Page 75 of I Would Beg For You

“Where do you think you’re going?” I ask.

He rolls his eyes. “With you, of course. There’s space in the car.”

“Stay here. For Luka.”

He doesn’t stop in his step and precedes me into the garage. “Right. Keep me wrapped up in cotton wool because I’m a dad, is that it?”

“No, but—”

“Piss off, Val.” He gets in the back seat after Carlito hands him a semi-automatic. Roberto’s between him and Marco. I’d already told them what to pack when asking them over.

There’s no arguing with him—or with any of us once we’ve made up our minds. I get into the passenger seat, and Carlito gets us on the road.

“What’s security like over there?” Roberto asks.

“Outside patrols every hour. Three guys, as far as I know.”

“And inside? Cameras?” Marco asks.

“That’ll be handled.” Reeves has a guy who can get inside the network and black the entire grid out while we breach.

It takes us close to four hours to make it. Firing up a charter jet would’ve been easier and quicker, but a car is less conspicuous and easier to erase or drown out. Plus, we need this intervention to happen in the dead of night to have the cover of darkness working to our advantage.

We’re boots down, finally, and I’m antsy to get in and retrieve her.Naomi…I force myself to think of her soft smile, her gentle kisses, the lavender scent of her hair. Anything else, like what she must be going through, and my blood thunders for death. Brutal, violent, gory death, like eviscerating the culprits and twisting a knife in the space left in their guts as their innards spatter onto the ground.

Blood lust is not going to help her. I need to keep my focus and wits on getting her out and getting her to safety.

Luciano has got my six. Marco and Roberto head out front, Carlito on lookout duty near the car so he can whisk us out asap once we come out. The father-and-son duo make quick work of identifying the guards—just three, as expected—and neutralizing them. I call Anya and give her the signal to have the hacker down the grid.

Lights go out in the sprawled out, single floor building that looks like a summer camp for adults from the outside. A generator comes on, the hum disrupting the quiet of the night broken by the song of crickets and cicadas.

The front door leading to Reception opens without a hitch. My two soldiers lead on. A gasp comes from the reception desk. The woman is reaching down for the panic button, but Reeves’ guy has made sure to also disable it.

Roberto tases her, and I wordlessly get to her computer and plug in the USB stick on which I downloaded a special program Reeves had me download. The exe runs, gets into the system, and my phone vibrates under a minute later.

Anya:Room 326. Main hallway, take a left at the end, then right. All the way back.

My jaw clenches as I make my way toward the locked door leading inside the facility. The lock turns green as we approach, Marco leading the way. Guess the hacker Reeves hired is in the system now, seeing us from the cameras, and he’ll erase the footage once we’re gone.

Every door unlocks as we approach, and finally, there it is. End of the last hallway. I’m rushing now, wanting to brush past Marco, but he doesn’t accelerate his pace and keeps me safely behind him. I’m gnawing my teeth by now, but I know he’s right. Safety first.

The lock on Room 326’s door turns green. Marco pushes it open, does a quick scope, then moves out of my way. Good thing,because I would’ve barreled into him otherwise in my haste to get in.

Naomi is prone on the derelict cot they probably dare to call a bed. An IV is stuck in the back of her hand, and she doesn’t seem to be conscious.

My heart seizes as I see her lying there. I slide down to the side of the cot onto my knees and reach up to cradle her cheek.

“Naomi? Gattina?”

She seems to mumble something, which comforts me as much as it ramps up my panic. She’s alive but not conscious at all—they must be drugging her.

I gently peel the adhesive on the back of her hand, dislodging the cannula and pulling it out. Blood oozes out, but I don’t care. I need to get her out of here. One arm slips under her knees, the other cradling her neck, and I scoop her into my arms, already making my way out of the wretched prison they’d kept her in. Wait until I get my hands on Joel Smith!

We’re out of the facility in under two minutes, Roberto keeping the downed receptionist in his sights until we’ve all exited the premises and are rushing to the car. Carlito sees us from a distance and starts the engine. We pile in, Luciano riding shotgun while I slide into the back seat, cradling her fragile, limp body to me.

Dio, make her be okay.Something better not has happened to her.

My phone vibrates. I grab it with my free hand. It’s Anya.

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