Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
“But she would have to account for the plastic surgery,” Kyle countered. “And we’ve got proof she’s been involved in criminal endeavors. You think she’s trying to get her inheritance the old-fashioned way?”
“Mom had her will changed last year. Dad gets everything if she dies, and if they both go, it’s all me. I assure you Julia’s not in my will. So she can’t get the money.” His brain was going a hundred miles a minute.
“Or The Consortium wants your mother out of office and this is how they do it,” Kyle mused.
That made sense. “I know she’s been working on a bill that would punish polluters. She’s worked on a lot of things. They could simply want the seat for someone they own. They’re using Taylor to hurt me.”
“For Julia, the cruelty is the point,” Kyle replied. “I’m going to take the stairs from the left. You go right. Take out anyone you have to. She won’t be alone. She’s probably infiltrated the guards or she’ll have taken them all out.”
“Mom usually has three guards on her detail when she’s traveling,” Drake explained. “They switch off. I know she had three on the plane. At this time, there should be at least two on duty, and all three are women. I didn’t even think about it because Mom changed them out last year. She said she liked the optics of having an all-female security team.”
“Or more likely an all-Consortium team.” The doors opened and Kyle moved out. “Be careful, Drake. If you can, get Taylor and run. Let me handle Julia. She’s my mistake.”
“She’s my sister.”
“Yes, and I have no idea how I would handle it if I found out David wasn’t who I thought he was. I know I’ve given you shit, but I don’t blame you. She was your family. That’s hard to see through. And I don’t think I would be able to kill my brothers or sister even if I found out they were evil,” Kyle said. “So let me do this, Drake. No matter what it costs.”
Kyle turned and jogged away.
Fuck. He was going to get himself killed. Drake strode the opposite way, quickly moving to the stairs. When he got there, he opened the door and took out the semiautomatic, flipping off the safety. There was no safety from here on out.
Jax opened the door that led him to the fortieth floor. “Kyle’s already coming from the other side.”
If he got through this, he was going to go to the gym way more often. Kyle was in better shape.
Or he would go to the gym with his wife because he was taking a desk job. He was moving into analysis, and he would work to make sure no more Julias got through. He would dedicate his life to making the Agency safer and better and to making sure Taylor got everything she needed.
“The suite is in the middle of the floor. You’ve got two turns, and I’m still blind, brother.” Jax’s voice was a soothing presence. “Be careful. Someone else is coming up. I’ve got a woman taking the service elevator. She’s in a uniform, so she might be a civilian. I’m still working on the cams. Whoever took them over is good, and I’m worried they know I’m in here.”
“It doesn’t matter now. Get Damon and Nick up here as soon as possible. I’ll try to get the civie out of the way.” He made the first turn and could hear someone talking in the hallway ahead.
“This isn’t Dr. Walsh’s room,” Taylor was saying.
She was close. Maybe a hundred feet away. So fucking close, and he couldn’t reach out and pull her to safety. He couldn’t see her, and the voices were coming in and out, but he knew he was close.
“And this isn’t Cleo’s mission anymore.” His sister’s voice hit him like a slap in the face. Damn it. There was a deep mourning rolling around with the rage and fear. How could she do this? “Stay or go, Constance? If you walk through here, you’re committed. I can’t let you know the truth about my plans and walk away, so you’ve got like ten seconds to think about it.”
Constance? She was keeping up the illusion? Was that for Taylor’s sake?
There was another explanation.
Julia was up to her own fuckery and didn’t know who Taylor was. Didn’t know what she meant to him.
He heard someone whispering but couldn’t make out the words.
“I’m in,” Taylor’s voice came through loud and clear.
Drake eased around the corner, trying to figure out how vulnerable he was. Kyle would be coming up the other side. They could catch Julia in between them and there would be nowhere for her to go.
But Taylor could be caught in the crossfire.
Kyle was right. He had one job—to get Taylor out of there.