screamed as loudly as she could, scrambling up to her feet. A blur flew past her and she heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh. Continuing to move away from the car, she managed to get to her feet before turning around. Vinny had raced past her, landing a punch to the first man, breaking his nose from look of the blood that was spurting out, before whirling around and grabbing the second man around the neck. Squeezing tightly as he held the man, he growled, “Who sent you?” and with another jerk, added, “And I’d better like your answer.”
“Don’t…don’t know…” the man choked out.
“Wrong answer, asshole,” he bit out, fury pulsating through his veins. He had already been coming to see what was taking her so long when he heard her scream. Goddammit, I should never have let her out of my sight.
“Just…got…text…who to…,” the man tried to speak. Vinny let up slightly on his hold allowing the man to gasp out, “who to follow and get.”
Vinny reached in the man’s pocket pulling out his cell phone, quickly looking through the texts. There it was.
Follow blk SUV, lic TX6590319, get girl, text when accmpl
With a growl, he dropped the man to the pavement and pulled out plastic handcuffs, easily dispatching him as well. Stalking over to their car he grabbed the keys and popped the hood.
Annalissa had moved over to the gas station, leaning against the bricks. She watched as Vinny disabled both men and then cut hoses on the inside of their car. As he walked around, he bent low pulling out a knife from his boot, slicing all four tires. His chest heaved with adrenaline. Then he turned and speared her with his gaze, lifting one muscular arm.
That was all the invitation she needed. Flying across the pavement, she jumped into his arms, choking back a sob.
He enveloped her in his embrace, holding her fiercely, willing his rage to dissipate. His body shook as much as hers. This was different. This was no mission gone wrong. This was personal. All because of the beautiful woman crying in his arms.
Pressing her body as close to him as he could with one hand holding her head against his neck and the other arm wrapped around her waist, he cradled her. Making shushing sounds he comforted her, assuring her that they were fine.
“Baby, we gotta go. The gas station owner is an old man, but he’ll be coming around to see what’s going on soon. I’ve got their phone and we need to get somewhere so I can let Tony know what’s happening.”
She nodded against his neck and lifted her face. He set her down carefully, whispering, “Hold on to me like we’re lovers who just fuc…um…have been making out back here, in case he’s looking.” She gave him a curious look but did exactly what he asked. Wrapping her arm around his waist, she smiled brilliantly at him, giggling appropriately as they walked to the SUV.
Within another minute, they were back on the highway. Calling Tony, he looked at the clock. Tony had him on speaker instantly, having assembled their group back at the agency, knowing that at any time Vinny might need them.
Vinny quickly explained what had happened, hearing cursing in the background. The group began to quickly work the problem and plan the next step of the mission.
Giving Lily the phone number of the cell phone he had taken, she and BJ began working on tracing the phone and the calls to and from it.
Jobe said, “There’s no way this could be random at this point. A few people at each airport just randomly sending drugs in luggage aren’t going to have the resources to do this kind of reconnaissance. Gotta be bigger and it’s gotta be aimed at Ms. O’Brian. Someone knows exactly who has the drugs and is now actively searching for you two.”
Vinny agreed, asking, “Anything suspicious on that list of people who had access to the harp case before it left LA?”
Gabe answered, “Still working on it brother. By the time we added the stage crew to the ones that were in her
“Don’t…don’t know…” the man choked out.
“Wrong answer, asshole,” he bit out, fury pulsating through his veins. He had already been coming to see what was taking her so long when he heard her scream. Goddammit, I should never have let her out of my sight.
“Just…got…text…who to…,” the man tried to speak. Vinny let up slightly on his hold allowing the man to gasp out, “who to follow and get.”
Vinny reached in the man’s pocket pulling out his cell phone, quickly looking through the texts. There it was.
Follow blk SUV, lic TX6590319, get girl, text when accmpl
With a growl, he dropped the man to the pavement and pulled out plastic handcuffs, easily dispatching him as well. Stalking over to their car he grabbed the keys and popped the hood.
Annalissa had moved over to the gas station, leaning against the bricks. She watched as Vinny disabled both men and then cut hoses on the inside of their car. As he walked around, he bent low pulling out a knife from his boot, slicing all four tires. His chest heaved with adrenaline. Then he turned and speared her with his gaze, lifting one muscular arm.
That was all the invitation she needed. Flying across the pavement, she jumped into his arms, choking back a sob.
He enveloped her in his embrace, holding her fiercely, willing his rage to dissipate. His body shook as much as hers. This was different. This was no mission gone wrong. This was personal. All because of the beautiful woman crying in his arms.
Pressing her body as close to him as he could with one hand holding her head against his neck and the other arm wrapped around her waist, he cradled her. Making shushing sounds he comforted her, assuring her that they were fine.
“Baby, we gotta go. The gas station owner is an old man, but he’ll be coming around to see what’s going on soon. I’ve got their phone and we need to get somewhere so I can let Tony know what’s happening.”
She nodded against his neck and lifted her face. He set her down carefully, whispering, “Hold on to me like we’re lovers who just fuc…um…have been making out back here, in case he’s looking.” She gave him a curious look but did exactly what he asked. Wrapping her arm around his waist, she smiled brilliantly at him, giggling appropriately as they walked to the SUV.
Within another minute, they were back on the highway. Calling Tony, he looked at the clock. Tony had him on speaker instantly, having assembled their group back at the agency, knowing that at any time Vinny might need them.
Vinny quickly explained what had happened, hearing cursing in the background. The group began to quickly work the problem and plan the next step of the mission.
Giving Lily the phone number of the cell phone he had taken, she and BJ began working on tracing the phone and the calls to and from it.
Jobe said, “There’s no way this could be random at this point. A few people at each airport just randomly sending drugs in luggage aren’t going to have the resources to do this kind of reconnaissance. Gotta be bigger and it’s gotta be aimed at Ms. O’Brian. Someone knows exactly who has the drugs and is now actively searching for you two.”
Vinny agreed, asking, “Anything suspicious on that list of people who had access to the harp case before it left LA?”
Gabe answered, “Still working on it brother. By the time we added the stage crew to the ones that were in her
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