Page 65 of Fighting for Lucy

Since he said it so seriously, she actually managed a small laugh. “I don’t think we can count on a simple lock to keep the mole out.”

Zander swore and she felt bad for reminding him of that. But the truth was, with the mole situation at Prey there was nowhere safe for her or their team. And besides, she wasn’t the only one in danger. Zimraan Mostafa blamed Zander for the raid that got his brother killed and had sworn vengeance, so really Zander should be locked away along with her.

“Once we get to Prey, we’ll be safe,” she assured him, reaching over to place a hand on his thigh. “The mole can't really make a move while we’re there without exposing themselves.”

“That’s what I'm counting on because I need you safe, baby girl. Can't lose anyone else I care about. I already lost my team, I came so close to losing my sister, and then I almost lost you in Mexico several times over.”

“You’ll keep me safe, Zander,” she said softly, believing that with all her heart. While he wasn’t invincible or a superhero, Zander was smart and well trained, he would do everything within his power to protect her and that was all she could ask of him.

Making what sounded like a scoffing sound of disbelief, Zander said, “We’ll be at Prey in less than three minutes. All I need from you right now is a promise that you’ll do what I tell you when I tell you to do it.”

“Promise.” An easy one to make. This was Zander’s area of expertise not hers, and the last thing she wanted to do was put both of their lives in danger because she thought she could actually offer him assistance.

The remainder of the ride was tense. Neither of them spoke, and as much as Zander kept looking in the rear-view mirror, she kept looking out the side mirror. While she couldn’t pick out the vehicle that had been following them, she had no doubt that if Zander said it was there then it was there.

Seconds felt like hours and minutes like days, but eventually, they turned into the street Prey’s building was located on and Lucy let out a sigh of relief.

“When I park out the front of the building, I want you to wait for me to come around and cover you. Then we walk to the door without looking back. Got it?”

“Got it,” she acknowledged.

As soon as he turned off the engine, Zander was out of the car and rounding it to come and get her. Nerves were beginning to get the best of her, and fine tremors began to ripple through her body. All she wanted was to get inside behind the bulletproof glass where both she and Zander would be surrounded by a whole bunch of highly trained men.

Out here felt too exposed.

The feeling only intensified as Zander opened her door and helped her out. Keeping his big body between her and the road, they’d gone no more than two steps toward the building when chaos erupted around them.

Gunshots began to fire in all directions, and a black van roared up beside them. Men poured out of it, coming toward them.

Zander fought and fired his weapon.

She did the best she could with nothing other than her bare hands.

But there were too many of them.

Pain exploded inside her head and the next thing she knew, the world was cloaked in darkness.

January 27th

11:23 P.M.

Pain pounded inside his head.

It flared between his temples making nausea swell in his stomach.

It was pure reflex and not conscious thought that had Zander rolling to the side and vomiting onto the ground instead of all over himself.

With a groan, he sank back down, feeling weak and shaky.

Not a good thing.

Because while his body ached and his brain throbbed, his memories were completely intact.

They’d been ambushed and abducted.

Not just him.

Lucy had been with him, taken alongside him, and now he was going to be forced to watch her be tortured and murdered just like he’d watched his team.

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