SWNOVELS Before the Storm: Chapter 63
It’s been too fucking long since I had eyes on my woman. Even if I didn’t have access to her, I still knew where she was and what she was doing at all times since we were apart, but not now. We clicked over to twenty-four hours ten minutes ago, and I feel like I’m losing my goddamn mind. Each minute she’s missing is an eternity, and yet it passes so quickly. Too quickly.
Time stands still as our men infiltrate the bunker Annalise and her crew have been using. We knew they had to be underground, there was no other option, but it wasn’t until tonight that we finally figured out where the entrance was. It was clever, I’ll give them that, but not quite enough to trick us in the end.
A room in the back corner of the warehouse, completely unsuspecting and empty, turned into an elevator, walls included. So when it was in place, which it was every time we sent someone to have a look, it just looks like a normal room. It wasn’t until the fucking thing started moving tonight when our guys were staking out the joint that they finally worked it out.
They had to go dark from the moment they stepped foot into the elevator. Everett had already hacked the cameras we knew about, but the ones inside were going to be a little more tricky. I didn’t like sending my men into a situation like this, especially when there’s every possibility they won’t come out the other side, but I’ll do anything for Ayvah, including put my business on the line.
We’ve left every single one of our properties with the bare minimum amount of security, and that’s a risk but one I was more than willing to take. If it means my woman coming home to me, I’m more than happy for my whole goddamn operation to burn to the ground. My siblings are on the same page. We’ll always keep the criminal aspects of our business alive because it’s a nod to our father and what he did to save our family, but I think if we were all really honest with ourselves, every single one of us would be willing to walk away. And now that all my siblings are bringing children into the world, that’s becoming especially true.
I wish we could have spent more time celebrating all their news, and we will once Ayvah is home and safe, but for right now, it’s the furthest thing from all our minds. Even Wynter, who is just a couple of months from giving birth, is barking orders into her phone like nobody’s business. She’s taken her role as my number two seriously tonight, and if nothing else, at least I know for sure our business will be okay if something does happen to me.
I’m in my tactical gear, waiting for the all-clear to go down to the docks, but I think we all know I’m going regardless of whether we hear from the team that went dark. I’m not going to leave my woman down there, no matter what it means my fate will be.
I look to Everett, his brows furrowed as he types furiously on his laptop. He’s barely looked up from his screen since we arrived at Rayne’s apartment, and I know there’s nothing he won’t do to get Ayvah back, despite the fact they’ve only met a handful of times. He knows what it means to have his woman in danger and have no way to save her, and he wants to save me that same despair.
Elijah approaches me carefully, as if he’s creeping toward a predator about to pounce. His clothing is similar to mine, but I don’t remember him changing. “I’m coming with you,” he says.
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am, Storm. You can’t go in without backup.”
“We discussed this, Elijah. We discussed that you, Rayne, and Everett were going to stay here and keep an eye on things while Tommy and I go to the docks.”
He shakes his head, his eyes flicking to Snow, who’s asleep on the lounge in the corner with Emerson. None of us have slept, and I’m not surprised the two of them have zonked out because I don’t think anyone else in this room are that far behind. We’re running on adrenaline alone, but even that is finite. “I don’t care what the plan was, Storm. You and I both know that if we come up against Annalise, I’m the only one that will be able to take her out. She may have taken your woman, but you have a moral compass. You won’t be able to harm a woman, let alone kill one.”
I stare at him as his words seep into my consciousness. If I’m honest, I haven’t given much thought to what we’re going to do with Annalise when the time comes. Perhaps it was more self-preservation than anything else, but now the time is upon us, I think he might be right.
“That’s what I thought.”
“You have a conscience now too, Elijah. What makes you think you’ll be able to do it?”
His eyes turn dark, and I know what’s going to come out of his mouth long before he gets the words out. “She tried to burn my woman alive. The fact she’s still walking this earth makes my fucking skin crawl.”
I watch him, assessing him as he does the same to me. We’ve come a long way over the last few months, and I would even say I consider the man a friend, but I’m not sure I can allow him to do this. I’m not sure I can allow any of my men to do it in fact. We may be criminals, and we may have our hands in some questionable pies, but we don’t hurt women. No matter how vile they are.
“Storm, please don’t tell me you’re thinking about letting her live,” he growls.
“The thought has crossed my mind.”
“You can’t be fucking serious,” he roars. “She almost killed both your sisters and now she’s kidnapped your woman. How can you not want her dead?”
“I never said I didn’t,” I snap. “I’m just not sure we should be the ones to do it.”
Before he can respond, Everett clears his throat, dragging all our attention to where he’s sitting. “They’re in.”
Elijah’s lips curve up into a cruel smile, and if he wasn’t on my side, I’d be a little afraid of the darkness swirling around in his green eyes. “Time to go get your woman.”
At fucking last.