“You lost it!?” I interrupt with a snarl. Watching the looping security footage has caused the itch to return to my bones, and I resume my pacing as I try to maintain control. Archer snaps his mouth shut, looking irritated at my interruption. “I’m not dealing with some half-cocked information!”
“Hey!” Declan snaps in response, “you asked us for information, and we’ve brought you information!”
Archer sends his brother a sharp glance before he slides one hand into his pocket and squares his shoulders.
“Look, we know the area they ran to, and since you know one of the guards with her, it won’t take long to ping his cellphone and the towers to find out exactly where they’re keeping her,” Archer replies calmly.
Something about his stoic attitude in the situation irritates me, and I walk away from them to stop myself from lashing out. Right now, they’re the only ones that can help me and it’ll do no good to strike Declan for his remarks. I’ve already struck out at Callahan, and there’s no telling where that will end up. The footage loops once more before I tear my gaze away and allow my pacing to take me back to the brothers.
“Alright,” I say, “how long until you get a ping from his phone?”
“It’s off at the moment. We have to wait for him to turn it back on,” Archer states, “but as soon as he does, we’ll know.”
It’s a plan, but the news doesn’t bring me comfort. We’re wasting time,waitingfor something to ping and tell us where to go, time that I fear Cara doesn’t have.
“We don’t have time,” I mutter, and frustration leaks into my tone. Declan raises a brow, and I eye him coldly. “What?”
“Nothin’,” he shrugs his large shoulders, “just didn’t expect you to get this heated over a girl you don’t even like.”
“It’s not about her,” I snap, and I shove the tablet back into Archer’s hands. “It’s— it’s the principle of it. They were in myhome; they wrecked the place andstolefrom me, stole from myfamily. That precedent can’t stand. We can’t be seen as weak, as a family that can have people and possessions snatched away from us like this. They’ve taken our clubs, the lives of our men, and now this? People can’t just turn up and take from the Scarano’s. It can’t be allowed.”
I can’t tell if my argument persuades them or not but Archer and Declan exchange a look with a meaning not meant for me. I turn my back, sucking in a deep breath. The cool night air seeps deep into my lungs, and I follow the chill as it reaches right into my gut like a hand of ice trying to soothe the panic inside. I curl my hands against my waist, gripping tight in an attempt to ease the tremble moving through my muscles from pent-up aggression.
I can lie through my teeth and tell them it’s not about Cara, but deep down, I know the truth. Itisabout her. She’s burrowed right into me, nestling under my ribcage, and I want to keep her there. It’s where shebelongs,and the fact that someone has taken her from me feels like my ribs have been pried apart against my will. The photo swirls around my mind and just the thought of her split lip and the bruises I could see on her arms ignites another round of lava in my veins.
I’ll burn the entire fucking city down if I have to.
“We’ve got him!” Archer’s exclamation has me whirling around to see him tapping furiously on the tablet before holding it up for me to glimpse the map and flashing red dot of that Irish bastard's phone.
“Thank you!” I dart towards my car but stop when Archer catches my arm. The touch is almost too hot and every muscle in my arm recoils; I don’t have time for any more waiting around or conversation.
“What is it?” I snap as I face him. But to my surprise, he looks a little softer around the edges of his face.
“I’m coming with you.”
“What? The insurance deal was only for information.”
“I know, but you’re right. The Russians have been making a mockery of all of us, and now some of the Irish are doing the same,” he says and there’s a surprising tone of honesty in his voice. Usually, conversing with the Arco brothers involves peering through layers of jokes to get to the real information, but he appears sincere. “Losing the clubs in those attacks hit us too. We want a taste of that revenge and if helping you get Cara back starts it, then I’m coming with you. We want to show people that the Acro brothers have the Scarano’s backs, and we’re not to be messed with either.”
His words have momentarily soothed the overrun of emotions in my chest. I stare at him before an easy smile slips onto Archer’s face.
“Besides, it would be pretty stupid for you to run headfirst into this without any backup.”
Fuck.
He’s right. I have been so blinded in my desire for information about Cara that I had completely forgotten that I’m alone. Niccolo and Tony are with Dante, and I hadn’t called in any backup for myself.
“Okay,” I agree and Archer’s hand falls from my arm. He turns and throws a look at Declan, who simply nods and returns to his car. When Archer turns back to me, I raise a brow.
“Declan will make sure more men meet us there; we’ll go in together,” he explains, and I nod, then slip into my own vehicle.
I start the car and pull out from the side of the road before Archer’s ass even touches the seat. I have my location. Every coiled, pent-up ounce of my rage finally has something to focus on and I care little for road safety as I drive. I hope Cara is at the location I’m headed to, I hope she’s with him, but even if she’s not, I’ll carve my hatred into his flesh until he tells me where she is.
She’smine,and I’m getting her back one way or another.
Hold on, Cara, I’m coming for you.
6