Page 44 of Own

“I swear if he fucking touches her again,” Voodoo swore.

“Hold,” Bones said, his confidence pouring into me and helping me to lift my chin. “She’s got this.”

“I’m not running, Declan.” I made his name a taunt as much as anything. “I’m shopping.”

Honestly, I was making this up. The guys knew him. He was tied to the syndicate or whatever that hosted the auctions in Monaco. Moreover, he knew who I was. That had to be enough right?

Not that I thought whatever we had would get him arrested so much as confirmed as the bad guys.

“We’ve got company,” Bones said. “One of ours?”

“Nothing here,” Voodoo said. “Lunchbox?”

No response.

Declan chuckled, tracing his fingers down my arm to my hip. His light grip didn’t offer any kind of threat.

Yet.

“Lunchbox. Where the hell are you?”

Nothing.

My pulse sped up as Declan set his wine glass down then took mine and put it to the side. Neither of us were drinking. Why wasn’t Lunchbox answering?

“South wing.” His calm voice nearly made me sag. “Setting a low-level flash burn on the backup grid. Just in case we need a scene.”

“Goddammit. That wasn’t the call.” Bones wasn’t happy. Why did his snarling make me feel better?

“Neither is letting her go dark with a ghost in a suit.” Dislike kissed each of Lunchbox’s words. “I want her out of there.”

“Grace,” Declan asked, his lips practically stroking my cheek. “Are they listening to us?”

I laughed. Really laughed.

It was almost a hysterical giggle that burst out of me, refusing to be contained. “Wouldn’t that just ruin the fun?” I slapped a hand against his chest and pushed myself away.

“Grace, full abort. Get out. Now.” Honestly, I was with Bones on this one all the way. I wanted out of here.

The lights flickered all around us, the chandelier dimmed and then there was a pop as the lights themselves went out. O’Rourke dragged me back toward him even as he turned.

One distraction was all I needed. I slammed my knee upward right into his groin. He swore, but I’d already wrenched myself away. The doors exploded open, guards crashing into the room. Shouts came from downstairs. Screams.

“Gracie, drop.”

Something hit the floor even as I registered Lunchbox’s warning. I dropped. Then a flashbang exploded. The light dazzled and the smoke made me cough.

Lunchbox and Voodoo appeared through the smoke like something right out of an action movie. They each took out a guard. The wild grin on Lunchbox’s face captivated me.

“Hey Dick-lan,” Lunchbox said as he held out a hand to me. When I clasped his, he pulled me to my feet. “So not glad to see you again. Next time a lady tells you she wants to go, accept it and get the hell out of her way.”

I didn’t even get a look back at Declan before Lunchbox threw something else and it detonated against the bar. Flame licked out over the old wood and made a path straight for the alcohol.

“Get back-up up here,now,” Declan shouted from somewhere, but Lunchbox pulled me with him as we moved. Heweaved through the smoke and the chaos. I lost track of Voodoo. I lost track of where anything was.

We were out on the mezzanine then into another room, then out doors where crystal clear air filled my lungs. Smoke billowed from inside and people screamed. The evacuation below was chaos.

“Time to go,” Voodoo said as he arrived next to us. The doors closed and they both glanced at me. “Lose the shoes and climb on Lunchbox’s back, Firecracker.”

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