SWNOVELS Dead of Wynter: Chapter 52
I hate this.
I hate keeping shit from Wynter after I promised I would never keep another secret from her again, and even though it would put her in more danger, and hurt her more, to know what we’ll be doing tonight while she sits at home, I still hate every single second of making the plan without her.
Wynter has been incredible these last few days. Whenever we’re out of ideas, she has one. Whenever we feel dejected, she’s the ray of hope we need. And to leave her out this time around just feels wrong. She’s going to fucking lose it when she finds out, and I have no doubt in my mind that she’ll target that anger at me. But it’s worth it if she’s safe and won’t ever have to know what the darkest sides of Russo’s business look like. She doesn’t need that, and I won’t show her unnecessarily.
As much as Wynter wants to be involved and she has held her own every step of the way, there are things about what we do that would break her, things that would make her see us in a different light, and that’s not something I’m willing to risk.
Storm blows out a long breath and rests his head on the backrest of his chair. We’re all tired, but this is weighing on him differently than the rest of us. Now his dad is gone, there’s no one to go to for advice, no one to speak from experience, and although he hasn’t said it aloud, he’s feeling a little lost right now. The whole family is relying on him, and I don’t envy the guy for that. “What time are you moving out?”
“Probably early afternoon to give us a chance to do some recon, but we won’t hit until the sun goes down. I was thinking maybe if we hit at the same time The Legion hits the club as extra cover. They’ll call for backup and leave the farm slightly less protected,” Rayne explains. We’ve been over a hundred different versions of the night, but this is the one that makes the most sense, even if it does mean leaving things to chance.
“Sounds like a plan,” Storm says. “I want you to take some of the guys with you, but I don’t want them to know where you’re going or what you’re doing until you’re there. Take the van so they don’t get tipped off and take the signal blocker so they can’t get a warning out if they’re the rat.”
Rayne and I nod, but neither of us says anything. The air in the office is thick with anxious anticipation, and all I can think about is curling back around Wynter and holding her for a few more hours.
I tap my phone and the screen bursts to life. A message from Tommy among the work emails I’ve been ignoring catches my attention.
Taking Wynter to the store for food. Be back soon.
“Motherfucker,” I hiss, panic settling over me.
“What is it?” Rayne asks, sitting upright in his seat for the first time since I walked in hours ago.
“Tommy took Wynter out of the house,” I tell them as I type a reply calling him every name under the sun and ordering him to bring my woman back immediately. The rational part of my mind is desperately trying to tell me I’m overreacting and that if there’s anyone who can take care of Wynter, it’s Tommy, but the possessive caveman in me is forcing his way to the front.
“Tommy would die before he let anything happen to Wynter,” Storm reminds me.
“I know that,” I snap, my body on fire with the need to protect her and know she’s safe.
Before I’m even conscious of what I’m doing, I’ve crossed to my laptop and I’m activating the tracker on her phone. I have the app on my phone, but at least on the laptop, I can hack into cameras to check where she is and that she’s safe.
“What time did they leave?” Rayne asks.
“Almost an hour ago.”
“The store isn’t far away, surely they’ll be back soon,” Storm attempts to reassure me.
The map loads and I stare at the screen for long moments as I process what I’m seeing. “I’m sure they would if they were at the store,” I grind the words out as fury radiates through my entire body.
“Where are they?” Storm asks.
“Frost Industries.” The moment the words fall from my lips, I’m jumping into action. Something isn’t right. Tommy wouldn’t take her so far away from the estate without telling us first, which means the trip wasn’t planned, and if it wasn’t planned, there has to be a reason for it.
Five minutes later, Storm and I are sprinting out the front door, leaving Rayne behind to make sure Emerson and Snow are safe, but all I can think about is getting to my woman as quickly as possible.