Page 59 of Reaper & the Lioness
Chapter Twenty-Four
My stomach was tangled in a knot of nerves from the moment I opened my eyes. Eva tried to lighten the mood with a joke here and there but fell into an introspective silence as I fitted her with a Kevlar vest I’d grabbed from the clubhouse.
“Stop fidgeting,” I murmured, adjusting the straps to ensure a snug fit. I ran my hands along the edges, checking for gaps or loose areas. “You’ll have thirty minutes. Get the story, and then I’ll escort you out the back. From there, we’ll drive for a bit until I’m sure no one is tailing us.”
Eva glanced up as she buttoned her shirt over the vest. “I’ll be fine. I’m not the President of the United States. I appreciate what you’re doing here, I really do, but this is overkill.”
I kissed her forehead as I ran my hands down her arms. “I hope you’re right. But, if you’re wrong, we’re ready.”
Linc had spent the evening before setting up a handful of cameras—both inside and outside of the building. I’d also slipped an AirTag into Eva’s back pocket. I wanted to be ready for every possible scenario. And, if my actions seemed tooparanoid, we could all laugh about it over beers later that night when she returned safely to my cabin.
Merrick texted me the all-clear for our arrival. Jay and Archer lay prone on nearby roofs, giving them a birds-eye view through the scopes of their rifles. Bones sat outside in an SUV with dark-tinted windows.
Hatchet and Merrick planned to sit in the corner booth with coffees and donuts, watching every customer who entered the door. Linc would keep an eye on the cameras. And I planned to sit behind Eva to watch her back.
I’d suggested I sit beside her, but she had valid concerns I might intimidate her source.
“If at any point I get up and ask you to leave, you need to listen to me,” I reminded her as we headed to the bakery in my truck. “The guys are keeping watch, and they’ll flag me if anything suspicious happens. The story is not worth your life.”
Eva nodded, her expression determined. “I understand. But this is how I stop Hale from hurting any other women. He needs to be held accountable. It’s the only way.”
I glanced at her, my jaw clenching. I could think of much safer ways we could hold that motherfucker accountable once Dixon found him. I had several ideas on how I wanted to stop Hale fucking Abell from abusing other women and how I wanted to make him pay for how he hurt her.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter. I felt torn between admiration for her bravery and fear for her safety.
“Everything will be fine. And, if anything goes wrong, I’ve got my own personal army of Mavericks to back me up.”
I smiled at her declaration. My men would protect her. “Damn straight.”
Everything appeared clear as we approached the bakery, but my instincts remained on high alert. I helped Eva out of thetruck, my hand lingering on her lower back as we walked toward the entrance.
“You have thirty minutes. Not a second more.”
Eva nodded in agreement. The warm aroma of cinnamon and sugar enveloped us as we stepped inside. Matt sat at a table, a notepad and pen before him. Eva squeezed my hand once before walking over to join him.
I took my position at a nearby table behind her, my senses hyper-aware of every movement and sound in the bakery. My phone buzzed with updates from the team.
Linc: All clear on cameras. No suspicious activity.
Jay: Eyes on all entry points.
Bones: No movement outside. We're good.
Archer: Clear from my angle.
The weight of my concealed weapon pressed against my side, providing a cold comfort. I scanned the room, my military training kicking in as I noted exits and potential threats.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Everything will be fine,” I assured Reaper from inside the bakery.
Reaper grunted in response and kissed the top of my head.
Matt sat alone at a table in the corner. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of us together. His gaze flicked from my face to Reaper’s cut, to our interlaced hands, and then back to me. A mix of shock and confusion crossed his expression.
“I didn’t realize you were bringing company.”
Reaper bristled at the tight concern evident in Matt’s tone.
