Page 113 of Untamed Sinner

Luke peels off toward the loading bay, rifle slung low. "Give me two minutes. I'll make some noise on the west side, pull their guy off the fence."

"Nonlethal," Jake reminds him.

"When have I ever⁠—"

"Luke."

"Fine. Nonlethal. I’ll try."

He disappears into the dark, moving with that loose, unbothered gait that makes him look like he's out for a walk instead of about to draw two armed men into a diversion. I've seen him do this a dozen times. The irritating part is how easy he makes it look.

Harper's voice again. "Camera loop starts on my mark. You'll have ninety seconds through the east door before the feed resets."

"Copy," Jake says. "Hendricks and I go in through the office side."

I nod once, checking my weapons.

A distant crash echoes from the loading bay—metal on concrete, deliberate, loud enough to pull both guards toward it at a jog.

"Mark," Harper says.

Jake's already moving.

I follow, every nerve in my body narrowed down to one single point: find her.

The office door is thirty feet away, unlocked, dark.

I don't slow down until I'm standing in front of it, hand on the handle, Jake at my shoulder.

"Ready?" he asks.

No. "Go," I say.

The door swings open into the dark.

84

MANDY

The asshole turns away from me.

Mistake.

I’m out of the chair before he makes it two steps. My foot slams into the back of his knee.

He drops with a grunt, and I’m on him before he can recover, one arm around his throat, the other wrenching his head back.

“What the fuck⁠—”

I squeeze.

He claws at my arm.

Strong.

But I’m determined.

His elbow catches my ribs. Pain flashes through my side, but I hold on. He thrashes around, lifting me off the ground, but I know if I just hang on long enough, it’ll be over.