Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Pray that Finn would find me.
And then the lights went out. There was a startled murmur, and suddenly, it was chaos. I heard the sound of thundering feet and bodies dropping. Muted shooting. Screaming. Cursing. A line of men appeared before us, one shouting, “Get down!”
I grabbed Anna and pulled her to the floor. I crawled with her to the back of the stall. “Keep your head down,” I ordered.
“What’s happening?” she gasped.
I could feel it. Feel him.
Finn had found me.
“My hero,” I responded.
FINN
Lopez was too comfortable with his hidden auctions. He’d been doing them in secret, and his ego was big enough to think he had everything in hand. He’d become lax.
He didn’t expect us.
Our plan was executed without a hitch. We had accounted for every contingency. Our element of surprise and the darkness worked as we needed them to. Immediately, ten men lined up in front of the women, their guns pointed to the crowd. Another group guarded the doors, guns ready. We followed the first group, shooting as we went, eliminating the world of scum with each bullet. We took out the inside guards first, then aimed at the buyers and Lopez’s group. They didn’t stand a chance against our firepower.
I had one fast glimpse of Una in the darkness. She looked terrified, but she was alive, and that was all I needed.
It was over quickly, and we tore off our night goggles as the lights were turned back on. Bodies littered the floor, the scent of bullets and blood filling the air. I felt nothing but contempt as I looked at the dead around me.
Lopez was against the wall, shock on his face at the blood saturating his ill-fitting suit jacket. Juan was not far away, facedown, his red sneakers identifying him. All the guards were dead.
I sprinted to the side where our men still guarded the makeshift cages. “Get these open,” I shouted, dropping to my knees in front of where Una lay, huddled in the corner, her arms wrapped around a small blond woman.
“Una! Mo chroí—it’s over. You’re safe.”
She didn’t move, and I felt the panic that flooded my body. “Una,” I begged. “Please, look at me.”
Finally, she raised her head, and I held out my hand, tamping down my horror at her appearance. She was bruised and battered, her face, arms, and legs showing marks. She was whiter than paper, her eyes sunken. Her hair was tangled, and the robe she was wearing barely covered her torso. She was shivering and terrified, her eyes unable to focus.
Ignoring the commotion behind me, I reached out again. “Come here, my love,” I urged. “Come to me.”
She startled as the bars were raised. Then she met my eyes. I pleaded silently for her to realize it was me—she was safe and I was here.
“Finn,” she breathed out.
I couldn’t wait. I stood and went to her, scooping her into my arms. She made a sound of distress, gripping the other woman’s hand, and I called for Niall, who appeared beside me. “Help,” I instructed, somehow feeling her need. “They have to stay close right now.”
Niall bent, saying something to the woman before lifting her into his arms. She didn’t fight him, burrowing into him instead, her head on his shoulder. He had an odd expression on his face as he pulled her close. “She’s freezing.” He turned, yelling for blankets, and we wrapped the women we were holding as best we could.
Una was a shivering mass of fear in my arms. I had a feeling Niall was experiencing the same reaction.
I lifted Una higher, my lips close to her ear. “I have you, mo chroí. You are safe. No one will touch you now but me.”
The adrenaline began to fade, and I realized how badly I was shaking. I fell back to my knees, holding Una, whispering comforting words, soothing my hand up and down her back.
Around me, our team was busy. Luca led one group down to where we suspected the lab was. Others were checking bodies, removing IDs, prepping for the next step. It was carnage and horrible, but I didn’t care. The world was better without the scum we had eliminated.
Una lifted her head and made a sound of distress. She pushed against my chest.
“Don’t look, sweet girl.”
“B-Brian,” she stammered.
Looking over, I saw her brother. He was sitting against the wall, his head lolling to one side. Blood was seeping rapidly from his stomach. He was staring at her, his expression pleading, his trembling hand stretching in her direction.
Standing, I took her to him, knowing she needed to say goodbye. It was hard to let her go from my arms, and I made sure the blanket was wrapped around her. She dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. She tenderly pushed the hair off his face. “Help is coming,” she cried, her voice rough. She turned to me, desperate. “Right, Finn?”