“Get down!” Jo lunged for Isaac, tackling him to the floor.
The front door banged open, halfway falling off the hinges.
Elias fired. He couldn’t let these assholes get to Jo. It was his job to watch her back. He squeezed the trigger again, his eyes aimed at the figure in black standing in the hall. The man pitched backward while another stepped into sight. Elias ducked behind the kitchen counter to regroup.
“Get me out of here, man,” a frantic male voice said in the hallway.
“Elias,” Jo snapped.
He moved, understanding her order without words. She had her eyes on Isaac, making sure he didn’t attack from behind. But they still needed to deal with the threat at their door.
Elias crouched, crossing to the entry.
Blood smeared the wall and pooled on the floor. Two figures were making a hasty retreat toward the elevator.
“Let them go or go after them?” His voice sounded so unusual, almost as if it were far away.
“Let them go,” Jo said. “We have bigger fish to fry. They probably just wanted to eliminate the competition.”
Elias grit his teeth. Yeah, he was going to hear about this from his boss. The condo hadn’t been officially broken in and already there would be repairs.
“We need to move. Now. They’ll be back,” he said over his shoulder.
“What the hell?” Isaac bellowed.
“I was protecting you, dumbass,” Jo bit back.
Elias backed away from the door and glanced at Isaac now sitting on the hardwood scowling at Jo. His bag was on the ground and a holstered weapon in his hand. Was he trying to protect himself? Or had he been about to attack them? It was hard to say. Isaac didn’t seem like a man of action, at least not the shooting and killing variety.
They’d have to keep a close eye on him.
“You good?” Elias aimed the question at Jo.
“Yeah.” She shoved her weapon into her holster. “We need to get out of here. Get our shit and go.”
“I’m on it.”
Elias turned. He could feel the icy protective layer thawing and inside he was close to shaking apart.
He’d shot at another person today.
The shakes in his hands didn’t start until he was back in the bedroom.
Elias couldn’t say what it was, exactly, that had stuck with him from the accident. But something had happened to his subconscious that altered how he reacted under stress. Which was why he’d focused on jobs that kept him behind the scenes and insulated from direct danger. But once again Christmas had brought disaster.
Once in the bedroom he holstered his weapon. Bracing his hands on the dresser, he let his head drop forward and blew out a deep breath. His legs felt like jelly and his insides were knotted up.
Jo was safe. He would be fine. These were the two things he needed to hold on to.
He gulped down another breath to steady himself, then mentally packed it all in.
They had to get out of here before someone else showed up.
THURSDAY. SEATTLE, Washington.
Jo gripped the door handle.
She hadn’t even questioned when Elias brought them down to the attached parking garage and stuffed them in a SUV. Isaac’s moaning about everything was a dull buzzing sound against her more urgent thoughts.
Dion’s partner? The man Elias had shot?
That was Sasha Bugrov. At least that’s who she thought it was.
Sasha was a man sent to work for Giovanni as an enforcer by his Russian father. The man was the bogyman’s bogyman. And they’d just injured the guy.
What the hell was he doing here? Now? It didn’t make any sense. Unless he was helping Dion to acquire the virtual bomb. For what purpose? The pieces weren’t clicking.
She closed her eyes and bit the inside of her mouth until it hurt.
This was a disaster of her own making. And what was worse? She’d drug Elias into it.
“Shut up,” Jo snapped at Isaac. “I can barely think with you moaning back there. God, grow some balls already.”
Neither Isaac nor Elias said a word. Silence reigned in the vehicle as they sped through Seattle.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“Nowhere,” Elias replied. “Just getting us away from the condo.”
She settled deeper into the seat. What the hell was she going to do? Was it smart to keep going, knowing Sasha was after the same target? Or had Elias eliminated him from the playing board? Who else was out there they didn’t know about? What did it all mean?
“We need to talk,” she said, dreading every word that passed her lips. “I mean, talk about what happens next.”
Elias glanced at her. “We get the code. Or the tech, whatever it is. What do you mean, what happens next? This morning doesn’t change anything. You said it yourself, didn’t you? They’re eliminating the competition. They see you as a threat, so of course they’d try to take you out.”
She shook her head. “I can’t ask you to help me anymore.”
“What? Yes, you can. This morning doesn’t change anything.”
And yet it did.
She had noticed the change in him. She didn’t understand it, but she knew she was asking more from Elias than he should give her. Last night drove home how precious he was to her. She couldn’t let him get involved more than he was. And yet, could she do this with Sasha after them without his help?
“Whatever you’re thinking, stop.” Elias’s voice was a seldom heard firm command. “Don’t ask me to walk away now. I won’t do it. So, what’s our next step?”
Relief flooded Jo, and she hated herself for that feeling.
She stared at his profile. His chin was dark with a bit of stubble. The morning light showed off his strong profile. Her heart thumped quicker just looking at him.
She’d been in love with him for ages, and now she couldn’t deny the fact any longer.
Jo sighed and closed her eyes. “Eagle Tech. They’re the ones developing this so-called virtual bomb. How to get inside and steal it are things I still need to work out.”
“Eagle Tech, you say?” Elias asked.
“Yeah.”
“I know where that is.” He turned the wheel, taking a right onto a small side street. “Besides getting inside and into position, how do you intend to know what it is you’re looking for?”
“Isaac knows.” She glanced over her shoulder. “That’s why we’re the perfect team. I can figure out everything so long as he can do the actual stealing.”
Elias flashed her a strained smile. “Leave getting into the facility to me. I think I know a guy.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.” He nodded and tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs. “We haven’t worked with them directly, but I’ve had a few clients who have. It wouldn’t be incredibly difficult to pose as a potential buyer wanting a site visit. That would get me and say—an assistant? Through the door.”
“One problem though.” She darted a glance at Isaac again. He hadn’t seen Sasha, but he’d recognize the guy in an instant. “They know where we’ll be. It’ll be a race to see who gets there first.”
“Then we better get there fast. Isaac?” Elias stared into the rearview mirror. “Grab the bag from the condo. We’ll need some equipment.”