“Don’t worry about it. Saraya knocked me clear off my feet, and now we’re pals. The boys won’t let her compete in the Dallas round, so Del and Dean are flying her to Minneapolis later this month. I haven’t been to the twin cities in years. The area has become known for its fashion industry. Can you believe it?”
Miami knew more about fashion than she wanted to since her mother always shared her cast-offs. The only way her mom justified spending money on an outrageous wardrobe was knowing dressing well was a part of her public persona.
By the time Miami’s eyes adjusted to the bright sunshine, she was blown away by the training course in front of her. She and Lilly took seats in the bleachers, giving them a better view of Saraya’s run. The petite woman muscled her way through the course with remarkable speed. They cheered when she crossed the finish line, but it was easy to see Saraya wasn’t pleased.
“What happened? She went through the entire course. Why isn’t she happy?” Miami wondered what she’d missed.
“I’ve been binge-watching past seasons of the show, so I know her time wasn’t great. The competitors treat each other as members of their own families. It’s fun to watch their interaction, and I’m anxious to see if it’s the same when the cameras are pointed elsewhere.” The pause in Lilly’s comments felt unnatural, and a shift in the older woman’s posture made Miami turn to her. Before she could ask Lilly what was happening, the other woman pushed Miami to the ground before moving under a nearby table.
“Stay under this table. The steel will protect you from anything overhead. I’m going to that bench to retrieve a weapon.”
Bench? Weapon? Who on earth keeps weapons stashed inside benches where anyone could get their hands on them? Watching Lilly scoot in front of the long wooden bench, Miami was surprised to see her place her palm against a well-disguised screen. She almost missed the quick snick of a lock releasing before the top of the bench popped up enough for Lilly’s hand to reach inside.
“Scan the rock cliffs on the other side of the river. Watch for any discrepancy in color or movement. The shots came from that direction, and I want to take the bastard out before my boys get here.” Lilly’s comment seemed shocking because it seemed like a lifetime since they heard the first shot fly overhead. Lilly settled beside her and unfolded the rifle’s attached tripod. Pointing to the obstacle course, Lilly smiled. “Saraya was on top of the curved wall when this started. She slid down one of the poles holding the thing up. She’ll be safe as long as she stays put.”
“There. He just moved.” Miami pointed to the man perched atop the rock cliff. She was relieved Lilly spotted him immediately.
“I’m going to take out his shoulder. The boys get all pissy if you kill somebody they want to interrogate.”
Miami’s eyes widened, but she kept quiet.
Lilly pulled the trigger and gave a victory shout as the man rolled to the side. “He won’t be shooting again for a long while. Asshat. Trespassing, shooting at people… I hope they send Sam to retrieve him.”
“Sam?”
“Yes. The scary-looking one married to Jen. He’s a teddy bear in wolf’s clothing, but don’t you dare tell him I said that. If that joker smarts off, he’ll take him down a peg or two.”
That was the last thing Miami heard before chaos broke out all around them. One of Lilly’s husbands lifted the rifle from in front of her while the second man helped her to her feet. Miami yelped in surprise when warm hands spanned her waist before lifting her into a warm embrace. She’d been so startled she wasn’t sure who was holding her until Giles’s outdoorsy scent surrounded her.
“Christ in heaven, I swear I lost at least a decade off my life when I heard the emergency call go out.”
“How did you know I was here?” The words had barely crossed her lips when she felt Essex press against her back.
“We knew you left the apartment the moment you stepped through the door. I was on my way when Lilly and Del intercepted you. The control room assured us they wereeyes-on,so I returned to the meeting.”
Any other time, Miami might complain about the intense security, but considering how things turned out, it was probably best to keep the observation to herself.
“What happened to the man Lilly shot? He didn’t bleed to death, did he? Heck, I don’t know why I even care. He was trying to shoot us. Was he aiming at Saraya, or was I the target? Please don’t tell me he was trying to hurt Lilly. I’d never forgive myself if Cruz’s people hurt her.” Miami knew she was rambling but couldn’t seem to stop.