by Sadie Jacks
I laughed. “Take it off with your teeth.” I held my hand up to his mouth.
With a sexy wink, he slid my digit between his lips. His tongue swirled over my finger. Side to side. Flicking over the bottom side. With a growl, he hooked his teeth around the edges of the ring.
“Just don’t suck while you pull. We don’t want you to inhale it,” I said.
He laughed as he managed to wiggle it off my finger. He held it between his lips.
I reached up. Took it. I put it back in the box. Watched as it sparkled in the light. I couldn’t get over how pretty it was. It was perfect.
I felt him come up and curl around me. He rested his chin on the point of my shoulder. “You really like it.”
I nodded. “I love it.”
He kissed my shoulder blade, wrapped an arm around my waist, and pulled me back down beside him. With his outrageously long arms, he flicked the switch to kill the lights.
“Good night, Mrs. Penn.”
I snickered. “Good night, Mr. Penn.”
“Sweet fuck, that’s hot.”
I squished my pillow beneath my head and waited for sleep to claim me.
Chapter 31 – Ryker
My phone’s incessant buzzing brought me awake way before my alarm was set to go off. I slapped at the night stand. Grabbed up the device. Unlocking it on autopilot, I had it to my ear before I thought to check the caller ID.
“You have three seconds before I hang up,” I mumbled. Beside me, Willow snuffled and turned to her other side. I didn’t blame her. I did blame the person breathing down the line at me.
“You’ve ruined me. You and that stupid whore you’ve locked yourself to,” a froggy voice said. “You both die.”
Adrenaline poured through my system like I’d just mainlined coffee in an artery. “Cavendish?” Reaching out, I grabbed Willow’s shoulder. Felt my heart resume a normal rhythm.
She sat up beside me. A faint click and her bedside light turned on. She grabbed up her phone. She did something to the screen before she held it up to me. I saw her recorder function was running.
I pulled my phone from my face. “Cavendish?” I asked again as I hit the speaker button on my own phone.
“He told me,” the man said. But it wasn’t Cavendish. At least not the one I was accustomed to dealing with.
“Everett?”
“That stupid bitch did all of this. If she’d just minded her own damn business, none of this would have happened.”
“Is this Everett Cavendish?” I demanded.
“Yes, you fucker! You’ve taken everything from me. My father. My family. My home. My life. Everything is gone because of you and that stupid cunt,” he screamed down the phone like he was a toddler having a tantrum.
“Talk about her like that one more time, and I’ll make sure your world burns down with you inside it,” I said, my teeth gritted. “Where’s your father?”
Everette’s laugh was hollow and harsh. “At my feet. But I saved him the horror of being raped by some stranger.”
I looked at Willow.
Her eyes were wide. He killed his dad? she mouthed. She made a finger gun and dropped her thumb.
I shrugged. “Where are you, Everett?”
He rattled off a very familiar address. “I hope you like the heat, Penn. Say hello to Satan for me, will ya?” He disconnected the call as the fire alarms rang to shrieking life in the building.
I hauled Willow up, ran down the hall that led to the stairs. “Call 911. Tell them we’ve got a fire.”
I stopped in the office, grabbed up the fireproof safe with all of my personal documents.
Willow screamed as she wrenched her hand from mine. She ran back to the bedroom.
“Willow!” I ran after her.
“Yes, we’re at Penn Towers. The fire alarms are going off,” she said as she ran to her night stand. She swiped up the ring case, grabbed a robe. She jerked to a halt. “Wait. What?”
I was two seconds from flipping her over my shoulder. “What is it?”
She held up a finger before she shoved her finger in her ear. “Say that again?”
She looked up at me. “There’s no fire. The fire department is downstairs. Someone pulled the alarms, but there’re no flames. There isn’t even smoke.”
I grabbed her up and ran back towards the stairs. The room where we’d stored our guns doubled as my panic room. If someone was trying to flush us out, I wasn’t going to make it any easier for them.
I skidded to a halt right inside the door just as the door to the stairs exploded in towards us.
Willow snagged the door and slammed it shut just as it was peppered with debris. “What the hell is going on?” she asked as I hit the button to sound the alarm and shut the place down.
I shook my head. “I have no idea, but I’m not willing to risk your life to find out. See if you can still call out. If not, use the landline. If that’s out, there’s a sat phone in the drawer. Call the Amatuccis.” I went to the gun safe, unlocked it.
I got out two pistols, stuffed at least three loaded magazines into my pockets. I got out Willow’s 9mm and her .22 Ruger. We were going to be well armed, if nothing else.
“The call went through. Turo’s on the line.” She tossed me the phone.
I caught it in midair. “Turo, we’ve got a group of infils, headed or at least joined by Everett Cavendish. Considering his status before this was playboy, I think he’s with de Si—”
“de Silva’s men. Where are you?” he asked, his voice cold and efficient.
“Panic room. Far north corner. We’ve got firearms and ammo. I’ve already hit the alarm for the police. But I have a way to get Willow out of here. I just need you guys to come get her.”
“Not happening, Ryker Anthony,” Willow shouted at me as the group of infiltrators started trying to smash down the door. She got her guns out of their holsters, did a quick check.
Fuck she was hot with guns in her hands.
“Give me the details. We’ll make it happen,” Turo said.
“I have dedicated roof access here. From this room. My helicopter is out for repairs so the roof is empty. It also doesn’t have public access unless they have a fire marshal’s key. I’m going to send her up there. Do you guys have a way to get to her?” I started pulling books off my shelves, tossing them to the floor.
“That would take some time. We do not have access to a helicopter. Only our private jet.”
More pounding came from the door.
“But we will come up with something. I suggest you both go to the roof. If nothing else, it will provide a bottlenecking measure for the men after you if they manage to breach your panic room. I will expect both of you on the roof in fifteen minutes. Do not be late.” He hung up.
I snarled. “Looks like we’re both going for a ride, cupcake.” I looked at her. Except for my t-shirt and her thin robe, my girl had nothing on.
I was commando under my sleep pants, so that was out. Note to self, restock panic room with actual essentials instead of just guns. I finished pulling the books from the shelf. Found the single book that was actually the lever to the escape stairs.
My phone rang. I smiled. “Hey, Nik. Long time no talk,” I said as I lifted the phone to my ear. I didn’t even need to check it.
“Yeah, bossman. So long. Turo just called, said something crazy like you’d been ambushed?”
“Yup. Such a nice wakeup gift from the youngest Cavendish. We’re in the safe room, getting ready to head up to the roof. I’ve already hit the alarm, so the police and the security company should be on their way. I need you to check the status of PC. Once that’s done, make sure that the fire department didn’t miss anything and that there really isn’t a fire in the building.”
“Already done. You’re clear on both fronts. Apparently when the fire alarm went off, it released all stairwell access points. That’s what the needed to get up to you.”
My brow furrowed. “But they were already up here. No less than f
ive minutes when the alarms started blaring.”
“Don’t know what to tell you on that one, bossman. Have you looked in your security cameras yet?”
I would have slapped myself in the face if I’d had a hand free. I waved Willow over, handed her the phone. “Nik’s here.”
“Hey, Nik. Lovely morning we’re having, right?” Willow chuckled.
“Just another day in paradise, Chase.”
My lips quirked at Nik using Tali’s nickname for Willow. They really were a girl squad. My computer screen flipped on. I flipped through the channels. “Shit. Nik, conference in Turo again, please.”
“Give me two.”
“Cricket, I am quite busy,” the man said.
“So are we. It’s not Cavendish. Or if he’s here, I don’t see him. Does the father’s group have any identifying marks of family?”
Turo cursed in Italian. I caught a few words, but allowed them to blow by me. I was more interested in the men storming through my house. Our house.
“He’s a fan of the giglio bottonato—think a fleur de lis for Italians. If they have one, it’s going to be on the arms or wrist. Done in blood red.”
I zoomed in on the guys rifling through our bedroom. One of them was sniffing Willow’s lace panties. I was going to kill him first.
“There. On the inside of his other wrist.” Willow stabbed the screen. “It’s black, not red.”
“He’s either very new or very old,” Turo explained.
I zoomed out. “Considering he looks like he should still be in high school, I’m going to go with very new.”
“Then his tattoo is probably scabbed. What is the police ETA?”
I looked at the little read out over the panic button. “They should be here by now.”
“Nik, can you verify?” Turo asked.
“Checking, hold.” Her clicking filtered over the line. “Yes, they’re in the building. They’re having to climb the stairs with the elevators still out of commission. The fire department closed them down so they could check the floors.”
“Good,” Willow said. “What floor are they on?”
“Tenth.”
Willow sighed. “So we just have to wait for the police to show up?”
I snorted. “That’s assuming the de Silva group doesn’t bust in here.”
“Isn’t this a panic room?” she twirled in a small circle.
“Yes, but it doesn’t mean it's permanently impenetrable. They will eventually get in here. We need to not be here when that happens.” I pulled her against me. Kissed her head. “What’s the plan?”
“Get to the roof. Hopefully the police will get there. Nik, alert the station that Ryker and Willow are on the roof. We’re trying to get access to it.”
“I could let you in,” Nik offered.
Turo chuckled. “Cricket, we have much to discuss. Yes, open the access doors for Ryker and Willow. They will head down while we head up. We are in the basement.” Turo clicked off again.
I could hear Nik muttering to herself about bossy men.
“How did you get access to the private fire access door codes?”
She snorted. “See if I help you again. At least the Amatuccis expect me to perform well.” She muttered again. “Get your asses to the roof. I’ll keep track of you and open the other door when you get there.”
I opened my mouth.
Willow put her palm over it. “Thanks, Nik. We owe you.”
“You’re welcome, Willow.” Nik disconnected.
“What? What did I do?” I pulled the lever that opened the panel to the stairs.
Willow just shook her head as she darted by me. “They’re going to know exactly how to get in here if they do break in.” The automatic lights flickered on.
“That’s a chance we’ll have to take.” I slapped her ass. “Now get moving.” I pulled the door shut behind me. Hoped we wouldn’t have to shoot our way to the roof.
We clambered up the stairs. I winced as the pads of my feet hit the ice cold cement with each step. I was really going to kill those guys.
Willow burst through the door to the roof. A beautiful sunrise was just starting to sketch itself across the eastern sky.
“Holy cannoli, it’s freezing!” Willow wrapped her robe around her body. “My boobs are going to shrivel up and fall off.”
I chuckled. “Maybe just your nipples.” I pulled her against me as we raced across the helicopter landing pad.
“I didn’t know you had a whirly bird,” she yelled as she held her hair in one hand, one of her guns in the other. It was really windy up here. Her other gun slapped at her leg in her robe pocket.
A door popped open at the top of the exit staircase. I thanked Willow’s goddess for Nik. I crowded Willow in through the door. Heaved a sigh of relief as the wind died down. My feet were still cold, but at least we weren’t standing in the breeze at forty stories in the sky.
“Willow?” Rafe called. “Ryker?”
“It’s us,” I answered.
“Get your asses moving. The police are about to breach the penthouse. We’ve set up with them on thirty-eight.”
We started catapulting ourselves down the stairs. “Thank goodness we didn’t have more carbs this morning,” Willow chuckled around a wheeze.
I snorted.
We hit the thirty-eighth floor. Rafe was standing in a doorway that looked like part of the wall. I blinked.
Rafe smiled. “Nik. Apparently there is restricted access on each floor to this stairwell? You might have to discuss it with the fire marshal.” He stood aside so we could slide past him.
“First on the right,” he said.
I put my arm around Willow as we turned into the correct room. I blinked at the setup. Nik was shouting orders at the Police tech squad. She even glared at the guy who looked to be in charge. “Then you just wait until I get it setup correctly. If you’d leave me alone, we’ll only have to do it once. And in half the time if you’d shut up.”
The man’s cheeks reddened. He took a step towards her.
Turo got in his path. “I would think very carefully before threatening her,” he said softly.
The man glared at Turo. “I’m in charge of this operation.”
Turo smiled. “Then I suggest you work with her. Or she’ll wrest the controls from your hands. She already seems to be doing a good job. Do not let your ego blind you to achieving the greatest outcome possible.”
The man snarled but he backed down.
Turo stepped aside. The pride and predatory gaze he shot at Nik made me want to get in his face. But I figured if anyone was capable of looking after herself, it was definitely Nik. And I could always maim Turo later.
“We’re up. You’re a go, policeman.” Nik stabbed a finger in the air at the man who’d just been butthurt. There were a total of seven screens set up. Two of them carried the various feeds from my personal security cameras. Three were of the police officers. The remaining two were PC feeds of the outer areas of our home.
He cleared his throat. “What are we looking at here?”
Nik pointed at a screen. “This is the public entrance to the private penthouse. It’s currently been invaded by a group of unknowns. On our own security feeds, we have identified at least four weapons. The status of those weapons is also unknown, but it would be best to proceed with caution.”
The guy in charge nodded. “I want SWAT to go up first. We need to subdue and detain. Is the owner on site?”
I stepped forward, left Willow with Turo and Rafe. “Here. I won’t hold any of you liable for anything broken. I’d just like my home back, please.”
The man nodded. “SWAT’s a go.”
A group of men in the first set of screens marched up the last flight of stairs. They rushed through the broken door and into the hallway. “NEW TRENADIE SWAT. HANDS UP WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM.”
Two of the intruders turned, drew down on the officers.
They were removed with two precise shots. “Two down, copy two down.�
��
“We read, Charlie team. Proceed,” Butthurt Man said.
The SWAT team moved forward with deadly precision. They called their warning over and over again. And over and over again they fired on the idiots who really should have known better.
“Nik, switch to bedroom camera five,” I called. “There were at least three guys in there.”
Nik jumped forward, adjusted the screens to show the camera I’d requested.
“We have cameras in our bedroom?” Willow whisper-shouted at me.
I turned, shook my head. “Yes and no. They only go live when the panic button gets activated.”
She glared at me for a second. Nodded. She eased back and leaned against Turo.
“Anyone have an extra blanket or coat?” I asked the room at large.
Nik jumped up. “I brought my gym bag.” She hurried to Willow. “There should be a clean set of leggings. I can’t promise they’ll be comfortable though. I wear compression leggings when I’m working out.”
Willow smiled. “As long as I can cover my ass, I don’t care about comfort. Thank you. Go back to saving the world.”
Nik’s smile was huge as she raced back to the front of the room. She stood in front of the screens like a commander watching troop movements. “There!” She pointed at the screen.
“West wall, far south corner,” I relayed to the commander.
He sent it to his SWAT team.
Three more orders to come out with their hands up. Two more gunshots. “We’ve got a surrender,” one of the SWAT guys said.
Turo spoke up. “Be very careful accepting it.”
Commander Butthurt glared at Turo. “Take him in, Charlie One.”
Turo shook his head.
The surrenderer pulled a knife as the SWAT guy got close. On the camera feed, the arc of blood spray was a bit more dramatic than I had thought possible without special effects.
“Man down, command. Man down,” another man said.
“Acknowledged, Charlie Two. Take him out.”
A single gunshot rang through the speakers as the last guy fell.
“Clear the space, we’ve got EMTs waiting.”
“Copy that, command,” Charlie Two said.
A chorus of “Clear” came through.
