Brent scoffed. “Not sure that mutt has friends, but I suppose if he did, Lucas would be the closest thing to it.”
My jaw clenched as my heart picked up speed. This line of conversation filled me with unease.
“And what reason did Lucas provide for missing work? This would be unusual, I assume?”
Brent cleared his throat. “Lucas often takes a day working from home. It’s part of his agreement.”
I breathed a little easier at that. Intended or not, Brent might have just saved all our arses.
“Listen, Lentwood.” My eyes sprang open and I called out for Thatch, who’d been in another room on a call. He was by my side immediately as Brent continued to dig the hole he was in. “I’m another fifteen minutes out, but I’ll be there. I think I have a lead on the daughter.”
Ice froze my breath, paused my lungs, and held me still.
“I will have my man contact you.” The sound of a loudspeaker signalled in the background. “If the lead is good, I’ll be pleased. How did you get it?”
A heavy breath filled the car space before he spoke the words I desperately hoped he wouldn’t: “Blackheath himself. Blood really can be bought.”
I was mildly aware of them finishing the conversation. But with the rush of blood pounding in my ears and nausea curling in my gut, it was difficult to think of anything but Lucinda.
“Callen, I need your phone.” Thatch’s hands landed on my arms. “Phone, Callen.”
Blinking through the haze, I struggled to focus, barely managing to reach in my pocket and hold it out, carelessly pressing my thumb over the ID scanner.
“Look at me.” Firm, deep, and familiar, a voice I’d grown to trust implicitly cut through my spiralling fear. Once my eyes connected to his, I took a deep breath, finding reassurance in the green flecks amid the dark brown. “Take control and remember who you are and that this is what we do. Yeah?”
My nod was more controlled as I registered his words. I did not break under pressure. I would not fall in fear. And I absolutely would not let any bastard harm my niece. Certainty thrummed through me as I took control of my reaction, my emotions. Shoved every single errant thought away; they had no place with what had to be done.
“I’m good,” I finally said, taking in the action around the room. There was an eerie focus in Kent and Lucas as they took immediate action in response to Brent’s words. Even though I wasn’t certain what they were actioning, without a doubt, it was to make sure Lucinda was safe.
Thatch’s mouth connecting to mine took me by surprise. His warm lips pressed against my own, closed, pressure reassuring. I didn’t even have time to respond beyond my wide-open eyes before he pulled back. Our faces close, I was able to take in the look he was giving me. I had no idea how so much could be said without words, but in that single gesture, that one look, the hulk of a man could easily make me fall to my knees from the reassurance he gave me.
“We won’t let anything happen to Lucinda.” Steel carried his words, brushing them across my lips as I allowed the truth of them to sink in.
“No, we won’t.”
Lips curving into a smile, he looked hotter than ever as he squeezed my neck and lifted my phone before hitting Call and placing it on the loudspeaker.
“Laketon” was offered in the way of greeting from the Blue Mountains alpha.
“Laketon, it’s Liam Thatcher.”
“Thatcher? Problem?” I appreciated Laketon cutting through formalities.
“Maybe. We need to get eyes on Lucinda—”
“I need to go to her,” I said, cutting in. There was no way I could leave her protection in another’s hands.
“Can you send us the coordinates to where she is?” Thatch asked immediately.
“What’s going on? If there’s a danger that may impact on my pack or the one who’s keeping her safe, we need to know.”
“There may be, yes. Send the coordinates over and we’ll fill you in en route.”
After Laketon begrudgingly agreed, I peered over at Thatch. Energy buzzed through me, willing to take charge and get me out of there so I could race ahead and make sure my niece was protected. It was Thatch’s hard gaze telling me to keep my arse in place that kept me rooted, and the knowledge that half-cocked plans could potentially put Lucinda in more danger. It went against the core to hold back, but this was too important.
“Kent, talk to me.” Thatch’s gaze was still latched on to mine despite him addressing Kent.
“Chopper is ready in fifteen. You’ll then need to shift to get to the coordinates Laketon sent. It’s remote and only accessible by foot. The drop will be a town over from where Laketon’s pack is. When he sent the details, he indicated he’d meet you there and lead the way to the Ballard pack lands, which is remote and inaccessible by vehicle.”
I glanced over her to see Kent’s eyes were still on the mobile phone in her hand as she read from the message.
“Call the rest of the team in,” Thatch ordered, “and reach out to Jamison for an update. We need to make sure Blackheath isn’t making an extra play.”
“Got it,” she said, casting me a brief look and nod. “I’ll also reach out to the agent we had on Lucinda’s detail.”
With no sarcasm, no low hits, it was clear shit had just got real.
“Suit up, Callen. The two of us will head out to meet Laketon.”
“Are the team coming with?” I asked.
Thatch shook his head. “No, just the two of us on the chopper. I want Jenson and Michaels all over Lentwood.” He peered over at Kent as he made his way to the storage room Lucas had previously shown us. “Did you get a hit on the call, the location?”
Kent sounded pissed when she answered. “No, but we got
