The drive had only been about half an hour long, but it felt like an eternity. Relaxation was impossible considering everything that was going on. She did her best to give covert directions, but Jennifer was good about telling her whether she could see where they were turning or not, so she was able to get it into casual conversation. The only pause was when they had to get through the security gate once they reached the posh subdivision. She couldn’t see what code he entered into the gate that let it slide open and let to a long driveway.

“What kind of house has a security pad at the entrance?” It was a stupid question. She knew better than most that some houses had a lot more security than others, but she wanted James to know what was coming.

“This is a nice area,” said Jadon dismissively.

“We’re going to be there soon,” said James. “We can get through the keypad. How many digits was it?”

Willa sighed as she tried to think of the best way to answer. “So Mom’s place, huh? I never even imagined how she was living. It’s been like six years since I saw her.” That was a lie. She kind of figured her mother had found some other sap to suck money from. But the code had been six digits long so she hoped James got it.

The house that her mother apparently owned didn’t look very lived in. All the lights were off and there didn’t seem as if anyone was home. “Does she know we’re coming?”

“She doesn’t know a damn thing. She’s not going to be here. I am going to run in and I’ll be right back. You stay here.”

“You stay in the goddamned car,” warned James.

“Okay,” she said to both of them.

Jadon got out of the car and rushed to the door. He fiddled with keys for a few seconds until he finally got inside. Once she felt as if there was enough distance, she was able to finally break down. “Where are you? Is there anyone else coming?”

“Jennifer is working on the keypad. I’m coming over.”

Coming over? She heard a soft grunt and realized James had jumped the fence. It really would make her feel better if he would calm down. No. That was a lie. Her apartment had blown up. Nothing was going to make her feel better.

“You are in front of the gate though, right? So if we were being followed, they’d have to get through you.”

There was silence on the other end and she realized that James wouldn’t be running up the driveway if he didn’t think there was trouble ahead. “What?”

“Stay in the car,” said Jennifer. “I’ll have this open any second.”

Willa looked up at the dark house that now took on a more ominous tone. The place was massive. If Jadon had hidden something there, especially something as small as a packet of documents or computer data, there would be millions of places to hide it. It had taken her an hour to search the apartment and she still felt as if there were a lot more to go. So if someone knew the documents were here, they couldn’t tear the place apart. They would have Jadon lead them right there.

“You think they’re here already.” The second she said it, a shot rang out and Willa jumped in her seat.

No.... She ducked down to give herself as much coverage as possible, but when she went to the floor of the car, she also cut off her line of sight to the house.

“Willa!” said James into her ear. “Are you okay?”

“I’m in the car,” she whispered.

“Finally decided to listen to me,” he muttered, but she could hear his measured breaths cutting through the words, signaling that he was running.

Good. Run faster.

“I don’t have the keys. I don’t know what to do.”

“I’m getting there,” said Jennifer.

“Stay put,” said James. “I’m going to be right—”

Willa missed what he said as the door locks clicked. She held her breath, but there was nothing she could do to stop the driver’s door from opening. The man filled the door as he looked in from the driver’s side. There was no cover at all, so Willa knew hiding was useless at this point. She pushed her door open and fell out. Because of the crouched position she’d been hiding in, she couldn’t seem to get her legs underneath her fast enough.

She heard footsteps approach but didn’t waste even a fraction of a second to look behind her. Instead, she pushed up and started to run, but it was too late. Fingers fisted in her hair and pulled her back until she slammed into a body that was as hard as a brick wall. Willa grimaced in pain as her eyes, which had reflexively shut, opened to look up at the man above her. With the adrenaline pumping through her, all she could really focus on were those dark-brown eyes. Were those the eyes of the man who was going to kill her?

“Let her go.”

The man tightened his grip in her hair and she saw the glint of metal as he moved to press a gun against her temple. She purposely didn’t look at James. She didn’t want to see his face when— No. She stopped that line of thought. She could make it through this. She looked back to her captor and took a shaky breath as she tried to find her voice. “Please.... Please don’t do this.”

“You give her so much as a scratch, you’re never going to make it off the property.” James sounded so normal. As if this were no big deal. But when Willa risked a glance at James, she realized he was anything but. Even though his hands were steady, his eyes radiated an impossible fury.

Whoever had a gun pointed at her head must realize that James was serious. But then Willa realized that this wasn’t just anyone. This was another mercenary, like James. Fear wouldn’t motivate him. “I can pay you.”

The man kept his eyes on James. “I don’t need your money.”

“Not money.” This was probably her only chance and she hoped her instincts were right. “We can kill Sterling for you.”

The man finally took his eyes off James and looked down at her. “No, you can’t.”

“Yes, we can.” Jennifer walked out of the shadows. She didn’t have a gun or weapon of any kind, but she didn’t seem the slightest bit intimidated by the sight in front of her. “We’ve had Sterling running scared for weeks. Well, he’s cleaning house before he comes back and when he gets here, we’ll be ready for him.”

“You weren’t sent here to kill me,” said Willa. “If you leave now, no one will know.”

He didn’t loosen his grip but she could see him starting to waver. “Sterling has eyes and ears everywhere.”

“So do I.” Toni stepped next to Jennifer. “That girl in your arms is one of us and I don’t think you want to see my vengeful side.” Then she pointed to James. “And you sure as hell don’t want to see his vengeful side.”

Finally Willa felt the slight loosening of the fingers in her hair and she had to ball her hands into fists to keep from rubbing at her sore scalp.

“You’re not just going to let me go....”

“As the girl with a gun pressed to her head, you have my word that we’ll let you go.”

“I just killed your daddy, hun. That kind of blood don’t wash off that easily.”

The confirmation of Jadon’s death didn’t surprise her but it still hit her like a brick. She kept her cool as she forced herself to remain calm. “He had blood on his hands too.” She hadn’t wanted this. She hadn’t wanted Jadon to die. But with the life he was leading, the things he was hiding.... Death happened in that line of work.

It must’ve been the right thing to say, because the man abruptly released her and held up his hands, the gun dangling from his trigger finger. She knew a guy like him could have it back firmly in his grip and ready to fire any minute now, so she didn’t hesitate as she ran for James.

Once she reached him, he moved to stand in front of her but she staggered herself enough so she could keep an eye on everything. The man looked at each of them and after a few seconds of no shooting, he took a few steps back. Then, without another word, he turned and walked down the driveway.

Everyone watched the man’s retreat until he was no longer visible. The next thing she knew, James had wrapped her up in a tight hug and lifted her so her feet didn’t even touch the ground. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” he breathed against her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. She had only been away from James for a few hours, but it had felt like days. Weeks. And when he said he was never letting her go again, she was a hundred percent okay with that.

“What the hell was that?” asked Jennifer while Willa and James stared into each other’s eyes.

Willa pulled her gaze from his, but he didn’t let her go. “It was an educated guess.”

Jennifer wasn’t appeased. “An educated guess that he wanted Sterling dead? What gave him away?”

Willa gave James’s shoulder a little squeeze and he let her down. She tried to think of a way to say it that would make sense to anyone besides her. “I’ve faced down death more times in the past few weeks than most people do in a lifetime. I saw my father kill Jules. I saw Matt Forbes order my death. I was stabbed by that maniac at James’s place. And not once in any of those three times did they hesitate. That guy, I have no doubt he would’ve killed me. I just knew he didn’t want to and I was hoping we could use that to our advantage. Guys like Sterling can’t have employees with a conscience.” She sighed. “If that makes sense. I might have just been grasping at straws....”

“No, that makes total sense,” said Jennifer. “That you picked it up so fast from a guy you’ve never met before... you’re really good at reading people.”

James tightened his grip on Willa. “Don’t say it.”

Jennifer gasped. “You’ve thought of this.”

Willa glanced between the two of them. “What are you talking about?”

Jennifer gave Willa a wicked grin. “Willa, has anyone ever told you that you would make a great con woman?”