Page 29 of Jonas

“Four! We gotta roll.” Another voice I didn’t recognize broke the moment.

I wasn’t sure if I was thankful or disappointed.

CHAPTER NINE

“Jonas?”

I ignored Kira and kept my gaze fixed on the hallway Derrika had disappeared down.

My head was pounding. I could’ve blamed it on the side effects of being drugged, but I knew that wasn’t it. Old memories, unhealed wounds that had stitched themselves into the fibers of my soul had punched through the mental barrier that kept them at bay. All of the times my mother hadn’t protected me or my brother from her drunken husband’s rage, his fists, his tantrums, his boot, other flying objects. I couldn’t remember a single time she’d protected me or Adam. She’d cower and let the monster beat us. That was until we got big enough. Then she used us as shields.

I’m not talking until I know my friend is safe.

But Derrika, a stranger, had used her body to shield me—draping herself over my back, placing herself in danger to protect me.

What the fuck was that? Crazy-stupid brave.

“Jonas!” My name punched through the air, shoving the memories dogging my brain back where they belonged and I focused on Kira. “We have an update.”

Update, right.

Cash had abandoned following the black Mercedes and Easton and Smith had been rerouted to rescue Derrika and me. My team now had the two men responsible for our abduction in an interrogation room. I wanted in on that interrogation but Zane had ordered me to stay with Derrika, Cooper, and Kira.

Now I was stuck in a safehouse instead of doing something to work out my demons. Nothing a little torture couldn’t work out.

Without me having to ask, Kira started to fill me in. “Easton called, Smith’s in with the goon. Cash took the boss.” Kira paused a moment as if expecting me to say something. When I didn’t, her attention turned piercing. Right. The goon. If the claws of my past hadn’t dug into my skin I would’ve given her shit for being goofy as fuck. And now it was too late, KK had latched onto my screwup.

“Are you okay?”

Not even close.

“Yeah, why?”

She glanced toward the hall. “Did something else happen?”

I could feel sweat beading on the back of my neck. I knew what was coming—touchy-feely shit. Where the hell is Cooper? This post-Cooper Kira was his doing. It was only fair the man should be in the room to reel his wife in. Pre-Cooper, Kira Winters didn’t do feelings. She did smartass comments and snark and doled out great intel and handed out target packages like candy.

The good ol’ days.

Now, if Kira so much as got a sniff there was something wrong, the woman wouldn’t stop until she sussed it out.

“What’d I miss?” Derrika asked, coming into the room wearing a clean shirt Kira had given her.

And with that, the woman saved my ass for a second time that afternoon. This one I’d gladly take if it meant Kira got back on track and left the feelings conversation for never.

“Nothing.”

Kira’s gaze journeyed back to me. With a look that couldn’t have been misinterpreted for anything other than I’m not letting you off the hook, she went back to her briefing.

“I was just telling Jonas, the team’s already at the other…” Kira frowned. “I guess I can’t call it a safehouse seeing as Cash is interrogating the boss and Smith’s in with the other guy and neither of those men are safe. Easton also told me Zane’s on his way.”

Who the hell allowed Zane out of the office?

“Please tell me someone has a dentist on standby?” I asked.

“As far as I know he only needed a dentist that one time.” Kira smirked.

Derrika glanced between Kira and me, expecting an explanation.