Ignoring his instincts that were screaming that this was a mistake, he pushed back his chair and held out his hand to Abigail, who simply stood where she was and arched a brow.
“Is this your way of apologizing for being a controlling jerk?” Abigail asked.
“This is my way of saying I shouldn’t have tried to tell you what you can and can’t do, and that if you’re convinced this is the route you want to take then I’ll support you,” he said.
Abigail smiled triumphantly. “I forgive you for being a controlling jerk,” she said as she came to sit on his lap.
“I didn’t say I was a controlling jerk,” he reminded her.
“Not in so many words.” She grinned and then gave him a quick kiss. “Thank you for supporting me, I feel much safer doing this knowing that you’re going to be there to watch my back.”
“So that’s it?” Night demanded, shoving his chair back and stalking around the room. “You’re all just going to let her do this? I thought you loved my sister.” Night stormed toward him.
Because he knew his friend was saying that purely out of fear Spider let it slide. This time. “Watch it, Night,” he warned. “You know I love her, but I can either send her off to face a killer alone—a killer who only targeted her because of us—or I can make sure she comes out of this alive and in one piece.”
“Okay, let’s work this out then,” Abigail said as she looked around the table. Although he heard the confidence infused into her voice he could feel the small tremors wracking through her body, and knew that the idea of doing this terrified her. If he hadn’t already thought Abby was the bravest, strongest woman he’d ever known then he did now. Despite her fears, she was doing this anyway because she wanted to keep him safe. His love for her swelled.
For the next several hours they talked through every detail of the plan, every scenario that might arise, every problem that could possibly go wrong. Through it all Abigail kept a cool head, asking for clarification if she needed it and asking questions when she was unsure of something. After they worked everything out, they started on self-defense drills. Moving all of her furniture to one side of the room they took turns demonstrating how to get out of various holds, and what to do if she had to defend herself.
By the time dusk arrived, Spider realized that it was time to leave. He had to turn his back and walk away from Abigail and pray that they’d be able to get to her before Alex put his hands on her.
“It will be okay, Ryder, I trust you and your team,” Abigail said as she slipped an arm around his waist and rested against him.
“What if he hurts you?” he asked, drawing her closer.
“I can take it if he does. Ryder, I don’t care, I just want him caught, I don’t want to live my life knowing that someone is after you.”
“I can take care of myself, Abby.”
“I know you can, but Alex needs to be caught, I need him to be caught.”
The desperation in her tone had him clutching her to him. “Okay, baby. We’ll make this work, the guys and I will be watching your house tonight, and you have the trackers on you. I don’t think he’ll try anything tonight, but tomorrow you’re going to have to go out, maybe go for a walk along the beach or something. He’ll no doubt wait until you’re alone before he makes his move.”
“We went through all this, Ryder, I know what to do,” she said with a smile, then stood on her tiptoes, took his face between her hands, and kissed him.
“I hate walking away.”
“I know. I wish you didn’t have to, but he has to think you guys are gone. I … I wish you could be here tonight, I’m scared to go to sleep without you here,” she admitted.
Spider very nearly ended the mission before it began, but he managed to hold onto his control simply because the only way to make sure Abigail stayed safe was to remove the threat against her. “If you need me, honey, you call me, okay? I can assure you I won’t be sleeping.”
“It’s time, guys,” Chaos told them.
“Abs, kiss Spider goodbye on the doorstep in case Alex is watching. We want him to know that you two are together and you’re still a good piece of bait to dangle in front of us to lure us in,” King added.
Spider tried to memorize every single thing about that kiss, the way the lingering light made her hair shimmer like bronze, the look of complete and utter trust in her amazing silver and gold eyes. The way she nibbled on her bottom lip indicating she was nervous and the light taste of lemon and lime from her soda when he kissed her. Her soft skin that was beginning to get some color to it and the way she fit so perfectly against him like she was literally made for him.
He was all too aware that this could be the last time he ever kissed her.
Chapter 15
June 28th
10:10 A.M.
It was now or never.
And after how hard she had fought to make this a reality she could hardly back out now.
Abigail put on some sunblock then pulled her hair back into a ponytail before scrutinizing herself in the bathroom mirror. She was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers, not what she would usually have put on to go for a walk along the beach but she had to think ahead. Once Alex took her he would spirit her back to Mexico so she had to be prepared for anything, and wearing a pretty dress and flip-flops would put her at a disadvantage.
The trackers—one on the bottom of her left foot, the other just under her hairline behind her ear—would ensure that Ryder and the others could follow her, but for this to work they had to let Alex get her out of the country and back to Mexico. They had to know what they were walking into so that they didn’t walk into the trap Alex thought he was setting which meant that she would be with Alex for a few hours at least. There was no telling what he would do to her in that time.
Since she knew that Ryder would be watching her for as long as he could the t-shirt she’d put on was one of his. It was way too big for her, more like a dress than a t-shirt, but it smelled like Ryder and wearing it made her feel like he was by her side, his arms wrapped around her, rather than her facing this alone. Besides that she’d thought it was a nice added touch to let Alex know she was still a viable way to get to Ryder and his team if he hadn’t been there to see the kiss last night.
That kiss.
She could still feel it lingering on her lips, she’d gone to sleep last night reliving it, dreamt about it, and now it was the only thing fueling her. It shoved away the fear because if she wanted more kisses like that then they needed to get Alex out of the picture.
This was the only thing that would accomplish that even if Ryder didn’t like it.
She didn’t like it either, she just had to do it to keep Ryder and his team safe.
So she metaphorically pulled up her big girl panties, grabbed her cell phone and purse, and walked out her front door. Although she set the alarm, and there was a load of laundry in the dryer waiting to be folded, and dinner in the slow cooker, Abigail’s gut told her she wasn’t coming back here after her walk.
Alex had been waiting too long to do this, he wouldn’t pass up any opportunity to grab her.
Although her stomach was churning, and her hands had been shaking all morning, Abigail resolutely walked to her car. She fought the urge to look around and see if she could spot Ryder or his team, who she knew were somewhere watching her, or Alex and his men who she was sure were out there too.