31 Ford

Ford

“More than likely, Lipton is going to know we’re coming,” I told the team circled around me.

Every single one of Reed’s team showed up for this. I was under no illusion they were here for me, but it still made me feel like I had people in my corner. I’d made the right decision to work with Reed years ago, and I would stand behind him and his people until I took my last breath.

Half of my team was here too. I was a little skeptical when Reed said he’d reached out to them, but now that I saw them standing here for me, I realized they had been and would always be loyal. I couldn’t help but notice Violet wasn’t among them, but I still refused to believe that he had anything to do with Lipton finding me. A worried feeling gnawed at my stomach, and as much as it killed me, I couldn’t focus on Violet right now.

I owed Reed a huge thanks after all of this was over. Not only had he sent Austin to save my ass and look after me, but he’d also stuck by me and believed in my team when I’d been too scared to listen to my heart.

It was time for the plan. The one we’d spent three days working on. The one we’d gone over and over and over again just to make sure we had it right. Now that we were set up a mile from Lipton’s vacation home in the mountains of North Carolina and about ready to set this plan in motion, I could only hope that we had the element of surprise on our side.

“The teams will surround at these points.” I touched six spots on our sadly sketched-out map of the area that looked like a five-year-old drew it in the dark. We’d already divided everyone into teams. “Team A will take the front door and Team C will take the back at the same time. The rest will wait to see if Lipton comes crawling out of the windows. He’s not a fighter, but he will have a gun on him. He’ll shoot without hesitation. If you can disarm him, he’ll likely give up.”

“Or we could shoot back,” Roland said. I tried my hardest not to smile. Out of everyone here, Roland was the deadliest in my opinion. He’d put someone down without an ounce of guilt if he believed they deserved that kind of treatment. I couldn’t say he was wrong on most… okay, all accounts I’d seen so far.

“I’m with him.” I cut a sharp look at Agent Campbell, who might have been a close second behind Roland for the deadliest, but she wasn’t fazed by it. She never was. I usually let it slide because she was one of the top five I’d recruited.

“We need him to get Ford off,” Austin said, causing several snorts to fill the air around the group. “What the fuck, guys?! Now is not the time.” He paused. “And don’t you fuckin’ think about Ford gettin’ off.”

So… Austin was possessive.

That was new and I pleasantly unexpected.

I wiped the smile from my face a split second before Austin turned his sharp eyes on me, and I melted when his gaze turned soft.

Maybe I liked it a little too much.

Someone cleared their throat. I cut my eyes in the direction of the noise and was surprised when a few chuckles floated through the air.

“Right.” I gave a serious nod as I got us back on track. “We need him alive,” I stressed.

“What if something happens?” Kent spoke up from Reed’s team. He was so new that this was my first time working with him.

“Then we’ll figure it out,” I said with a shrug. There wasn’t much I could do if someone got into a situation where it was them or Lipton. I’d never blame them for that. “Lipton is considered armed and dangerous. I’ve been here a few times, but I’m not sure if he’s built a safe room or has any hidden rooms.”

“Or a bunker,” Austin added with a knowing smirk.

“Or that,” I said with a shake of my head. “Be prepared for anything. This,” I pointed to an office on the west side of the house, “is the room that holds the largest gun cabinet. And this,” I slid my finger over to the largest bedroom on the southeast corner of the house, “is where he keeps his service weapon locked up.”

I cleared my throat. It was all starting to feel real. That time between gathering information and taking action, when your brain flips from research mode to action mode.

It was time to wrap this up and get moving.

“Save everything from inside the house too. We’ll need all his electronics and anything that will show his association with The Sons of the Holy Fire.”

Reed and I shared a look. Hopefully, we’d be one step closer to this being over after.

“Get geared up,” I said with a stern nod to the group.

Everyone broke off, going to different vehicles to grab their gear. Most of my team sent me respectful chin nods that also told me they had my back. Keller and Harlow clapped me on the shoulder as they passed.

“Milo, Kyle, and I will hang back,” Reed said as he raised his hand to grab my shoulder.

“Keep as far away as you can,” I told him, patting him on the back. “You have to stay alive. You have to keep working to take them down if I don’t make it.”

“Don’t talk like that,” he said, face hard.

“I have to be realistic.” It was the brutal truth, I might not make it out. Hell, none of us might make it out. There were a hundred scenarios where we could end up fucked. “Clear my name.”

“I’m fucking serious, Ford. You’re going to make it out and this year, you’re coming to every single holiday dinner.”

“What, not going to demand I turn up for brunch too?” I said teasingly. Hell, if I made it out and was able to clear my name, I’d go to all the brunches. I’d even offer to babysit his kid so he could take his men out to a nice dinner. And I sure as hell looked forward to it.

The thought gave me pause.

On the other side of this was a different life.

There was no way around it, my life as an agent was over. I didn’t give a shit if they took me back after I proved my innocence, I was done.

“Think someone’s waiting for you.” Reed had humor in his tone, effectively snapping me out of my thoughts. I followed his eyes as they shifted away from me to Austin, who was a respectful distance away looking much like a puppy waiting to be called.

Fuck, he was so adorable sometimes.

I couldn’t contain the smile spreading on my face as I looked at Austin.

“I’ll give you two a moment,” Reed said. He laughed under his breath. Out of the corner of my eye, I barely caught him shaking his head as he walked away.

With my gaze zeroed in on Austin, I began walking in his direction. He startled once he realized I was coming for him, and then he was taking wide steps to get to me, meeting me halfway.

We stood there for a moment, silence swirling around us.

“I don’t really know how this should go. Usually, the guys just clap each other on the back with a grunt or a nod, then we’re off,” he admitted with a shy smile.

A low chuckle rolled out of me.

“Yeah, I haven’t really dated in a long time, and I’ve never dated anyone on the job, so… this is new for me too,” I said lightheartedly.

“I know everyone has a past and all, but can you maybe not mention certain things? I don’t know why it makes me—”

“Not that this is the time or place,” I said cutting him off and putting my lips right next to his ear, “but you being all possessive is really hot.”

His body shivered and his fingers dug into my forearm like he needed something to hold on to. Then he cleared his throat and pulled himself together.

“It doesn’t scare you off?” he asked, his eyes on the ground.

“Not from you, no,” I told him, tilting his head up with a crooked finger under his chin. “Nothing you do scares me.” It was true, and I hoped he could see it in my eyes.

He would never be like his father, and if he let me, I planned to spend a lifetime proving to him that he was good.

I placed one last quick kiss on his lips.

“Go get geared up,” I ordered, forcing myself to step back.

“That commanding tone is only going to work for situations like this,” he informed me.

I smirked, knowing this already. I was more than happy to put myself in Austin’s hands and let him take care of me. I hadn’t thought that would be something I enjoyed, but for some reason, it felt natural with him.

“Let’s do this,” he said, smiling huge as he took two steps back before turning around and jogging off to the back of the closest SUV.

I let myself take one last long look at his hot backside. Then I took a deep breath and cleared my thoughts.

There was something here. I refused to think differently. Even if Lipton wasn’t hiding inside, I’d tear this place apart looking for the smallest clue. It might not be today or tomorrow, but I would find him.