Page 100 of Ruthless Protector

“Fine, whatever you want,” I rushed out. “Please, just let me talk to her…”

“Remember what I said. If you tell the police about this call, you’ll never see Tilly again. Understand?”

“Trent, please…”

“Do you hear me?”

“I heard you. I promise, I won’t say anything, but Trent…”

“I’ll be in touch in two days with details for the exchange.”

“No! Not two days…Trent!”

The phone went dead.

Jude pulled me off the bed and into his arms. “You did so good, baby, so good. He won’t let anything happen to her, she’s his bargaining chip.”

I buried my face against his throat. “You think she’s okay?”

His hand cupped the back of my head and he pressed a kiss to my temple. “Yeah, I think she’s okay.”

I didn’t know if he was just saying that to make me feel better, but I wanted to believe it. So I chose to. If I thought she wasn’t okay… I shook my head against him. I couldn’t even let myself think it.

Jude’s phone rang. He quickly answered it, eyes locked on mine. He listened for a few seconds, then hung up. “Neco got a location.” he said.

I collapsed against him and burst out crying.

Jude would get her, I knew he would, and I loved him for it.

* * *

Jude

I tapped my earpiece. “We’re here. You still getting a signal?”

There was a crackle. “Yeah. Nice and strong. His phone’s definitely in that building.”

I turned to Zeke and Ruby, signaling them to go in through the rear, while Van and I took the front. The apartment building was a dump, in a shitty part of the city.

It also had zero security. We walked right in, and I charged up the stairs, Van right behind me. From the signal, we guessed we’d find them on the second floor. Zeke and Ruby were coming toward us from the opposite end of the hall by the time we hit our floor.

They were here somewhere. Christ, they had to be.

A woman walked out of her apartment two doors down from us, and Ruby jogged toward her, a friendly smile on her face. I watched her hold up her phone, showing her a photo of Trent. The woman pointed to one of the apartments.

As soon as the woman left, we moved silently to surround the door, Zeke, Van, and I standing either side and out of sight, letting Ruby take point.

A lot of men underestimated her. She was petite. Unthreatening. Trent would see her through the peephole and would never think she was capable of kicking his ass up and down this hallway any day of the week.

We all dipped our chins. Ready to go. She knocked, a wide, welcoming smile on her face. Nothing. She tried again. “Yoo-hoo? Anyone home? I just moved in across the hall and wanted to introduce myself.”

Still nothing.

She tried a few more times, then turned to us, eyes narrowed. “I’m ready to take this door down.”

He either wasn’t there or not answering. Either way, I was done waiting. “Do it,” I said.

She pulled her gun from her holster, double handing it, stepped back, and kicked the door open. We all filed in, rushing every room, checking the place from top to bottom.