Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
Feeling his skin itch, Steele exited the car and walked to the back of the parking lot. He was missing something. As he turned the corner, he spotted a white van with the stolen plates almost hidden by a retaining wall. Dashing to the side, he checked inside for occupants and found it empty. The sight of duct tape and rope made his blood boil. Steele took a few precious seconds to slash the back tires. They wouldn’t take her again. Shoving his knife back into his pocket, he pulled his phone out as he took off for the entrance.
“The van is here at the bank headquarters. Ivy’s in trouble.”
“She’s on the third floor, Steele. In a corner office.” Talon reported her location from the tracker Steele had placed in her pocket.
“We’ll be in the parking lot in sixty seconds, Steele,” Kade promised.
As Steele burst through the door, the guard stood up from the reception desk. “Whoa, sir. Do you have an appointment?”
“Call 911,” Steele yelled as he barged past the man to push the button for the elevator.
“Stop right there,” the guard demanded as Steele noticed it was stopped on the fifth floor. He couldn’t wait for it.
“Where are the stairs?” he demanded.
“Sir, I’m calling the police.” The guard stood with his hand on his gun.
“Do it! If I’m right, there are intruders on the third floor.” Turning to look around, Steele spotted the stairwell and took off for the doorway at the end of the hall. The man could shoot him. Nothing was going to keep Steele from protecting his Little girl.
“Sir! Stop!” the guard called after him.
In a flash, Steele was through the door and pounding up the stairs. He heard the door slam shut and knew the guard had not followed him. Hopefully, he was calling the police. Moving at top speed, Steele reached the third floor and burst through the door into the hallway. Without waiting to debate which way to go, he ran down the hallway, looking for the large corner office.
“I’m glad you chose to bring me this information, Ivy. I will take care of it.” Mr. Morton picked up his phone and typed in a brief message. Almost immediately, the doorway into what Ivy had assumed was a private storage area or executive bathroom opened.
Two men walked out. The large bald man smiled, making her blood chill in her veins. Immediately, she stood and backed toward the door into the corridor.
“Mr. Morton…” she started when the door behind her opened. A slender man with brown hair pushed a custodian’s cart inside.
“Take care of her this time,” the board president directed, meeting the latest arrival’s gaze.
Trying to keep from whipping her head from one side to the other, Ivy knew she needed to keep herself from becoming dizzy. She fumbled for her phone and the man closest to her knocked the device from her fingers. Panic flared through her body at the thought of those men getting ahold of her again. She didn’t even need to hear their voices to recognize who they were.
There were too many people in the building for them to get away with this. Ivy opened her mouth and screamed as loud as she could. The large man moved quickly to strike her with one gigantic fist in the middle of her chest, cutting off the sound of her cry for help abruptly. Ivy bent forward, struggling to regain her breath and control the pain while trying to find a safe spot. She heard her name bellowed in outrage and knew Steele was close.
Dropping to her knees, Ivy scrambled under a small table as the men surrounded her. One dragged her out by the hair, and through the tears filling her eyes, she saw Mr. Morton disappear out the side door the two men had entered from. Fury burst through her mind and Ivy reacted.
She thrust an arm toward her attacker, automatically balling her fist as Kade had taught her at dinner. The impact rattled her arm as she struck his eye. When he howled and turned away, Ivy launched herself toward the door. The largest attacker grabbed her arm, wrenching her shoulder as he gathered her hands behind her back. The half-blinded man slapped the tape in his hands over her mouth before she could shout. She struggled to land another blow, kicking when she couldn’t free her arms. They had just pulled a zip tie tight around her wrists when the door burst open.
“Steele!” Ivy screamed against the tape sealing her lips closed. The large man holding her threw Ivy to the side as Steele barreled toward him with rage, twisting his face into a dangerous mask. She watched as Steele dropped the brute to his knees with one well-placed blow before turning to face the second man who rushed him.