𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐃 // 𝐇.𝐒.

71.

Chapter 71

24 HOURS BEFORE

HARRY

Watching her go had been way too damn hard. She was ushered out by the Angelos before I could even get another hug or kiss in. Once the door of the safe house had shut, I tucked the letter she made me promise not to read yet into the pocket of my pants.

I turned and pushed past the crowd to deal with the fact that I let the love of my life walk straight into danger.

I believed in her, I trusted her more than anything in this world, but I still didn't feel good about the plan. Being apart from her for the first time in forever, I felt sick. I just wanted to be with her and near her so that I could protect her, but knowing she was unreachable was not sitting well with me.

"Brother," Finn called for me, dropping a hand onto my shoulder to keep me from walking any further.

I turned. "What?"

"It's going to be fine. She's going to be fine," he assured.

My jaw clenched. "You better be right, because don't forget... you encouraged her."

He sighed as if he was tired of my negativity. "As long as the plan gets followed—"

"And if it doesn't?" I thickly swallowed, but I shook my head when I didn't want to argue any further. I didn't want to let myself think of all the things that could go wrong. I couldn't.

I walked away before he could say anything more.

When it was time for the Angelos to go, I climbed into the back of a van with Finn, that Eileen girl, and a few faces I hadn't recognized—though, I knew they were Angelos.

I didn't want to ride with the blonde and I'm sure she didn't want to ride with me, but she and Finn had been working together to execute this plan. I didn't have much of a choice because of it.

"Look, she's in," Finn said, pointing to his laptop computer screen and I turned my head to look. For some reason, I expected to see her face—or I hoped I would see her face. I saw a red dot on a map instead, which had been her tracking device located in that damn warehouse.

"Do you think she'll be able to hear us now?" Eileen asked Finn.

I leaned against one side of the moving van, keeping my balance as the two hovered over the computer screen.

"One sec," Finn mumbled, tapping away at keys. Then he would say, "Testing... Jo, can you hear me?"

I stood stiff, waiting for her voice but all we hear is light static. That's when I said, "You said we'd be able to hear her."

"And we will."

I thickly swallowed and I locked eyes with Eileen for only a second.

I missed her. I missed my Elle and it was beginning to affect me. I had to tuck my shaky hands underneath my arms. It was killing me slowly at the thought of not knowing whether she was okay or not.

I lifted my head when the van had come to a stop. I headed for the view out of the windscreen. I recognized that we were about a mile and a half from the warehouse. With a frown, I turned back to Finn. "Anything?"

Again, Finn said, "Jo? Testing. Can you hear me?"

Expecting more static, I stepped even closer when the sound was clear. Through a mic, Finn said her name again.

"You. Vampy, isn't it?"

Her voice. All of us seem to shift the moment we heard her talk. Although she wasn't talking to us, I felt relieved and I waited to hear her voice again.