Page 104 of Playboy

“What are you all doing here,” the officer asked.

“My girlfriend Gabby. We got a call that said she was involved and possibly taken against her will.”

“Are you talking about Gabriella Allen?”

Playboy nodded. “Yeah, that’s her.”

“Why don’t you guys come with us. The FBI had taken control of the scene. They may want to speak with you.”

Good, because he wanted to talk to them and find out what in the hell was exactly going on.

Thank God, Derek took the lead in dealing with the FBI agents who were at the scene. After talking with them and answering some questions, all they knew for sure, was that Selena, Gabby’s friend was in the hospital with a head injury, they had a dead DEA agent and Gabby was nowhere to be found. Although her purse was found near her vehicle, and nothing seemed to be missing, so the authorities were confident that it wasn’t a mugging that went wrong.

Whatever went down was planned. And people could argue all they wanted to, but Playboy knew deep down that this was all Ramon Escalona’s doing.

But questions that lingered, was who took her and where is she?

According to the Feds, they have their people pulling all surveillance videos in the area and scouring them for any clues.

Derek walked over. Playboy could see the disgust in his expression.

“I don’t think we’re going to get much out of these people here. I just spoke with Tink and updated him on the situation. He’s got his people looking into some stuff.”

Playboy just nodded. His gut was filled with worry.

As if knowing the turmoil he was feeling, Derek clapped his shoulder and looked him in the eye. “Hey, we’re going to get her back.”

All Playboy could hope was that Derek was right. But in order to get her back, they needed to know where she was—and listening to some of the Feds talking, they didn’t even know where to begin to look.

All Playboy could hope for was that Tink would come through with something from his contacts. Until then, all he could do was pray that Gabby was safe.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Playboy exited the team’s building and slowly walked over to the bench that sat under a tree. Ignoring the chill in the evening air, he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

He feared they were running out of time. It had been almost forty-eight hours now—two whole days since Gabby was taken.

His mind replayed the moments they had watched from the parking garage’s security footage. Gabby had fought like hell. She was strong, fierce, and unyielding, just like always. He knew wherever she was, she was no doubt still fighting. But the thought of her in the hands of Ramon, sent a chill through him. The man was ruthless. He had killed his own parents because he thought they were too soft.

Every lead they had followed had turned into another twist in the nightmare. Selena had been their biggest source of information, but her condition kept her teetering between lucidity and unconsciousness. The revelation that she was Ramon’s sister had floored them all, though her claim of being estranged for six years added a layer of complexity. And then the bombshell: her ex-fiancé, the man who had attacked and took Gabby, had been someone she once sought for protection, but then he too had betrayed her somehow. To top it off, Tyson—the DEA agent put in charge of the drug bust Gabby and his team had been a part of was dirty. He had been playing both sides for Ramon. Playboy felt his stomach churn at the betrayal.

But despite everything, his team had been relentless. Each team member pushed their own limits, combing through everysliver of intel, and yet, it still hadn’t been enough. He clenched his fists.

The sound of the door behind him creaking open pulled him from his thoughts. Joker stepped out, his face hard but with a glint in his eyes. Playboy’s pulse quickened.

“We’ve got something,” Joker said.

Playboy’s heart skipped a beat. He surged to his feet, the knot in his chest loosening for the first time in days. He followed Joker inside.

When he entered the briefing room, the atmosphere was thick with tension, but a sense of purpose radiated from every person present. Tink stood by the table, his men clustered around him, battle-hardened and grim. Gabby’s teammates were there too, their faces set in determination, loyalty burning in their eyes. They were all in this together. Everyone had pushed aside their usual boundaries to bring Gabby back.

Playboy was about to ask what they had when the door opened again. He turned and froze, as he watched President Evans walk in, flanked by secret service agents. The room fell into a heavy silence.

What the hell was the President of the United States doing here?

Playboy's mind spun. He knew Evans had ties with Derek and Tink. If the President was personally involved, then it meant this mission had escalated into a national affair, yet it was being treated as a shadow op. Something that would never see the light of day.

Evans’ eyes swept over the room, stopping briefly on Playboy, acknowledging him with a curt nod. Then, in a low, measured voice, the President said, “I’m here because Gabriella Allen matters. I’m here because people I trust are leading this mission. And I’m here because failure isn’t an option.”

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