“Pretty girls. Almost a shame.”
The first man laughed, the harsh hack of a longtime smoker. “Only a shame if he doesn’t share.” He kept laughing, joined by the other speaker.
Callie looked over at Carrigan, but she couldn’t see anything beyond the pale shape of the woman’s face. Did she feel as sick as Callie did hearing that? Because, right now, she was torn between the urge to descend on these two monsters like an avenging Valkyrie, and the need to expel the meager contents of her stomach.
She managed to resist both impulses.
They needed to get out of here alive. That meant not attacking anyone unless there was no other choice. And throwing up was for the weak. If she got out of this, there would be plenty of time to be sick. Right now, she had to hold it together.
So she waited and tried very hard not to listen to all the things Halloran had planned to do to them. It was cold comfort to know that Brendan—and apparently Ricky—came by his monstrous side honestly. Sins of the father and whatnot.
Eventually the men finished their smoke break and wandered off. Callie counted to one hundred mentally before she moved. She touched Carrigan’s arm and motioned to the same nook the men had stood in. Then she slid down the side off the roof and lowered herself to drop to the ground. She moved to the side as Carrigan followed her, once again scanning for someone who might catch them. Once the other woman stood, she leaned in. “I think we can get to the street around this corner. The lights are pretty bright, but there are trees that we can use as cover.”
“Works for me.”
Callie sidled along the edge of the house, took a deep breath, and leaned out a little to look around the corner. Nothing. She glanced back to nod the all clear. Her heart tried to pound its way out of her chest as she took that first step into the yard. Even though they’d been at risk before, she felt significantly more vulnerable without a wall at her back. Another step.
When no one shouted at her to stop, she picked up her pace, aiming for the closest tree. She was almost there when a dark shape stepped into her path and a hand slammed down on her mouth, cutting off her scream.
Chapter Twenty-One
Teague held Callie as she struggled. “It’s me. Don’t scream, angel. It’s me.” She finally went still, and he allowed her to turn in his arms to face him.
“Teague?”
Carrigan slipped next to them. “You’re about an hour too late, but I’ll forgive you if you get us out of here without anyone being shot.” She turned as Aiden ghosted up next to them. “You too?”
“Contrary to what you believe, I do care.”
“Whatever.”
If he let them, they’d end up in a full-out argument right here in the middle of Halloran property. “Let’s go.” Teague turned without waiting for an answer. The trees weren’t spaced closely together, but they were large and cast strange shadows. If they were careful, they should be able to get out of here before his father and Colm Sheridan attacked.
Even as the thought crossed his mind, gunfire sounded from somewhere close by. He spun on Aiden. “We’re supposed to have another hour.”
“Don’t look at me. I didn’t know shit about this.”
He realized he was still holding Callie and forced himself to let go. “We do this quick and quiet. I’ll take the lead. Aiden will bring up the rear. You move when I move.”
Both women nodded, which was a token of just how scared they were. Fuck, he was scared, too. If he got this close and lost either one of them? It was unthinkable. He checked the surrounding area, but there wasn’t a bit of movement, though the sounds of fighting were growing by the second. It was now or never. He squeezed Callie’s hand and then darted out into the open area, nearly sprinting to the next tree.
Silence.
He turned back as Callie followed his movement exactly—a quick rush from one tree to the next. And then Carrigan. Teague moved as soon as his sister reached him, rushing to the next tree.
Again, silence.
This is too easy. Why aren’t there more guards out back? If I were Victor Halloran, I’d—
Gunshots, this time far too close.
He whirled around in time to yank Callie to his chest as a spotlight shone on the gap between the two trees she’d just run through. A man yelled, “I see you, you little bitch. You’re not going to make it to the property line.” Teague didn’t recognize the voice, but Callie flinched. Obviously she knew who spoke. He wanted to ask her, to reassure her that she wasn’t being taken back there again, but it was false comfort at best.
Instead, he leaned around her. The harsh light gave him a clear view of his siblings despite their cover behind the tree. They couldn’t stay here. It was only a matter of time before men came to flush them out—right into the path of that gun.