Page 57 of Forged

I send her the location pin and pocket my phone. I turn to Hale. “Have your men work with mine to box them in. I want them extracted alive. I want answers.”

“And if it’s Falco’s work?” Hale asks.

My jaw tightens.

“Then he just signed his death warrant.”

We spill out of the war room, boots pounding concrete, engines already roaring to life outside.

Hale shouts to the woman behind the bar, “Shelby, Chicago’s wife will be here in a couple of minutes, I need you to take her into the safe room.”

She throws down her bar towel and follows us outside to stand at the door. I slide into my car, start it, and check my phone again. I bring up the tracking app that I installed on Neomi’s phone the day after we were married.

I watch the pin turn in the direction of the compound. Good girl.

I peel out of the parking lot, tires screaming as I cut onto the road, every instinct locked onto one singular truth.

Falco made a mistake.

The city blurspast my windshield as I follow the GPS pin.

Cash’s voice cuts through the radio. “Visual confirmed. Black sedan, two car lengths back. Driver’s keeping pace. Your men right behind.”

My hands tighten on the wheel. “I’m giving my men the direction to disable the car.”

Neomi’s car turns onto a wider stretch of road near the river heading east. The black sedan follows.

I call my men. “I want you to disable the tail. Make sure they aren’t compromised. I want them in our custody.”

I hang up, then call Neomi. “Bella, my men are going to take out the car following you. I want you to stay calm and keep driving to the compound. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“You’re doing so good, Neomi. Just stay calm and I’ll be right behind you.”

Seconds later, I hear the pop of tires, the squeal of rubber and the loud directives of my men. I watch Neomi drive on and Ibreak, watching the sedan spin in front of us. My men have their weapons drawn, stepping toward the car.

Cash exhales through the radio. “Target disabled.”

My chest loosens by a fraction, but my focus stays razor sharp.

“Neomi,” I say into the phone, keeping my voice calm. “Don’t look back. Keep driving. You’re almost there.”

“I heard it,” she says, breathing quickly. “The shots.”

“I know. You did exactly what you were supposed to do.” I check the GPS again and watch the pin continue to move. “I’m right behind you. I’m going to hang up now, when you get to the compound, a woman named Shelby will meet you outside.”

I hang up the call and then I’m out of the driver's seat before the engine finishes ticking, fury raging under my skin. The driver’s door of the sedan opens before I reach it.

“Hands up,” I shout, raising my gun. “Now.”

He freezes.

Cash comes up on the other side, weapon drawn but pointed at the ground. Hale circles behind, blocking any fantasy of escape this asshole might have.

The man raises his hands slowly. He’s younger than I expected, visibly nervous with sweat already dampening the hair at his temples.

“Get out and put your hands on the car,” I order.