Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

W averly was sometimes better at reading equations than people. However, even she knew something had shifted between her and Kane tonight. When they'd declared their love, that was one shift. But as Kane reverently stripped her clothes from her body, his lips trailing from her lips to her breasts and then farther down as he dropped to his knees, she felt another shift.

She and Kane weren't just having sex. They were making love. Every soft touch. Every kiss. Every taste. It was a promise. Waverly turned her body and heart over to Kane as he put on a condom and made love to her. In return, Kane turned his heart and body over to her. The whispered words of love as he spilled himself into her and the promise of forever solidified their feelings.

Waverly lay in Kane's arms after they made love that night. Eventually, they should get out of bed and eat dinner, but neither felt like leaving the bed. Silently, she turned to face him. In his eyes was love, but something else. Worry.

"Did something happen that you didn't tell me?" Waverly asked him.

"I love you so much. I need you to do me a favor."

"Of course. I'll do anything for you," Waverly told him, pushing his hair back from his forehead and running her thumb over the worry lines creasing his forehead.

"I need you to go into hiding until this is over."

Waverly's hand froze. "But I thought it would be a good idea to be bait. It's working. We're drawing them to us."

Kane frowned and the worry in his eyes grew. "I know, but I can't put you in danger."

"You would save me." That was a fact. She knew he'd always come for her.

"I don't want to have to do that. Let them think you're still here while you're safe someplace else. Let me focus on this case knowing you won't be hurt. I can't stop thinking about last night. I need you safe. Please."

The please broke her resolve. "Okay. Where should I go?"

"Wilder has a place in New York City. He'll drive you there first thing in the morning. He has to go to New York for a meeting tomorrow night. You leave at five in the morning."

Waverly leaned forward and kissed him. "I'll miss you. Take care of this so we can be together. Now that I have you, I don't want to lose you."

Kane smiled softly at her. "I know the feeling."

Waverly sat up. "I better call Lark and let her know the plan. I guess I also need my own phone."

"Wilder will get one for you after you leave the state. Here, call her. Tell her it won't be long. If I have to, I'll sneak into the Dominican Republic and take out the Medina family. I'm sure no one would miss them."

Kane handed her his phone. A heavy weight settled on Waverly's chest. She didn't like feeling helpless. She dialed her sister and waited as it rang. The line connected.

"Hey, Lark," Waverly said before her sister even answered.

"Hello, Waverly. It's good to hear your voice. Did you miss mine?"

Waverly's whole body reacted to the voice that answered the phone. Instantly, Kane was alert as she put it on speaker with shaking hands. "Where's my sister, Bruno?"

The man chuckled. "She's feistier than you were. A real handful."

"If you hurt her, I'll kill you." Waverly had never heard her voice so cold. She was serious. Deadly.

"No need for dramatics. It's an easy trade. If you want your sister alive, take your boyfriend's phone and meet me. Alone. Tell lover boy to stay at home. If he comes, or anyone else, I'll kill your sister." Bruno sounded so amused she knew he was serious. Only someone as crazy as Bruno could find this situation entertaining.

"Where and when?"

Bruno laughed again and then clucked his tongue. "Oh no. You just start driving toward Charleston and I'll call with instructions. We're watching. Anyone shows up and she's dead. Got it?"

"Got it."

"You have fifteen minutes to get on the road. I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Waverly. You're the one who got away."

The line went dead and Kane grabbed the phone and set a ten-minute timer. "What do I do?" Waverly asked as she sprang from the bed and began to get dressed.

"We ignore what he says. We have friends. We will save your sister and I'll keep you safe. I promise, Waverly. We'll get her back."

Kane was on the phone as he got dressed. She saw the knives and guns he strapped to him, and that reminded her of the dagger from church. Waverly reached into her bag and touched it to make sure it was there.

At five minutes, Kane hung up the phone and handed it back to her. "We have a plan."

The back door opened and in ran Kord. He must have been running over even as he was talking to Kane.

"Tristan spotted them out front, but the back was clear," Kord told them. "Tristan has them in his sights if we need to take them out."

Waverly had been in a full-blown panic. All she wanted was to turn herself over so Lark would be safe, but now she realized this was about so many more people than just herself, Kane, and Lark. The people of the town were putting themselves on the line too.

"Gator, Turtle, and Skeeter have Bertha and Bubba ready to go as a distraction along with the Langstons," Kord told them. That will allow everyone else the ability to get into place unseen. The car trailing you will be stopped at the marina right before turning onto Main Street. You turn onto Main, floor it, and then stop at Harper's Bar. They'll have ten seconds to jump into the back of Kane's SUV. Then, drive away and keep to the speed limit. Allow the tail after that," Kord instructed.

"Since they're using my phone, the call will go through the car and we can all hear it," Kane explained. The timer went off on the phone and he took a deep breath. "I'm going to walk you out. They'll see I'm not in the SUV. I can sprint through the backyards of the neighborhood and get there in time if you drive slowly. Don't drive so slowly to get their attention, but as if you're too nervous to start the car, take a couple deep breaths, that kind of thing. Ready?"

Waverly's mind screamed no, but the instinct to protect her sister won out. "I'm ready."

Kane took her hand and together they walked out the front door. Waverly tried not to look around but a glance down the street and saw a car sitting in the shadows at the end of the street.

"They're far enough away that it'll give you a head start. Now, take a couple of seconds to get situated, then just drive. We've got this, Waverly. You and Lark will be safe, I promise." Kane leaned forward and kissed her. It felt as if his voice was a mile away but Waverly nodded.

Kane turned and headed back into the house. Waverly took a few deep breaths. She didn't have to pretend to try to calm herself. She was a nervous wreck, but having a plan helped.

Waverly also didn't have to fake dropping the keys. Her hands were shaking as she picked them up and opened the door. She got inside, took a couple more deep breaths, started the car, adjusted the seat, and then when she couldn't delay anymore, she put the SUV in gear and drove through the neighborhood.

The car at the end of the street began to follow her at a distance. They thought she wouldn't see them because they didn't turn on their headlights right away, but they were wrong. Waverly kept her eyes in her rearview mirror and almost missed the entire Langston family walking down the side of the road close to Main Street.

Waverly went to turn onto Main Street and saw the Langstons begin to cross the road, cutting off the car trailing Waverly. Two alligators came into view and then two of the kids were alligator surfing in the middle of the road. There was no way the car trailing her would get by. Waverly floored the SUV. The door to the bar was open and before she even came to a full stop, Kane was leaping into the front seat and sliding down to the floor while Damon, Penelope, and Paxton jumped into the back.

"Go!" Kane ordered. "Penelope, what the hell? You were supposed to stay behind."

Waverly drove off, and right as she was about to turn toward Charleston, she saw that her tail was back.

"Seriously? You all always pretended I am too little, too young, too girly to be a real Townsend. Well, I'm not. I am a Townsend and I can help."

Damon's phone rang and he put it on speaker. "Yes?"

"Hunter and Maggie are ahead of you on the road by about two minutes," Granger told him. "Dare and I are behind your tail. They're boxed in but don't know it."

"Any word on Lark?" Kane asked.

"Peter got in touch with his undercover. Lark had gone to the ladies' room and was taken from there. The agent and Quad aren't hurt, but they're now with Peter who just arrived on campus. He'll call with news shortly."

"Thanks, Granger," Kane said and Damon hung up.

Waverly tried to stop the shaking, but was having trouble keeping herself in control. It was one thing when she was in danger. It was completely different knowing it was Lark in danger and she couldn't save her.

Waverly was in her head as the others talked. She didn't hear a word they said. She just thought about what Bruno was doing to her sister. The ringing of Damon's phone snapped her out of it.

"What did you find?" Damon asked the second he answered.

"We found her." Peter's voice filled the car and Waverly gasped as she fought back a sob. "She's alive and unhurt. They took her from the bathroom and ushered her across campus to the library, which is empty at this time of night. Security cameras show they took her into the basement."

"There's private, soundproof study rooms down there," Quad called out.

Waverly nodded. "My sister told me about them. She says they're really creepy."

Suddenly Kane's phone rang. "Everyone quiet, it's Bruno," Kane told them. Phones were silenced as everyone held their breath.

Kane pressed the answer button and Waverly tried not to drive off the road.

"Where's my sister?" Waverly asked the second the phone connected.

Bruno chuckled. "You're in no position to ask anything. You'll get her back if you do what I say. We'll meet at Warehouse Three in the old port. It's empty this time of night. Now, toss this phone out the window so your boyfriend can't track us. I'll know if you don't do it." Bruno hung up and Waverly rolled down the window and tossed the phone out.

"That's not where Lark is," Waverly told the car.

"No, it's not. He's doing this to hold leverage over you. You need to get Lark to safety or Bruno could still hurt her," Kane told everyone.

"We see the layout and it's not going to be easy to get her out. We can sneak up on the room, but there's no getting in without them knowing and shooting us," Peter told her.

"I can do it," Penelope said suddenly.

"No!" Kane and Damon practically shouted.

"I'm the only one of us that could pass for a college student. I could stumble into the room," Penelope told them.

"One of my young agents could go with her," Peter said. "They could stumble in pretending to look for a room to make out in. Then my agent could get the drop on them with us right behind."

"I don't like it," Damon growled.

"Too bad. I'm doing it." Penelope was going to leave them with no choice, except Waverly could just continue to drive and not let her out.

"If I agree to this, how can I even get you out of the car?" Waverly asked.

"No problem," Peter said. "I know where you're going. It's not too far from the college. There's an intersection there. I'll have my agent in a cop car. I'll need you to run the red light. He'll block the view of the car trailing you. The second you get pulled over, open the front door and get out so the tail can watch. While they watch you, Penelope can get out the back and into the cruiser."

"With me. If she's going, so am I." Damon didn't leave any room for argument.

"I'll call Hunter, Maggie, Granger, and Dare," Paxton told him. "Send us some backup to the warehouse too."

"Already did. Good luck everyone." Peter hung up and Paxton started to make his calls. This was all coming together and there was nothing Waverly could do but drive.