Tywin laughed, cutting off what would’ve been at least a ten-question spree. He knew me well enough that he proceeded in telling me how they had planned and executed the mission to rescue me.
It pleased me to hear that they hadn’t lost a single team member and the three who had suffered gunshots or stab wounds were in another part of the warehouse receiving proper medical attention.
He confirmed that the group inside that building were a part of a rogue agent sect known as the Horizon Group. They were relentless in their efforts to take down organizations like their syndicate by obtaining and selling their secrets for profit.
Tywin’s phone had gone off twice while he was briefing me, but he’d swiped the caller off, ignoring it so he could focus his attention on me.
My brows lifted when he disclosed that the man he had kicked off the roof as a distraction was one of the torturers that worked for Horizon Group. He assumed he was being smart by dressing as one of the victims.
Rhi was able to use the photos the crew had been sending back to identify the victims to verify their membership. The men were also all marked by a family crest that other members would recognize.
They had used a prototype bomb developed by none other than their syndicate to make the building and everyone left dead or alive inside of it crumble into a giant pile of dust. The bomb was similar to what the CDC used to burn viruses and to stop the spread of diseases, but it had a few technological updates.
These men’s abilities to make their problems disappear with expert analytical and tactical skills put law enforcement agencies to shame. A light tap at the door caused me to glance over at Tywin.
“You up for a visitor?” he questioned.
I nodded.
“Come in,” he called.
Arjen and Khane stepped in. Arjen flashed a smile and Khane flashed as close to a smile as he could muster.
“How are you feeling?” Arjen asked.
“Better. Thanks for asking and thank you for coming to break me out of that place.”
“Glad to hear you’re feeling better. You’re one of us now, and we look out for each other no matter what,” he said, staring at me with an expression that said every word he’d spoken was the truth.
There was also an underlining message in his words that I believed hinted at trust and loyalty. Khane nodded once in my direction and a rare smile touched his lips. The sentiment of Arjen’s statement and Khane’s acknowledgement had me grinning up at them, speechless.
Tywin’s phone went off again, and this time instead of swiping it off he answered it. His face broke into an instant frown.
“Denise,” he mouthed to his cousins while listening to whatever was being said.
When he turned his perplexed gaze on me, the stress I had slept away returned with a vengeance, causing my head to shake in disbelief that the drama wasn’t over.
“What?” I asked, though he hadn’t said a word.
“She wants to talk to you.”
“What?”
“Why?” Arjen and Khane questioned simultaneously.
Tywin removed the phone from his ear like it was a part of a bomb he was disarming. Khane marched to the door and the lock sliding into place sounded.
The four of us were shut in the room, all staring at the phone Tywin was handing me. I shook my head. Their hard stares were glued on me and mine was on the phone, but I didn’t want to take it. Tywin didn’t retract his hand, so whatever bravery I had left in me forced me to reach out and take the damn thing.
“Hello?”
“Ms. Davis, my name is Denise. I’m contacting you to set up a meet—”
“Ma’am, before you go any further, can I place the phone on speaker? I kind of know who you are through being nosey and piecing together information. Also, I’m surrounded by men who saved my life and have been keeping me safe for a while now. I believe they deserve to hear whatever it is you have to tell me.”
Tywin stood next to me with a reassuring hand resting on my shoulder and Khane and Arjen stood in front of me with unreadable expressions on their faces. The realization that they were all shielding their reactions stressed me the hell out further.
“Please call me Denise. And if you feel better making this a public conversation, that’s fine as long as you’re in a secure environment.”