her bleeding hand in the air.
“Sunshine! Are you okay? What happened, baby?” I drop to my knees and cradle her hand, searching the room and her face for any signs of danger when my cheek starts to ache.
“Wait…did you just punch me?”