“You think I’m safer in that place?” She waved a hand toward the main house that was filled with some of the most dangerous people in Northern Europe. “I’ve never been safer than when I’m with you. You’re not going to let anything happen to me, right?”
Even the idea of it made bile rise in his throat. “Never.”
She kissed him, just a quick sweep of her lips across his, and he knew he’d never had a chance to win this argument. “Then let’s go.”
It only took a couple of minutes to get to the garage and swipe the keys to one of the all-terrain vehicles. From there it was a ten-minute drive over land and through an apple orchard to end up on the north coast inland from Skjult Bay. Leaving the ATV in the orchard, they snuck down toward the rocky shore and took up a surveillance spot behind a pair of boulders, peeking around it to spot a single yacht anchored in the bay.
Adrenaline roaring through his veins, he held a finger to his lips and then pointed to her and the spot where her feet were, motioning for her to stay put. He had to get closer, but he wasn’t going to risk her to do so. After she gave him a grimace and a nod, he hustled down to a rocky outcropping closer to the water’s edge.
Ruby’s guess had been spot-on. From his new location, he could see guards stationed outside the door of the tall, stone lighthouse, a trio standing under the yacht’s deck awning, and a few scattered stacks of automatic-weapon-sized crates on board.
Between the guns secured in the smuggler’s hold of his jet and Jasper, Clausen, and himself, they could maintain surveillance until the Silver Knights could arrive with the firepower to end the exchange before it had a chance to begin.
He grabbed his phone so he could alert Clausen and he turned to make his way back to Ruby. Something set off his inner alarms. He glanced up from the screen and stopped cold. It took a second for the scene to make sense in his head, and then the pieces tumbled together as the air drained out of his lungs.
Four yards away, Henriksen stood next to Rolf. Both were behind Ruby. Rolf had his Beretta 9mm pointed at the back of her head. The entire world narrowed down to a pinpoint with Ruby at the center and time slowed to a stop.
Your orders are simple. Discover the exchange location. Stop it. Save Elskov. The words were a scream in his head.
Henricksen was unarmed and had the panicked aura of a rabbit gone motionless. Lucas could take him. He could kill the bastard with his bare hands before he ever made it to the gun-packed yacht, but he couldn’t do it before Rolf pulled his trigger.
Ruby stood directly across from him, watching him with that damned bittersweet smile he fucking detested, the one that said it’s okay, screw me over, I knew it would happen eventually and have accepted it.
He tensed his muscles to walk forward into battle. The words came louder this time, so much his ears rang.
Your orders are simple.
Discover the exchange location.
Stop it.
Save Elskov.
There was nothing there about civilian casualties, nothing about saving Ruby—nothing about how to live with himself after. If Rolf didn’t kill her now, he would before Lucas could get back to Fare Island to save her. There was fear in her eyes but a determined tightness in her jaw. She was fighting the panic, but his girl was scared and she should be. She knew the stakes from the first moment he blackmailed her to put her life on the line so he could accomplish his mission.
Fuck his orders. He’d find another way to take down Henricksen. And as for Rolf? He was a dead man, he just didn’t know it yet. Lucas took a step forward, putting every bit of menace in that single movement he’d ever learned over a lifetime of fighting the odds all so he could betray the country that had saved him in order to save the woman he loved.
Rolf let out an acidic chuckle. “Women. They always push us into the wrong decision, don’t they, Luc?” He shoved the gun’s muzzle hard against Ruby’s temple. “Gregers, I have this. Go ahead and take the yacht.”
“Shoot him,” Henriksen demanded. “I’m not leaving witnesses, especially not a Silver Knight.”
“No one dies on my island without my say so.” An angry flush turned Rolf’s cheeks red. “Don’t press it, Gregers. I promise you won’t like the result.”
The other man hesitated, hate hardening his features, but after a few moments of indecision, stalked off toward the yacht. A small voice inside Lucas’s head yelled that he needed to follow Henriksen and take down his number one target, but there was no way he was going anywhere without Ruby.
Keeping his gaze hard and his stance loose, he considered the possibilities. Without a weapon there weren’t many options to be had. He couldn’t rush Rolf, not with his gun pressed against Ruby’s head, but he could distract the crime boss and draw his fire.
He took another threatening step forward. “Let her go.”
“Or what, you’ll glare me to death?” Rolf snarled. “I’m the only one with a gun here.”
The fool thought he couldn’t take a man apart with only his hands? “No, what I’ll do will be slow, painful, and leave you wishing I’d just blown your fucking head off.”
“The only one losing their head today will be you and this bit of fluff who was stupid enough to bring a Silver Knight on my island.” Rolf glanced down at Ruby who, even as scared as she was, looked ready to spit in his eye. “I’ve been waiting for this moment since I first laid eyes on you, girl.”
“Lucas, go!” Ruby screamed as she twisted and grabbed Rolf’s arm, shoving it upward.
That wasn’t going to happen. He charged toward Rolf. The other man’s eyes widened, and he fought off Ruby, shoving her to the ground. He brought the gun up and aimed the Beretta at Lucas.