Sweet Retribution (Rydeville High Elite #3)(79)

“And if we are discovered,” Rick says. “We’re ready to deal with them.” He pats the gun strapped to his hip. We are all carrying because we’re taking no chances. It’s been mutually agreed that anyone who finds us must be taken out. I don’t like thinking about it too deeply, because these men are only doing their job, but there is too much at stake to leave witnesses.

Let’s just hope we don’t run into anyone.

We spend another twenty minutes anxiously watching the guard on the feed until the drugs take effect and he slumps unconscious to the floor.

“Showtime,” Jackson says with a muscle popping in his jaw. He’s been unusually quiet tonight, and strain literally oozes from his pores. I know this must be hard for him, but I love him for wanting to come tonight even though no one would blame him if he wanted to sit it out.

Xavier stays behind to monitor our progress through the house and to disable the security system at the last second. Rick is staying with him, to keep watch on the corridor outside my bedroom, just in case anyone appears. Xavier’s role in this is crucial, plus we need access to my bedroom to exit via the tunnel. Sawyer, Jackson, Kai, and I will break into the vault and locate the files we need. We’re using the earpieces again to stay in constant communication.

We move stealthily through the house, and in next to no time, we are downstairs, pushing past the immobile guard, spread-eagled across the floor in the hallway. Using the code Drew gave us, we enter the bastard’s office, waiting for Xavier to shut down the main system before stepping inside the elevator that takes us to the vault in the hidden lower level of the basement.

It’s eerily quiet when we step out into the narrow hallway, and the only sounds are our collective deep breaths. Our feet squelch on the shiny floor as we edge toward the only door down here. I curl my hand around the door handle, drawing a brave breath. “Disable the infrared system now, Xavier,” I instruct.

“On it.”

A piercing alarm rings out, and my eardrums silently protest.

“Shit.” Kai shares an anxious look with me. “Please tell me that’s only going off down here.”

“It is,” Xavier confirms. “I’m watching the hallways in the house, and there isn’t a sinner in sight. The system is set up so a warning communication is issued when the alarm goes off, but I stopped it, so no one is aware you are down there. I’ll keep you posted if that changes.”

“Okay,” Kai says, pulling my hand away from the door and nudging his way in front of me. “We’re going in now.”

Sawyer pulls me back behind him, pushing me into Jackson’s body. “Stay here and let Kai and me check it out first.”

My initial instinct is to pout and protest, but it’s cool that my husband and his friends want to protect me. That they are willing to put themselves at risk to ensure my safety. Only an idiot would argue against that.

Jackson wraps his arms around me from behind. “I’m glad you’re letting us take care of you. No one wants to see you hurt again.”

The guys enter the room, and I’m too preoccupied watching them to even respond to Jackson’s statement. Or to point out that I don’t want to see any of them hurt either.

Anyway, it’s a moot point. Because the coast is clear and Kai is back, taking my hand and leading me into the room.

It’s a large open-plan room, split in two by a small seating area placed in front of a large wall-mounted screen. “That must be where he plays the home movies,” I ponder out loud, shouting to be heard over the ear-shattering chiming of the alarm.

“Over here, guys,” Sawyer hollers and we walk to the row of silver drawers running from ceiling to floor. “They are alphabetically organized,” he says, grinning. “Thank fuck for your father’s OCD.”

I’d split up the target list into four separate lists last night, also organized alphabetically so it should make this easier to locate the correct files. I quickly distribute the lists to the guys, and we head in separate directions to track down our pile.

We work silently and speedily, everyone understanding the urgency of the situation. We can’t risk detection, so we need to get in and out fast. I locate my first target and pull open his drawer. The recording is on a small disc, and I slip it into the small backpack I have strapped across my chest. Curious, I flip through some of the papers in the drawer, my eyes growing wider as I explore. “There is so much evidence in here,” I say to no one in particular. “He has financial records, details of their families, tons of surveillance footage, and all manner of shit on these people.”

“I know. It’s the same in this drawer. He must have a team of PIs on his payroll,” Sawyer says.

“We need to stay focused,” Kai reminds us. “As tempting as it is, we can’t take any of that stuff. We need to grab the recordings and copy them asap. Don’t get distracted.”

Ten minutes later, we have half the video files we need and Sawyer walks to the couch, dropping down onto it with the bag and some high-tech digital device to begin copying them. The three of us continue searching for the rest of the files while he works away, dropping them over to him in batches.

I stumble across a name that isn’t on the list, but I can resist looking. From the myriad of evidence stored in this drawer, I can tell Father has been compiling ample evidence. A massive grin spreads across my mouth as I snatch up the recording and walk over to Sawyer. “Copy that one too.” He looks at the name, arching a brow. “It should make for interesting viewing.”