Deadly Game (Fortress Security #5)(59)

“Go. I’ll be right behind you.”

He gave her a hard, quick kiss, then in a crouch, raced from the room.

Rowan snagged her tennis shoes and tied them on as fast as she could. After grabbing her cell phone and looping her purse crosswise over her chest, she snatched up Alexa’s stuffed dog, shoved it into her purse, and crawled toward the living room where she heard tense conversation between Brent and his operatives.

Brent glanced toward her as she scrambled into the room and scuttled to his side.

“What’s happening?”

“Five gunmen have surrounded the house.”

Five? But there were only three of the Fortress people inside the house. They were outnumbered. Fantastic. “Is it the kidnappers?”

“I don’t think so.” He frowned, focusing on something through the window she couldn’t see. “They move like operatives.”

Huh. Not what she’d expected him to say. Maybe this situation was connected to Fortress instead of Alexa’s kidnapping.

Remy glanced at Brent before returning his attention to the front window. “Carstairs?”

“That’s my guess, but we’ll find out for sure once Zane checks the security feed at the perimeter of the property.”

“There are security cameras here?” Rowan hadn’t noticed any when they parked at the back of the house. Then again, each time she and Brent drove to the house, it was dark outside.

“I wouldn’t bring you to a safe house without the best security in place, sweetheart.”

And yet they were still under attack. That told her whoever was out there must not have driven up where they could be seen. Rowan scanned the room. “Where’s Lily?” Surely the other woman wasn’t sleeping through all the ruckus. Rowan was glad the neighbors weren’t close by. Less chance of a stray bullet hitting an innocent person’s home, possibly injuring or killing someone.

“Keeping an eye on our six.”

Brent’s cell signaled an incoming call. “Zane.” He tapped the screen. “You’re on speaker.”

“Five men confirmed. Three in the front, two in the back. They parked a quarter mile away and walked in.”

“Can you identify them?”

“Carstairs and his cronies. Guess our boys didn’t learn their lesson at PSI.”

“How much time do we have before the cops arrive?”

“Ten minutes. The Brentwood PD is dealing with a hostage situation so the responding officers are coming from the other side of town.”

“Keep monitoring their progress. Text me updates.”

“Copy that. I sent you the link for the satellite images.”

“Thanks.” Brent ended the call and tapped on his screen. Green images popped up.

Rowan frowned. Green blobs? How would that help Brent and the others figure out a strategy to lure the men away from the house? “What are the green things?”

“Carstairs and his buddies.”

“What will we do?”

“Capture them or take them out.” Brent’s face hardened. “No one touches you.”

She tilted her head. “Why would they want to hurt me? I don’t know them.”

“Because you’re with Brent,” Remy said. “You’re leverage to hold over him.”

And if they got their hands on her, Brent would do anything to save her, even sacrifice himself. That couldn’t happen, no matter what she had to do to prevent it. Like Brent, Rowan wanted a chance to see where this relationship with him went. She had a feeling this was something special, a rare kind of relationship. “Do you have pictures of Carstairs and his friends?”

Brent’s head whipped around. “Why?”

“Curious how these guys know you and I are dating. We’ve been official for a few hours. How do they know about us?”

“One of them must have scoped out the shop. Nice job, babe.” A minute later, Brent handed her his phone. A picture of a fierce looking man was on the screen. “This guy and the next four pictures are the men who are moving closer to the house.”

Rowan scrolled through the pictures. She didn’t recognize the first four photos. The fifth man, however, she recognized. Her blood ran cold. This man been coming into the shop for the past month. And here she’d thought he was interested in her. Looked like that wasn’t the case. She tapped the screen. “This guy I recognize. He’s a new customer.”

Brent’s eyes narrowed. “Carstairs. When did he come to the coffee shop?”

“He wandered in a month ago and has been coming in at a different time each day since then. I couldn’t figure out what kind of job had such a weird schedule. I understand now why he avoided answering questions about himself or his work. I’m the pawn to reach you.”

“Did he say anything to you other than placing his order?”

Rowan hesitated. She hated to tell Brent that Carstairs had been hitting on her for two weeks. She’d planned to tell the man to find another coffee shop. He made her uncomfortable with his intense stares and smarmy personality. Even if she hadn’t been sweet on Brent, she wouldn’t have gone on a date with Carstairs.

“Sweetheart?” Brent reached out and cupped her cheek with his palm. “Tell me.”

“The first two weeks, Carstairs just ordered coffee and sat at the coffee bar to drink it. He’d ask a question occasionally, nothing major.”