Page 40 of Dirty Delivery

"Come on," I mutter under my breath and fire again. The bullet catches their front tire, causing the car to wobble slightly, but they regain control.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch movement in the side mirror. My heart lifts when I see Declan’s bike roar into view, flanked by two black SUVs I recognize as belonging to our family. Relief mixes with renewed focus as I fire again, trying to buy them more time.

"Hang tight, Declan."

The roar of engines fills the air as Declan and his team move in, their vehicles closing the gap between us and the Castillos. Through the rear view mirror, I watch as Declan’s bike weavesexpertly through the chaos. The flash of his gun marks each precise shot at the Castillos’ vehicle. The SUVs move in sync to box them in. One hard nudge from an armored SUV sends the Castillos’ car spinning out of control. It veers off the road, flipping twice before coming to a rest in the ditch.

The instant the threat is neutralized, I press the gas pedal harder, putting as much distance as I can between us and the wreckage. My heart pounds in my chest. Not to be outdone, my mind races with a thousand possibilities.

"Rylan?" Savannah’s voice is small and trembling from the back seat.

"We’re clear for now," I say and glance in the rearview mirror to make sure she’s still huddled on the floor. "Stay down a little longer."

We need to get somewhere safe quickly. I turn the car toward our warehouse, taking the longest possible route to ensure no one else is following us on our path to safety. I make a series of sharp turns, weaving through back streets and alleys, doubling back twice to make sure we don’t have a tail.

By the time I pull into the warehouse lot, my shoulders ache from the tension, and my head feels like it’s about to split open. I park inside, shut off the engine, and lean back against the headrest for a brief moment of silence.

"You can come up now," I say softly.

Savannah sits up slowly, her face pale but determined. "What now?"

"We wait for Declan and the others," I reply, stepping out of the car, and offer her my hand. "They’ll meet us here."

She hesitates before taking my hand, her grip firm despite her shaking fingers. "Do you think—do you think they’ll come after us again?"

My jaw tightens as I look into her eyes. "They won’t stop, mo stóirín. But neither will I."

Chapter Thirty-One

Savannah

The warehouse nearly vibrates with the combined hum of engines and the frenetic energy of people moving with quick precision. The second the SUVs pull into the lot, Rylan opens my door and helps me out. My legs feel like jelly. My entire body trembles from the adrenaline dump that hasn’t quite dissipated.

Declan is the first to step out of the lead SUV, his face grim but uninjured. Behind him, the rest of the team follows, each one scanning the area with sharp eyes. Declan approaches us, his gaze flicking over me briefly before settling on Rylan.

"The Castillo guns are handled," Declan says flatly. "No casualties on our end, but they’re down two men. That’ll slow them for now."

Rylan lets out a breath, and pulls me into his arms, his strong biceps wrapping securely around me. It’s only when his steady hold calms me that I realize I’m trembling. "Good," he replies curtly. "Any idea what their next move is?"

"Not yet," Declan admits, his expression darkening. "But they’ll be back, and they’ll come harder next time."

I clutch Rylan’s shirt, my fingers digging into the fabric as if it’s the only thing keeping me upright. My head throbs, and it feels like I’m drifting in a thick fog. The conversations around me blur into an indistinct hum, but Declan must notice something’s off. His voice cuts through the haze briefly, just enough for me to catch his words: “She holding up?”

"She’ll be fine," Rylan says, though his tone is softer when he looks down at me. "Won’t you, mo stóirín?"

I nod, though my voice refuses to cooperate. The world feels too loud, too sharp. I just want to disappear.

Declan sighs, crossing his arms. "I think you two need to get out of here for a bit. Let things cool down and give us time to figure out what the Castillos are planning."

Rylan stiffens. "I’m not leaving you shorthanded."

"We’ll manage," Declan snaps. "But you dragging her into another firefight isn’t an option. Take the jet and go."

"Where?" Rylan asks, his jaw tight.

"We’ve still got the house on the coast," Declan says with a shrug. "It’s quiet, secure, and off their radar."

Rylan hesitates. His green eyes scan Declan’s face for any hint of doubt. Finally, he nods. "Fine. But you call me the second anything changes."

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