Chapter Seventeen

SEVENTEEN

"Be right back, babe," Andrii said. "I'll start the bathwater."

Azelie couldn't keep the smile from her face. Not only had she done a rather spectacular job giving him a blow job for the first time, but their sex was off the charts. Now he was doing what he always did, taking care of her. She lay on the bed, hands behind her head, not bothering to try to cover up. She was as limp as a dishrag and so happy she couldn't think straight.

"I have Andrii fog," she announced.

He grinned at her, leaned over, and brushed a kiss on the top of her head. "You're going to contribute to my smug arrogance if you keep that up."

"I can't help it if it's true." She smiled up at him. "You're better than brain fog."

"It could just be sex fog," he teased.

She loved making him smile. He seemed relaxed and very happy. "It could be, but if it is, it's still Andrii fog, because you're the one providing awesome sex."

"I suppose that makes sense to you. I think it's the other way around. You provided for me." He turned to walk away from her.

Azelie stared at his broad back in a kind of shock. She sat up slowly. She knew he had tattoos. He had them all over his chest and arms, but he usually was dressed, and the other times they'd had sex, she only saw him from the front. He pulled on a shirt after. He woke before her when he slept in her bed. She'd never seen his back tattoos. The main ink on his back was a large piece done predominantly in blacks and grays. The central part of the tattoo was a tree with many branches. Crows sat in the branches or flew above them. Mixed in the roots of the tree were numerous skulls piled high. Some were scattered on the ground near the roots, as if they'd tried to escape. A rocker above the canopy of the tree said "Torpedo Ink." The one below said "Sea Haven–Caspar."

"You're in a motorcycle club."

He stuck his head around the door frame. "Yeah?" A distinct challenge. His expression had gone hard. "You have a problem with that?"

"Well, yes." She wrapped her arms around her middle. "That means you ride motorcycles. You're probably really good on a motorcycle. Like an expert rider or something."

He looked puzzled. "Not following you, babe. You're going to have to spell out your objection."

"Sheesh, Andrii. Do I have to spell it out for you? Is there anything you can't do? Anything you're not good at? I'm saying you're most likely a badass on a motorcycle. You are, aren't you? Just own it. Just admit it."

She knew she sounded a little hysterical, but every time she thought she might be able to give him something of equal value, bring something to the relationship, she found out more about him. Everything she found out was over the top. He was like a hero in a fantasy book, larger than life and impossible to match.

Andrii studied her face, the harshness in him fading. "Baby, you're not making any sense. I've ridden motorcycles for years. You'll never have to worry when you're on the back of my bike. I'll keep you safe. Are you afraid of motorcycles?"

Naturally, he would think she feared being on a motorcycle. More than likely, prior to thinking she was afraid, he had thought she was upset that he was in a club. He didn't understand the disparity between them. It would always be there, this huge gap she would never be able to close. She despised that she had no experience, that she'd been a coward and hid from life because of what had happened.

She pressed her hand over the scar closest to her heart. She'd been afraid to take a chance with Maestro, pretending to herself she was afraid of his past, but the truth was she thought she would never be able to keep him. He would realize after a short while that she was no match for him.

Azelie turned away from him. She couldn't even look at him when he was so ridiculously gorgeous. He didn't seem to care in the least about his nudity, comfortable in his own skin, where she often wanted to hide. She knew she'd worn baggy clothes from a young age because Quentin had drilled it into her that she wasn't to show her figure. She wanted to blame her lack of confidence on that but was afraid she simply lacked self-esteem in every department.

She heard Andrii swear under his breath, his voice soft but close, too close. He moved like the air, silent and deadly. He was on her before she could defend herself, catching her up in his arms and cradling her against his chest.

"Baby, you're crying." He swung around, stalking back to the bathroom, where the water was running into her small bathtub. "Told you before, don't want you crying unless you're in my arms. Cry it out, and then tell me what's going on so I can fix it."

She didn't know what to say or do. How could he fix the wide gap, ever growing, between them? "It's not like you can suddenly turn into a nerd, Andrii. Or goofy. Or sexless. You're always going to be you, and I'm always going to be me." She choked, hiccupped and pressed her wet face against his bare chest. "Even after crazy sex, you smell good. You can't stop that either."

"That's a good thing, Zelie, not a bad thing." He rested his butt against the sink, holding her close as the water filled the tub. "I don't think you'd be attracted to me if I was the smelly type."

"Don't get me laughing. I don't want to laugh. This is so bad between us. There isn't any way to fix it. There's just no way."

He set her feet down in the small bathtub. "There's always a way to fix something, baby. But if you're worried about the two of us, we're solid. We're always going to be solid, even when we run into little hitches."

His voice was soft, a brush of velvet over her skin. Worse, there were notes in his tone that had goose bumps erupting everywhere. She wanted to curl up into a little ball and weep forever at her lack of confidence. How could a man like Andrii hold her with such tenderness? So gently. So absolutely certain they would make it.

"You don't understand," she blurted. "I don't think it's possible for you to understand."

"Despite being ridiculously arrogant, I am intelligent. I can figure it out. Get all the way into the water, Azelie."

He stripped the robe off her, and she sank down into the hot water obediently, drawing up her knees and gripping them so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"I really don't like you being so distressed."

She laid her head on top of her knees. "It's just that you're so extraordinary." She looked up at him, seeing he was shaking his head. "Don't dismiss what I'm telling you. You are. You have so much experience in so many areas. Anything you choose to do, you're not just good, you're amazing at it."

Her hair was all over the place and she swept it back, annoyed that she hadn't put it up. The moment she pulled it back from her face, Andrii took over, bunching her thick hair in one fist and deftly twisting it into one of the many silk scrunchies she had on a mini-tower next to her sink.

"You're even good at putting my hair up."

"I'm good at reading your distress level. You needed it out of your way. I was close to your hair ties, so I put it up out of the way."

She glanced at him again. "You're good at everything."

"I'm not. I couldn't write a book if my life depended on it. I can't make a roomful of senior citizens light up when I walk into a coffee shop. I certainly am not going to take on a couple of little boys or a baby girl. Quite possibly, they'd eat me alive. I have certain skills, but not one of them will lend itself to any of those things."

She continued to look at him. He meant what he said. He just didn't get it. "Andrii, I'm falling in love with you. When you open your eyes and realize I'm boring and scared and I'll never be your match, you're going to get restless. You may stay with me because you're loyal. I see that in you. I don't believe you're a cheater, but you aren't going to be happy, and I couldn't bear that."

For a moment he looked very upset, and then he crouched down beside the tub, where he could look directly into her eyes. "Azelie, look at me." He waited until she managed to raise her gaze to his. "You need to hear me. Really hear me. I've had countless women in my life. That was part of my training. Even missions I went on involved seduction of a target. I'm not telling you any of my past because I'm proud of it—just the opposite. You need to understand I'm not normal. I'm never going to be normal. I don't have natural erections as a rule. As in never since I was a teen. Everything in my life has been about control. I didn't ever feel alive. I went through the motions because I believe in what we do. I've experienced trafficking, and more than anything I wanted to be part of an organization to stop it. But I wasn't living. I didn't enjoy great food or drink. I didn't enjoy the women I fucked. It was a release for me, nothing more. Some days, it was damn tough to find a reason to keep going."

He had to stop. Her eyes burned with tears. Not for herself, but for him. He was giving her the absolute truth of his life and it wasn't pretty.

"It doesn't matter how experienced I am at sex if I'm not enjoying it. Killing people isn't a gift, it's a curse. My life was a total fucking mess until I laid eyes on you. You don't have to understand that you brought me back to life, but you do need to understand there will never be another woman for me. Not ever. You're the one or it's no one."

He never once shifted his gaze from hers. How could she not believe him? He was right, she didn't understand the how or why of it, only that Andrii believed what he was saying with his entire being. She tried a smile to reassure him. She didn't know why she was reassuring him because to her he was as perfect as a man got.

"I don't know how you see yourself like that, Andrii, but I'm going to take what you say as an absolute."

"I won't lie to you, Azelie. I haven't lied to you. Not about my past and not about what I want for our future. If there comes a time when I have to ask you to wait for explanations, have faith in me. Trust me to look out for us."

"I have faith in you, Andrii. It's me I feel always falls short."

"Stop feeling that way. It's you I want. It's you I'm always going to want. They say no one can promise forever, and that's fucking true because we're all facing death. I can promise you that when I take my last breath, I'll be thinking of you. It's always going to be you."

There it was. Complete conviction. Her heart nearly exploded at the look in his eyes. Stark love. That was what she saw looking back at her. She wasn't used to love, but there was no other way to describe what she saw etched into the lines on his face and in the depths of his eyes.

He was amazing. The fact that he had genuinely developed such intense emotions for her in so little time shocked her. Elated her. There was no way she could have poor self-esteem and sabotage what they had if he looked at her that way. She would never be worthy of him if she wasn't willing to fight for them the way he was.

"It's always going to be you, Andrii," she admitted. "There's no one like you in the world. I know I don't want anyone else. I've never looked at anyone else."

He swept his hand down the back of her head. "You have to stop running from me. I'm doing everything I can to show you what you mean to me. Maybe it isn't enough. I'm new to relationships, but I swear, baby, whatever you need so you're absolutely certain of us, I'll find a way to give it to you."

"I think you just did, Andrii." She sounded breathless, choked up, mainly because she was. There was a lump in her throat she couldn't quite get around.

"Your parents programmed you to believe you aren't worthy of love. I may not go to counselors, but I've heard Blythe telling her children that they were programmed by the people who took them. When you meet her, you'll see that Blythe makes sense. Once we broke out of that school and were out from under Sorbacov, I never wanted to view myself as a victim, so I tried not to hear her. But she makes sense. We're going to run into these glitches sometimes, not through our own fault, but because past experiences shape us. I know I'm going to need reassurance at times. I know I'm going to be a moron and test you, but I'm aware that I do that shit and it isn't fair to you, so I'll fight those tendencies."

Her heart melted at his admission. She loved that he would let her know he expected to fail at times. It made her feel as if her continual battle with self-esteem could be acknowledged and hopefully overcome.

"You could let me know when you're having a difficult time, Andrii."

"I think that's a very good idea. A wise man once told me good communication is the key in a relationship. When you need extra reassurance that I find you the most beautiful woman on this planet, inside and out, you let me know. We can do this, Zelie. I know we can. You just need to believe in us the way I do."

Azelie found it interesting and a little sad that he was all in, seemingly without reservations, and she was such a coward she kept throwing roadblocks in their way. There were reasons. She was intelligent enough to know Andrii was holding back something huge, but at the same time, she found that she did trust him. Something in her responded to him.

She knew she had good instincts when it came to judging people and their motives. She could determine whether they were liars and what kind of character they had. The bottom line was she believed Andrii and she wanted to be like him—taking a deep breath and jumping in with both feet.

She nodded her head slowly, determined she was going to let go of her fears.

***

"He wrote a song for me," Azelie announced as she flung herself into the chair beside China. "Andrii plays in a band, and he wrote a song and played it for me. Right there in the club. He told everyone the song was for his lady."

She couldn't help sounding breathless. Andrii made her breathless. He'd been so loving and sweet, holding her all night, whispering the most outrageous things to make her laugh. There were no nightmares when Andrii slept in her bed with her. There was no room for them because Andrii made sure of it.

Penny's breath exploded from her throat. She patted the tabletop beside Azelie's hand. "A band? He plays in a band? And wrote a song for you? Musicians are the best lovers. It's their artist's soul."

Doug groaned and slapped his palm against his forehead. "Don't tell her such nonsense, Penny."

"What are you doing encouraging her to be a groupie?" Carlton demanded. "And musicians aren't necessarily the best lovers. Any man who pays attention to his partner's needs is a good lover."

Penny rolled her eyes. "You don't understand the significance of a man with a poet's soul. His very artistry gives him a superior skill right off the bat."

Doug made a noise in his throat that sounded like a cat dying of strangulation. Then he began a coughing fit. Azelie politely pushed the glass of water she hadn't yet touched to him in the hopes of saving his life. He had turned an alarming shade of lobster red.

China and Blanc hid their smirks behind their hands. Azelie glanced toward the counter, where Shaila was serving a customer. At least she acted as though she were serving a customer, but in reality, she was listening to the conversation right along with half the coffee shop. The discussions between the merry widows and their two male friends were legendary.

"Penny." Carlton did his best to sound reasonable, but his voice shook with the effort. "That is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing that's ever come out of your mouth. And over the years, you've managed to spew a lot of insane nonsense. It's a wonder you haven't been committed."

"Ha!" Penny returned. "You're just jealous because I took an entire year and followed several of the top bands."

"You didn't follow them," Carlton objected. "You had sex with all the band members."

Penny nodded, completely without one iota of remorse. "Which, may I point out, makes me an expert when it comes to musicians and their sexual prowess."

Doug choked some more. He took another drink of water and glared at Penny. "You will not encourage our girl to follow bands and sleep with the members."

"Of course not." Penny turned her entire focus on Azelie and gave her a very straight-faced lecture. "Honey, you don't sleep with musicians, you have sex with them."

China and Blanc both erupted into giggles. Half the customers in the coffee shop followed suit, although they tried to muffle their reactions.

Carlton threw his hands into the air. "That's it, Penny. I'm officially banning you from talking to Azelie. You've spent half your life corrupting the young."

China sobered quickly. "That's going way too far, Carlton, and you need to apologize."

"That's so true," Penny said. "I only managed to corrupt a few other girls, introducing them to a rollicking good time with the best lovers ever ." She blew on the tips of her fingernails. "I like to think I've made women aware of the differences between bad sex, decent sex and fantastic sex. All women should know."

"There's no talking to you, Penny," Doug declared. He switched his gaze to Azelie, his features softening. "Half the things she says are pure bullshit designed to make our heads explode, Azelie. It gives her great joy to watch Carlton and me lose it over her nonsense."

"If you know I'm spewing nonsense," Penny challenged, "why does your head explode?"

Azelie thought that was a very good point. She was very aware everyone in the coffee shop was listening to the conversation. She was glad they were no longer discussing her date. She didn't want to answer questions about Andrii in front of everyone. She still feared there was a good chance word would get back to Billows and he'd find a way to harm Andrii.

She considered Billows' odd behavior at the club when he'd come in with his supermodel trophy displayed on his arm. When he'd come over to the table, he hadn't been looking at Azelie, he'd been looking at Lana. He'd all but ignored the fact that there was a man at the table. There didn't appear to be jealousy or anger toward Kasimir at all. When she went back over every detail, she realized he'd barely glanced at Azelie.

Carlton sighed very loudly. "Someone has to keep you in line, Penny. The statements you make have grown outrageous."

Penny's eyebrow shot up. "Now you're my keeper?"

Doug and Carlton exchanged another look. It was Doug who assented with a nod of his head. "Yes, Penny, we look after you, China and Blanc. Your antics could get you in trouble. You perform at that seedy little theater the three of you seem to love. It's not in the best part of town. You're attractive, funny and very vocal. It isn't like anyone could ignore your presence. Each of you lives alone, and if someone follows you home and breaks in, what then?"

The merry widows had mixed reactions to Doug's revealing statement. He sounded very matter-of-fact, but it was clear the two men knew the women's habits intimately.

"Do you follow us around?" Blanc asked. "Like stalkers?"

Azelie decided it was time to intervene before the merry widows worked themselves up. She leaned across the table toward Doug. "That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard." Smiling at the women, she indicated the two men. "It sounds like they're your personal bodyguards. Coming from their backgrounds, you three are so lucky to have them. And you don't even have to pay them."

The women closed their mouths on a protest, looking mollified. China was the first to recover. "Now that you put it that way, Azelie, you're right. We are lucky. Thank you, Doug. Carlton. It can't have been easy keeping track of us."

"You really were being sweet," Blanc added.

The door opened, bringing in a draft of cold air. Andrew McGrady waltzed in as if he owned the coffee shop. Azelie's heart dropped. They couldn't continue their conversation in front of him.

"Stop," she whispered. "Don't talk, not with him here."

Both Doug and Carlton had already noted him the moment McGrady opened the door. They seemed to always be on alert. The merry widows ceased their laughter, heads coming up, eyes following Billows' man's progress as he sauntered to the counter. The entire length of the room, McGrady kept his gaze fixed on the table where Azelie sat with her friends. He had the expression of the cat that ate the canary.

Azelie's first inclination was to get up and leave, hoping McGrady would follow her out. She bunched the straps of her backpack into her fist in preparation. McGrady pulled out his cell phone, held it up and began taking photos of the merry widows, Doug and Carlton and her together at their table. Her heart went into overdrive.

"I'll see you later," she told the others and dragged her backpack from the floor. If McGrady didn't follow her out, she could always return on the pretense she'd forgotten something. She was determined to have a few words with him one way or the other.

"Put that away," Doug snapped. "You have no right to take our pictures."

"Shut up, old man," McGrady ordered.

Azelie rose instantly when Doug and Carlton stood up. "Don't you dare talk to them like that."

McGrady's laughter was sneering, not at all humorous. He sounded as if he was deliberately goading the older men.

"You need to leave this establishment and not come back," Shaila declared.

Shaila's husband, David, came from the back room to stand beside his wife. He held a cell phone in his hand.

"I've got 911 on speed dial," he told McGrady. "If you don't leave, you'll have a police escort to help you off the property."

"You ban me from your coffee shop and when it mysteriously burns to the ground because you don't have protection, you'll know you caused it."

Azelie stormed up to him, snatching his phone from his hand while his attention was on the shop owners. She backed up several feet from him while she found his photos and quickly began to delete the pictures of the merry widows, Doug, Carlton and herself.

"You little bitch." McGrady crossed the distance in two long strides. He brought up his fist.

"Go ahead," she taunted, holding her own phone up. "I'm sending to Billows everything you're doing. You hit me and you know there's going to be hell to pay."

McGrady's face twisted into a maniacal mask. He couldn't seem to stop his aggressive behavior. At the last moment, he opened his fist, so it was his palm that hit her in the face.

"You dare threaten me? When Billows is tired of you, who do you think he's going to give you to? I'll remember this and treat you accordingly. I always have access to his women when I want them."

Everyone in the coffee shop stood up as Azelie reeled backward. She might have gone down, but Doug caught her before she fell.

"I've called the police," David announced.

"Got it on video," several voices claimed. "We need to keep him here until the cops arrive."

"Try it," McGrady snarled, already moving quickly to exit the shop. He shoved Doug and Azelie out of his way as he stalked out.

Shaila handed Azelie an ice pack for her face. She took it absently as she watched McGrady get into his car. He stuck his hand out the window and flipped off the coffee shop.

"Shaila, he might really try to burn down your business," Carlton said. "He's a vindictive little bastard, if you pardon my language, ladies."

Azelie found herself shaking. She sent the video to Billows before she thought it through. Before she was too afraid to do so. What does he mean? she texted. The moment she hit send, she decided that might not have been the best idea. It would bring on a confrontation with Billows she wasn't ready for. But when would she ever be ready? She couldn't have McGrady threatening the merry widows or Doug and Carlton. She followed up with a text telling him the police had been called and she planned to press charges. Everyone in the shop was a witness to what McGrady had done, and she had no choice.

Billows texted back WTF but didn't answer what McGrady meant when he claimed Billows shared his women with McGrady. She thought that silence was significant. Billows had some kind of arrangement with McGrady. There was too much confidence in McGrady. He'd publicly struck her, knowing others were using their phones to record everything he said and did.

A chill went down her spine. Andrii had warned her that McGrady was vindictive. He'd told her the man had gone to prison on several occasions for domestic violence, yet he was always able to get out. To her, that meant Billows aided him. Billows had money and clout. He knew people. He paid people off. Cops, maybe even the district attorney. Not only had she put herself in harm's way with McGrady, but quite possibly with Billows as well.

She had no choice but to follow through and press charges against McGrady, however. Everyone in the coffee shop had witnessed what happened. McGrady was long gone, but Doug and Carlton had the license number of his car. The police would be able to find him quickly. She sighed. There was no going to her classes today. And she wasn't going to work, no matter how many times Billows called her.

More than anything, she knew she would have to face Andrii. He would most likely regard this as one royal "fuckup." It turned out to be a very long afternoon talking with law enforcement.

***

Maestro had never been so terrified for another human being in his life. The moment he saw the security feed Code sent to him from the coffee shop, his heart nearly stopped and then went into overdrive. He had studied McGrady, the way he did every target. The man was unusually cruel and vicious to any woman in his life. It didn't matter if he dated them for a night or a month, the results were always the same. The woman ended up brutalized, often so badly she was hospitalized. He'd gone to prison a few times for domestic abuse, but he always seemed to get out. Clearly, Billows had political pull.

What the hell was Azelie thinking confronting the man? Calling the cops on him? Swearing out a complaint? He'd made it clear that they would take care of the man. Now, if McGrady turned up dead or just disappeared, as Azelie's man, Andrii would be considered a suspect. The police would want to interview him.

Swearing under his breath, he unlocked the door to Azelie's apartment and stormed inside. She sat in one of her comfortable chairs facing the entrance, clearly expecting him. He wasn't about to be moved by her tears. Ignoring the way his gut knotted at the sight of her looking so miserable, he stalked across the room to sink into the chair beside hers.

"Do you remember what I told you about fucking up?" he demanded.

He could barely look at her. She looked devastated. Totally shattered. He could see her distress wasn't about the day's events. Azelie looked up at him without flinching, but he could see that overwhelming emotion, the one that was so second nature to her. She'd disappointed him. Gone against the one thing that meant the most to him—keeping herself safe. She knew she'd screwed up, but even the threat of punishment didn't seem to be the defining criterion.

Andrii didn't want to read that look on her face or see the utter devastation in her eyes. He wanted to yank her across his knees and carry out the threat he'd professed he believed in to his brothers and sisters in the club. A physical punishment would impress the weight of the sin on his woman. She would be far more apt to remember never to do such a thing again.

"Yes." She whispered her answer, still looking straight at him. Not flinching.

Azelie had declared numerous times that she didn't go along with corporal punishment. She didn't believe it was right. She wasn't into pain. What had she said to him?

It would be hard enough knowing I disappointed you without you treating me like a child, incapable of making my own decisions.

He scrubbed his hand down his face. His hand shook. "You scared the holy hell out of me, Azelie. Don't like the feeling."

She pressed her lips together and brought her knees up, tucking her feet onto the cushion of the chair. Protecting herself. She thought he was going to yank her across his lap. Strangely, he'd lost all desire to punish her. That look she had on her face was testament to him that she knew she'd fucked up and she detested that she'd disappointed him, just as she'd told him would happen. He had no idea what to do or say.

"I'm sorry, Andrii. Really, really sorry. My temper got the best of me. Temper and fear for my friends. My brain short-circuited for a few minutes, and by the time I could think straight, it was too late."

"Has Billows reached out to you?" His tone was harsher than he intended, and she winced, but she didn't look away.

She shook her head. "I texted him at the time, demanding to know what some of the things McGrady said to me meant. He didn't answer me." She rubbed the pad of her finger across one eyebrow. "I'm terrified to see him. He knows I spoke with the cops. I really made a mess of things."

Maestro made up his mind. The team had decided they were going to raid Billows' building and look for any signs of abducted women. At the same time, they intended to interrogate Billows.

"You're going to stay home tonight and tomorrow. Not leave this apartment. And you're going to tell me where you keep the key to the underground rooms," Andrii declared. "I know you have one. You keep it in a charm that looks like an envelope. It's nowhere in this apartment."

There was silence. She remained huddled in the chair, knees drawn up protectively, her eyes large, watching his every move. He couldn't imagine what was going through her mind. Doubtless nothing good. He'd just made his demands and hadn't given her an explanation. His anger was still roiling in his belly, and he didn't know where to put it.

"Don't you fucking look at me like that. We're a team. You signed up for this shit when you took me on. Clearly, I signed up for a rough ride when you lose it and don't think about your safety. I need to know where the key is."

He didn't take his gaze from hers. He needed to see every expression crossing her face. Everything. Did she trust him? Was she going to give him what he needed even though she had to have a million legitimate questions?

She pressed her lips together and then they parted. He found himself holding his breath, waiting for condemnation.

"When I exit the club, there's a small knot that's hollow in the hall panel just as you reach the door. I place it there. I don't want any reminders on me anywhere."

Her voice was very soft, but she didn't falter. She just gave him the information, no questions asked.

"You're to stay in this apartment for the rest of the night and all day tomorrow. Wait for me to come to you. I don't care if you have important classes. We'll find a way to make them up. Just be safe. Lock yourself in."

She nodded.

"I have to go, but I'll be coming back to you."

She nodded again.

Maestro stood, towering over her where she sat, knees drawn up, her blue eyes fixed on his face. "I'm coming back," he said again and leaned down to brush a kiss along her temple. He didn't dare do anything else. She looked forlorn. Abandoned. Frightened. He didn't have the time to reassure her. His team was going in for a rescue mission and to take Billows alive in order to interrogate him. It was extremely important for them to get the names of those higher up in the ring.

"Don't forget there are bombs under the floor," she murmured.

"I'm aware. I'll be safe. You don't forget that I'm in love with you. Stay safe."

He turned and left her there. His heart ached, but he did it. Time was a huge factor, and his brothers and sisters were waiting to make their raid.