Page 24 of Find Me
Julia put the underwear back, looking at Penny with a hardened gaze full of terror and said firmly, “No, Penny, you can’t.”
The sheer fright in Julia’s eyes had stayed with Penny for the rest of the shopping trip, even though Julia had expertly steered the conversation into lighter territory. The trip ended with Penny spending too much on lingerie that she wondered what Hawke would think about… even how he would react if he saw her wearing it.
A thought she found she didn’t want to shut down anymore.
When she returned to the warehouse, Hawke was sitting on her couch, reading a file.
He glanced at the bag in her hand and grinned, full of heat. “Want to show me what you bought?”
She hated the heat that rose to her cheeks. “In your dreams.”
“You’re not wrong there, Red,” he muttered, before he added, “How did it go?”
“I actually got somewhere with her,” Penny said, setting the bag down on the table and then taking a seat next to him. “She told me about Victor, without mentioning his name. To be honest, I got the feeling that she’s not part of this but got roped in. She’s scared.”
“You don’t think she’s a part of Victor’s plan?” Hawke asked.
She shook her head. “I actually don’t. That terror I saw in her face can’t be faked.”
Hawke sighed, running a hand over the back of his neck. “All right, that changes things. Let me talk to Rhys and see how he wants to proceed—”
A beeping alarm had Penny lurching off the couch and running to her desk.
“What is it?” Hawke asked, closing in on her.
“I don’t—” A few clicks of her keyboard later, a suddenbangshot through the warehouse. The security camera footage popped up, revealing three men slamming a battering ram against the back door. “Are those cops?”
Hawke narrowed his eyes on the monitor. “No. Grab your laptop.”
Penny’s heart raced as she stared at Hawke, who quickly sprang into action. He headed for his duffel bag by the couch and grabbed a gun, putting all the files and her laptop in his bag.
“You are not going to shoot them,” she snapped. “I don’t want blood on my hands.”
“I won’t kill them,” Hawke said, firmly, grabbing her by the elbow. “I’ll slow them down.” He took her by the elbow, tugging her toward the door that led to the empty space in the warehouse. “We need to move,” he ordered, his voice firm.
They hurried through the warehouse, their footsteps echoing on the concrete floor. “Stay close,” Hawke warned over his shoulder.
The back door burst open, revealing three burly men in black suits. Their eyes widened at the sight of Hawke, his weapon pointed at them.
“Drop it,” one of them growled.
Hawke didn’t flinch, his grip tight on his gun. “I don’t think so.”
They charged at him, and Penny gasped as Hawke expertly shot. Once. Twice. Three times—until the men were wounded, but still on the move.
He grabbed the first man by the collar, slamming him into the wall and disarming him before punching him unconscious. The second tried to tackle Hawke from behind, but he spun around, blocking the move with ease and sending him flying with a vicious kick, until he was on the ground moaning. The third man drew his own weapon, but Hawke was ready, disarming him and pinning him against the wall.
He turned to Penny, his eyes scanning the room. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, breathing hard. “We need to get out of here,” she said, her voice shaking.
Hawke hit the man on the head with his weapon, sending him slinking to the ground.
Together they ran toward the back exit. She cursed under her breath when she saw another group of men entering through the front.
The men rushed forward, guns drawn. Penny held her breath, but Hawke aimed his weapon just in time.Boom. Boom.Two shots fired, and the men grunted and groaned, hitting the ground.
“Move,” he said, his voice rough. “That will only slow them.”
