Risking a glance at Felix’s unmoving form, Avery shot him a look that said she wasn’t happy at all to be placed on hold, but she had no other choice. From the uninterested expression on his face, and the way he dismissed her by looking back over the property, she was pretty sure he’d bought it.
“Good girl. I know you can’t respond since you’re supposed be on hold, but I want you to know we’re doing everything we can to find you. I don’t know how the hell you were able to call, but I’m so damn glad you did, baby. I’m with the team, and Owens. I’m putting you on speaker. Okay, Avery. Give us as much information as you can.”
“Yes, I’m still here, Mr. Young. Excellent. Okay, so here’s what I need from you.”
Avery rambled off some computer and accounting terms to throw Felix off even more. Then she started in with what she prayed Garrett and the others would understand.
“There are six preliminary steps I need to take. Possibly more, but I won’t know until I get into your system. After that, there should only be two major changes that need to be made.”
“Okay, baby. I have no idea what that other stuff was that you said before, but if I’m hearing you correctly now, there are at least six tangos that you know of plus the two main people guarding you. Is that right?”
Relief sent tears prickling the corners of her eyes. “Yes, sir. That’s correct.”
“Great, Avery. That’s really good information. What else can you tell us? Do you know where you are?”
“No, Mr. Young. I’m sorry, but I can’t come in. I’m actually out of the country on vacation.” Avery forced a chuckle she wasn’t feeling and added, “That’s right. The Dominican vacation I told you about before. I’m surprised you remembered.”
“You’re in the DR?” Garrett sounded upset by the news.
That makes two of us.
“Yes, it’s beautiful here. Lots of palm trees. Oh, and the resort I’m staying at is this enormous, white mansion with a gorgeous pool, and—”
“Enough!” Felix yanked the phone from her hand.
Avery started to turn toward him right as his fist slammed into the side of her head. Pain exploded inside her skull as her chair toppled over, and she fell with it down to the unforgiving brick patio.
White stars flashed before her eyes, and Avery may have moaned as she fought to remain conscious.
“You were trying to tell them where you are!” he loomed over her and growled.
“I was making…conversation,” she groaned again. Pushing herself up onto her knees, she took a moment to stop the world from spinning before righting the chair and sitting back down. “That man is a talker.” She huffed out a breath. Putting a hand to her already-swelling eye, she said, “He would’ve thought something was up if I had been short and impersonal. I didn’t want him getting suspicious.”
Felix pocketed his phone and tapped the table next to the computer. “You just worry about getting your shit done.”
Praying the call had lasted long enough for Garrett’s team to trace her location, Avery ignored the pain in her cheek and eye and did as she was told.
At least she got to hear his voice one last time. That was something, right?
Of course, it wasn’t the same as being with him. Seeing and touching him. But for Avery, in her most terrified moments, it had been everything.
Chapter 20
“Falcon, man…if you don’t marry that woman, I will.”
Garrett looked Bones square in the eyes and said, “Oh, I’m marrying her.”
Right after he found the son of a bitch who took her and killed him and whoever had just hit her. Because he’d recognized the sound of flesh hitting flesh and had heard her soft moan of pain right before the phone call abruptly ended.
Whoever you are, you’re a dead man walking.
“Goddamn right, you’re marrying her.” Bones grinned from ear to ear. “Seriously, man. That was some impressive shit right there.”
The former Marine was right, and the others in the group agreed. Avery had impressed the hell out of all of them with her quick thinking and cool demeanor.
Most women, hell mostpeoplehe knew who’d been abducted twice in as many weeks would be falling apart well before now. But not his Avery.
Avery, the woman who’d been scared to climb down a fucking ladder, had not only jumped from a moving truck, she’d also just passed along vital intel that would help in her own location and rescue.