Page 132 of Between Regrets and Promises

Dalton

None of this would’ve happened if you weren’t a killer.

I want to argue with him. I want to tell him it wasn’tmyfucking gun. I wasn’t the one looking for a fight by pulling the trigger, but he wouldn’t believe me anyway. He wants nothing but to seek his revenge, and he went after the only person who means anything to me—Sophie.

He sends another text that has me seeing red.

Dalton

Just remember, her blood will be on YOUR hands. You’ll never find her, not on time at least.

We jog down the street and find Dalton’s car parked on the next block.

“Fuck,” I murmur. “What’s the plan?”

Liam responds by taking his gun from the back of his waistband, and without warning, he pulls the trigger and shoots out two of the tires, and that’s when I realize he has a silencer on the end. My eyes widen in shock. Liam doesn’t play.

“You can’t be too fucking careful.” He smirks. “Now, he’s really not going anywhere.”

We rush toward the house where Dalton has Sophie, and I’m relieved to see there isn’t a fence although I’d scale it in a heartbeat if I had to. As we stand in the shadows of the tall bushes, I notice all the curtains are drawn, but it’s more than obvious the lights are on inside.

“You’re sure she’s in there?” Hunter asks, keeping his voice low.

“There’s no doubt about it. Never seen a dick like that in my life,” Liam replies.

“So what’re we doing? We can’t just rush inside. He could kill her as soon as he hears us,” I say.

As if he heard me, Dalton sends a picture of all the weapons he has. Knives of all different sizes are on the countertop along with a gun, duct tape, and rope.

Fucking hell. He’s worse than Weston.

Dalton

Maybe I’ll alternate fingers and toes until they’re all gone. But I’m wondering how she should die. Should I let her bleed out…slow and painful?

Oh wait, I know. Gunshot. The same way you killed my brother. But it’s sure been fun using all my little toys on her. Should I send you a video?

The next incoming text is a picture of a gag in Sophie’s mouth with tears running down her cheeks.

“Oh my God,” I hiss quietly.

A rush of second-guessing soars through me, wondering if we’re going about this all wrong and should call for help and let SWAT take his ass out instead, but then I hear an ear-piercing scream come from inside.

“Goddammit. We should call the police for backup.” I’m jumpy and unsure. I can’t believe this is happening right now.

“Keep it together, Holt. We’re doing this. No backing down now,” Liam tells me, then jerks his head as if he needs confirmation I’m good to go.

I take several deep breaths before nodding in return. Whatever happens, I’ll know we did what we had to in order to get her out safely.

“By the photo, it looks like they’re in the kitchen, so I think if we go in through the side door in the garage, he won’t notice. Kilan mentioned that the door doesn’t lock, and not too long ago, the garage door was stuck open, so asked me to watch the place,” Liam explains. “He was supposed to get someone out here to fix it but apparently didn’t.”

I glare. “That’s exactly how that bastard got in.”

As if he already figured it out, he frowns. “I know. I think that’s where we should enter, though,” Liam suggests, and I agree.

“We have the element of surprise on our side, so when we barge in, you two need to take him down right away. I’ll grab Sophie and get her the fuck out of there,” I tell Liam and Hunter.

Hunter speaks up. “If Liam goes in first with his gun, I can go in behind and throw something across the room to distract him. Then you come in after and grab her.” We nod in agreement. There are three of us and only one of him. He mightbe armed, but Liam is just as dangerous with his weapon. “Be careful, okay? Lennon will murder us if we get hurt,” Hunter adds.

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