Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

A nnabelle woke with a scream, but it was lost in the wailing siren that echoed through the panic room. She threw back the covers, jumped out of bed, and ran for the open door and Noah. They collided halfway.

Noah grabbed her arms to steady her as he leaned in to be heard over the screeching alarm. “We’re under attack. The ground floor’s on fire.”

“Fire?” The word stuck in her throat as her sleep-addled brain struggled to make sense of it.

“Shoes,” he ordered.

“Shoes?” Another word that seemed alien. “I don’t have any. I have slippers. Somewhere.” She looked around as though they might magically appear.

“Noah,” a man’s voice barked from the hallway. “You got her?”

“We’re heading upstairs now.” Noah took her hand. “We’ll worry about shoes later,” he told her while hauling her out of the room.

Abasi stood in the narrow hallway. His suit jacket was gone, the sleeves of his crisp white shirt were rolled up, and he held a gun in his hand.

“I’ve got your six.” He gestured to the doorway at the end of the hall. The one leading up to the roof. Not the one that opened into the other bedroom. Surely they didn’t mean to go upstairs? To go outside?

Annabelle shook her head. No. They couldn’t mean that.

“How many in the building?” Noah asked as he slid past Abasi, taking her with him.

“No clue. Comms are down, and phones are dead. The arseholes have a signal jammer.”

“Sprinklers?”

“Somebody shut off the mains water supply.”

“Fire extinguishers?”

“We’re doing what we can with them.”

They rushed past the doorway leading into the loft area. Rochelle stood in the darkness, wearing pajama shorts with a T-shirt and her hair tied up in a messy topknot. She had her firearm trained on the living area.

“We need to get away from the building to call the fire brigade,” she said brusquely.

“I’m taking Annabelle to the roof,” Noah answered. “I’ll see if there’s a signal up there.”

Roof?

No. Just no.

She’d already dismissed that option. But only inside her head. She needed to speak it out loud. They’d made a mistake. They knew she couldn’t go to the roof.

“You’re heading the wrong way.” Annabelle dug in her heels. “I can’t go to the roof. I can’t go outside. You know that. This is a mistake.”

Noah spun toward her, invading her space. “Listen to me. This is our only option. We’re going to the roof. And you will be safe because I’ll be there.” His tone was implacable.

“So will I,” Abasi said.

Annabelle shook her head. “You don’t understand. The panic room. We’ll go there. It’s safe now. We don’t need to go to the roof.”

“Not from fire,” Noah said.

He wasn’t listening to her. He didn’t realize how serious this was. Her stomach lurched, and she fought the urge to vomit. The room spun as her hands shook. Inside her head, a voice screamed: Run! Hide! Don’t get taken!

“We’re running out of time here,” Rochelle said.

“We’ll keep you safe, Annabelle,” Noah said. “We won’t let anyone take you from the roof. You’ll still be on the building. We just need to get somewhere safe where you won’t breathe in smoke. Okay?”

Annabelle pressed a hand to her stomach. It was already hard to breathe, even without the smoke coming their way. She tried to back away from Noah. To go… somewhere. Anywhere that didn’t involve stepping outside her sanctuary.

Glass smashed inside the loft, and Annabelle started. She clung to Noah as a whooshing sound registered.

“Firebomb,” Rochelle snapped. “They’re on the fire escape. Go. Now!”

She fired her gun as she moved into the loft, out of Annabelle’s sight.

“You heard the boss. We need to get going. We’ll talk at the top of the stairs,” Noah said as he wrapped an arm around her.

He half carried her, half led her up the stairs.

Her brain couldn’t process what was happening fast enough. But her body was already in a tailspin. Tears streamed down her cheeks as it became increasingly difficult to control her breathing. By the time they reached the door to the roof, she was gasping for air in short, shallow breaths.

Annabelle stared at Abasi as he slid open the steel bar that secured the door. She’d never been through this door. Never opened it. In fact, it had been years since she’d been this close to the roof door. There’d been no need to get this close. Because she’d never seen herself stepping outside into the wide-open space that made up the roof.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered that she was hyperventilating now. Dizziness made her disorientated, and the urge to run, or fight, or hide was overwhelming. Only Noah’s firm hold grounded her. And even then, it wasn’t enough to stop the panic from pulling her into the abyss.

More gunshots rang out below.

“R-Rochelle,” she managed to say.

Noah replied, “The team’s down there. She has backup. Our job is to take care of you.”

He turned to face her and put his hands on her shoulders again as he stared into her eyes. “Let me protect you. Trust me to take care of you. I can be your wall.” He motioned to the warehouse. “Brick and mortar. I can be a different kind of wall. All you have to do is stay close, and I’ll shelter you. I promise.”

There was a sharp pain inside of her where she was desperate to believe him. To believe in him.

“No more time,” Abasi barked. “Take her out to the roof before it’s too late.”

As if punctuating the urgency, an explosion rocked the building, sending Annabelle into Noah’s arms. She clung to him and stared into his eyes, searching his face for reassurance, desperate to believe his promise as she felt cast adrift. Terrified. Lost.

“P-please,” she forced through chattering teeth. “D-don’t leave me.”

“Never.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her tight against him. His back pressed against the door, swinging it open, and without hesitation, he rushed into the night.

Into the outside world.

Into the fear that’d controlled her for more than a decade.

The glow from the streetlamps illuminated the flat landscape of the warehouse roof. It might as well have been the surface of the moon as far as Annabelle was concerned. It felt just as alien as if she’d been propelled into space. Clouds reflected the yellow lights of the city, and the downtown skyline sparkled in the distance.

For a split second, she saw everything clearly and individually before the colors and lights blurred and swirled, blending together in one vast, overwhelming kaleidoscope of information.

“C-can’t b-breathe.” The words were strangled and lost in the rush to get to safety.

She knew it was Noah who held her, who carried her away from danger. Logically, she knew that this time, she was being taken to safety and not being stolen by men who intended her harm. But her emotions, her overwhelmed nervous system, couldn’t perceive a difference in the circumstances. All she felt was someone big, strong, and scary lifting her and taking her away. Stealing her from the security she’d come to depend upon. Changing her life forever.

Suddenly, she was back there.

It was late afternoon. The sun was sat low in the sky but still felt warm on her face. She smiled, amused by something her friend Sherie said during class. She was happy. Optimistic. Excited about life.

Then, a van stopped beside her on the road.

Annabelle didn’t think much of it until the side door slid open and two men in ski masks jumped out. For a moment, it didn’t seem real. And then they grabbed her. Her heavy bag, full of books, fell to the sidewalk with a thud. Arms wrapped around her. She drew in a deep breath and screamed. She kicked out, hitting nothing. A hand covered her mouth, silencing her. She breathed in leather and sweat. Faces stared at her. Other students. Frozen in horror as the van door slammed shut. Tires screeched, and a nauseating stench of oil and blood filled the air. She tried to reach the door, but the world tilted and spun around her. And then she slid to the metal floor of the van as everything faded to darkness.

Again.

Annabelle slumped against Noah, and he tightened his hold on her as he rushed to find cover. There weren’t many options—the stairwell housing, a large water tank, and an old chimney. He dodged around the loft skylights, heading for the chimney. When he got there, he sank down behind it, holding Annabelle close.

Seconds later, Abasi joined them just as Annabelle started to come around. She let out a moan as Abasi said, “There are too many ways they can get onto this roof.” His voice was low as he crouched, ready to shoot at anybody who came close. “They’re on the fire escape, but the building next door looks clear so far.”

“Too far to jump to the neighbor’s roof,” Noah said, watching Annabelle.

Her eyelids fluttered open. “Noah?”

“Hey,” he said soothingly. “It’s okay; you’re safe. You’re with me and Abasi. Breathe slowly and stay calm. You’re fine.”

She blinked several times before her eyes sprang fully open. She sucked in air, filling her lungs, preparing to scream.

Noah stroked her cheek, stopping her. “Look at me,” he ordered. “Only me. Don’t take your eyes off me. We need you to stay quiet. You’re safe with me. Don’t stop looking at me. Got it?”

She nodded furiously, staring into his face, her fingers curled into the front of his shirt, nails scraping his chest. He didn’t care. He just needed her to remain quiet and calm.

“Got a signal?” he asked Abasi while maintaining eye contact with Annabelle.

“No.” Abasi tucked his phone back into his pocket. “Who knew these dickheads were smart enough to bring a signal jammer?”

Annabelle was stiff as a board beside Noah. Every now and then, she shivered, but she didn’t scream. She didn’t panic. She didn’t run. These were all good things.

“Focus on your breathing and my face,” he told her. “Count it in and out. That’s all you have to do. Concentrate on me and on counting through your breathing. Nod if you understand.”

She gave a sharp nod.

“Good, you’re doing good.” He didn’t ease his hold on her, wanting her to feel the solidity of his presence and stay focused on the now. “I’m looking away briefly, but I’m not going anywhere. Keep your eyes on me. Okay?”

Another terse nod.

“You’re doing great,” he soothed her before glancing across the rooftop. “Can you try to get to the building next door or find a way down to the street? We need to see if we can get a signal,” he said to Abasi.

“Not a good idea. Who’ll watch your backside?”

“Getting help is more important.”

Dark eyes met his. They were unflinching. “You have your job. I have mine.”

“You are a pain in my ass,” Noah said, looking for another option.

There weren’t any.

Gunfire rang out below them. The fire alarm suddenly cut out, and there was a weird moment of silence in which he could hear Annabelle’s breathing. It was broken by a grunt, then a distant thud. Another grunt. Another thud. They came from the space between the two buildings.

Something slammed against the stairwell door, making it shudder, and Annabelle’s nails dug into his chest. He whispered reassurance to her as smoke rose in the air.

“You see anything?” Noah whispered to Abasi.

Abasi shook his head, aiming past the edge of the old brick chimney.

A screeching whistle rent the air, followed by tapping on a megaphone. “Attention, all Demon Brothers,” a male Scottish accent bellowed into the night. “We have you surrounded. Lay down your arms and surrender. Otherwise, you will feel the wrath of Benson Security.”

Abasi and Noah shared a surprised look.

“Evan,” they said at the same time.

“Shouldn’t he be watching the camera feed?” Abasi said.

There was the sound of breaking glass followed by a scream, then a sickening thud.

“Looks like our resident miniature psychopath’s taken out yet another member of your gang,” Evan shouted cheerily. “Better give up before she ninjas her way through the rest of you.”

“I think he’s multi-tasking,” Noah said.

Annabelle made a strange hiccupping sound that could have been due to shock or a strangled laugh. Noah glanced at her face. Definitely shock.

There were another two grunts and thuds in rapid succession.

“And we have two more down!” Evan announced. “This time, taken out by a canny Scot armed with a beanbag gun. Logan, your aim is spot-on as usual. Bit of an embarrassment for the away team, who think they’re such badasses with their automatic weapons and amateur tattoos.”

There was another loud bang at the stairwell door, followed by the sound of gunfire.

“Never get caught in a confined space with a pissed-off former FBI agent,” Evan called. “Score another one for Benson Security. That takes us to seven-nil to the home team. Will the away team concede the game? Or are they dumb enough to keep playing?”

Automatic weapon fire sounded like a series of ill-timed fireworks.

“Seems the answer’s yes,” Evan said when the gunfire stopped. “The away team is dumb enough to keep playing.”

There was a loud explosion a couple of blocks away, and a fireball lit up the night sky. Annabelle gasped, but she didn’t stop looking at Noah.

“Sorry, boys,” Evan said. “Looks like you’ve lost your ride home. Please put your hands together in appreciation for my brother Harris, who is not only a charming bastard but can also blow up pretty much anything he wants. I hope you weren’t too attached to those motorbikes.”

Annabelle started to shake in Noah’s arms. She tore her gaze from his and buried her face in his chest.

“It’s okay,” he reassured her. “You’re safe.”

It took a moment, but she looked back up at him. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but a tremulous smile curved her lips. “Th-they’re insane,” she managed to say.

It took him a beat to register what she meant. “The triplets? Yeah. I’m getting that.”

“Th-they make me look normal.” She hiccupped again in what seemed to be a weird little hysterical laugh.

“They make all of us look normal,” Noah assured her.

He’d never been more grateful for the brothers than in that moment. To see Annabelle smile through her terror made every crazy stunt they pulled worth it.

At a scraping noise behind them, Abasi spun around, aiming in that direction.

“Don’t shoot,” Logan said as he hurried toward them, keeping low. “I scaled the wall to let you know we managed to get a call out. Help’s on its way.” He grinned, looking like he was having a blast. “Although I don’t think we’ll need it. Harris just took out their motorbikes. They parked a few streets over, so we didn’t hear them arrive. Violet’s been picking off the gang one by one.” His eyes danced. “She’s tiny, and they don’t see her coming. Rodrigo has the fire under control on the ground floor; rest of it’s mainly smoke damage. He can also do this cool thing where he puts the bad guys in a headlock and knocks them out in seconds. I need to learn how to do that. But I was the one who tied them up.” He looked so proud of himself that Noah had to resist the urge to pat him on the head.

In the distance, sirens wailed. Yet again, the cavalry was running late.

“Oh!” Logan reached into his back pocket and produced a Hershey bar. He offered it to Annabelle, who appeared bewildered by his gift. “Sugar,” he said. “I hear it’s good for shock, and you must be shocked out of your mind now that you’re outside the building. Eat it. Feel better.”

Annabelle’s eyes were so wide that Noah thought they might pop out of her head. Slowly, she smiled, and then she began to shake. As the sirens grew louder, a slightly hysterical giggle escaped her. And by the time the fire crew arrived, she was laughing hard.

“Should we worry about that?” Logan asked Noah, pointing at Annabelle.

Noah hugged his charge and shook his head. “Laughter beats passing out or panicking and running off the roof.”

That made Annabelle laugh even louder.

“True.” Logan placed a gentle hand on Annabelle’s arm. “So, what do you think of the roof?”

She collapsed against Noah in hysterical laughter. “St-stop being funny. My stomach hurts. I can’t take any more.”

“What’d I say?” Logan asked, looking confused.

“The cops are on the pitch,” Evan announced through his loudspeaker. “They think it’s all over. It is now.”

“Soccer references,” Abasi muttered, shaking his head. He glanced back at Noah. “Didn’t have to deal with this in my last job.”

“No,” Noah said. “You had to deal with sociopathic criminals.”

Abasi shrugged like it was no big deal. “She good?” He lifted his chin toward Annabelle, who’d calmed down somewhat.

“I don’t know.” Noah gently nudged Annabelle. “You okay?”

She’d been staring up at the stars and slowly turned her attention to him, her expression one of pure awe. “I’m outside,” she whispered.

“Yes, you are.” He smiled down at her as he held her tight.