“I don’t care about that.”
“Well, I fucking do. I have a life here, Florrie. I have friends that are like family to me, that I can’t just walk away from. I have a job that I love almost as much as I love you. And you want me to risk all of that and face prison. I would never be able to work in this field again. I would never have the life I have now. That’s a hell of a lot to ask.”
“It’s for Reid,” I pleaded. “Can’t you see that?”
“Florrie, he’s going to a good home. Those people love him. They’re his family. Doesn’t he deserve that after all the shit he’s been through? Doesn’t he deserve a chance to live the life that every other kid gets?”
“He deserves to be with people that already love him, that took him in when he had nothing. He deserves to live with the people that he trusts. He deserves everything in the world and that’s what I intend to give him. If you don’t want to help me, that’s fine. I’ll do it on my own, but there is no way in hell I’m letting you stop me. So, make your choice, Alec. You’re either with me or you’re against me.”
He took a step back, shaking his head. “Florrie, I’m sorry. I can’t let you do this.”
“You can’t stop me,” I said as I watched Craig slowly creep up behind him. I took a step back, swallowing hard. “I’m sorry. I love you.”
He looked confused for just a split second before Craig wrapped his arms in a choke hold around Alec’s neck. Betrayal shone bright in Alec’s eyes, but it was too late. He had betrayed me a long time ago. I watched as Craig knocked Alec out, and the sad part was that Alec didn’t seem to really fight him too much. It was like he was resigned to let it happen.
Craig laid him out on the ground and stepped over him, snatching my hand. “Come on, we have to go.” He tugged my hand, jerking my attention to him. “We have to leave now.”
I swiped the tears from my face and nodded. “I’ll get Reid.” I ran to his door and flung it open. His head jerked up and pushed to his feet. “We need to leave right now.”
We rushed out the door, but Reid stopped when he saw Alec on the ground. “Is he dead?” he asked, his eyes wide.
“No, he’s just asleep. Come on.”
I grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door. We ran down the hallway, headed for the escape hatch that would lead us through the tunnel to the getaway at the back of the property. We were almost to the door when Knight stepped out of nowhere and blocked our path. For a second, I thought he was going to help us, but then he raised his gun and pointed it at us.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Move, Knight,” I commanded, shoving Reid behind me. I had my gun, but there was no way I could grab it before Knight took a shot. I glanced at Craig and saw that he was in the same position. I never thought that anyone on the team would pull a gun on me. “We’re leaving.”
“No, you’re not. I know this didn’t turn out how you wanted, but this isn’t the answer.”
“Really? After all the shit you’ve done, you think you’re the person to tell me what’s right and what’s wrong?”
“I can tell you that I’ve been on the run before and it’s not any kind of life that you want to live. Your life isn’t going to be what you’re imagining. You think you can give Reid what he needs? Where are you planning on running, Florrie?”
“Well, I guess it’s too much to hope that you’ll lend me your house in Colorado,” I smirked.
“I wish I could, but that’s not going to happen. Trust me on this. I’ve been where you are. What you have here is better than anything you could ever hope for out there. You have a family here. You have a job here. What are you going to do for work when you’re running from everyone?”
“I have money.”
“And you’re gonna need a helluva lot more. Do you really think you can find work out there while you’re taking care of a kid?”
“Coop did it.”
“Yeah, and if you ask him now, I’m pretty sure he’s gonna say that it was hell on him.”
“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Coop said, stepping out of the shadows and holding his gun against Knight’s head. “Let her through.”
Knight’s jaw clenched in anger, his fist gripping the gun tight. “This is going to end really fucking bad if you plan to keep that gun pressed against my head.”
“I have no problem pulling the trigger, so make your move and pay the consequences.”
Relief poured through me. I didn’t know if Craig set this up, or if Coop was just doing this on his own, but I was grateful. Knight smirked at me, lowering his arm slowly. He was too calm, too fucking relaxed to just give in like this. Something else was going on. He had a plan. He always had a plan.
“Sorry, man,” Tony said, stepping out of the shadows, holding a gun on Coop. “You know I’m with you on anything, but not this.”
Coop snorted. “I thought you were all about fighting for those that couldn’t fight for themselves.”
“No, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m all about defending the people that I
