Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
“Don’t kill him.”
TJ’s heart damn near shot out of his chest because Lou had said the words, and she was standing at the end of the bar, her hands up in the air.
He was going to spank her until she couldn’t stand up. And then he would find an elephant plug, lube it up with the nastiest ginger he could find, and shove it in her rectum, and maybe then he would find some calm again. “Louisa Ward.”
“Don’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t let anyone else die.”
She couldn’t do this to him. She couldn’t sacrifice herself. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”
“I’m only taking the girl,” Huber said. “I think you might be more than I can handle on my own, Sergeant.”
If he thought he could handle Lou, then he hadn’t properly done his research. Still, he couldn’t risk it. They would torture her. He knew how strong and brave she was, but he couldn’t let that happen if he could stop it.
“This deal is only for me,” Lou said, looking back at him. “You let me do this, TJ. You have to trust me the way I promise from this moment on I will always trust you. I’ve learned that. I trust you, Theodore Taggart.”
Fuck. She was pleading with him. Trust her. He hadn’t, and it had cost them years. Or maybe things had played out the way they always should have. Maybe that was the trust she was talking about. Maybe she was giving him everything he’d hoped for, and all he had to do was shove his fear aside.
All he had to do was risk it all.
His instinct was to go over that bar, cover her with his own body, and let the rest of the team finish the job.
Oh, fuck. They couldn’t finish the job without proof. That was what his Lou was doing.
“When I get you back, your ass is mine, baby,” he growled and brought his gun down. It would be red. So red. He could trust her fully and still spank her ass over this stunt.
The look on Lou’s face was everything. She looked at him like he was the sun in the sky. “I love you, TJ.” She turned to the arms dealer, who was still hiding behind a trying-to-cower Dennis. “I’ll go with you. I’ll get Dr. Huisman what he needs, but you have to let Dennis go.”
“Lou,” Kala said. “TJ might have lost his fucking mind, but I haven’t. If you think I’m letting him walk out with you, you’re wrong.”
Lou’s shoulders went straight as she moved in between Kala and her target. “I’m going to do what I have to. I’m not letting anyone else die.”
TJ’s gut was a tight knot as he forced himself to stay still. He should shoot Dennis himself and take the problem out of play, but he knew what Lou was doing. The Canadian team wouldn’t have set this up without video or audio recording. Likely both. She was going to give Parker what he wanted. Proof.
Neither Zach nor Cooper had let down their guards. Kala was practically vibrating with rage as Huber managed to exchange Dennis for Lou in one smooth move that proved he was a man used to covering his own ass. He wrapped an arm around Lou’s waist and dragged her back against him.
TJ’s hands twitched with the need to kill the man. Dennis scrambled away, hiding behind one of the overturned tables.
Where Dennis had been a blubbering mess, Lou was calm and cool.
“You better be able to deliver, little girl,” Huber said in a raspy voice as he held his gun at her side.
“I can do it,” Lou promised him. “I can get him what he needs.”
Huber’s gaze took in the rest of the room, trying to figure out his best plan of action. “You better or he’ll kill us both.”
“Emmanuel Huisman will kill us,” Lou said plainly.
Huber cursed. “Yes. That crazy fucker will kill us all if he doesn’t get what he wants. Now move with me and we’ll leave out the back.”
Lou held her ground. “Is it enough, Agent Parker?”
A line of red light came from the second floor, streaming down behind Huber.
The arms dealer couldn’t see that thin red line. He simply stared at what he thought was the threat. “You better stay…”
Whatever he was going to say was lost as his head jerked forward, a bullet lodging in his brain. Lou pushed away as Huber started for the floor. Dennis screamed and started running. Right into Kala, who caught him neatly.
“Hello, old friend. We’re going to have a little chat,” she said with a predatory smile.
Dennis’s eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he passed out.
Ben Parker stood on the second-floor landing, a sniper rifle in his hands.
Dennis wasn’t the only one who was getting a talking to.