Page 33 of Point Blank

Serena studied the blueprints for the hundredth time that day. She had to be sure she hadn’t missed any important details that could derail their heist. Then a solid weight formed in her stomach and dropped all the way to her toes. She brought up her hand to cover her mouth. How could she have forgotten?

Milo zeroed in on her. “What is it, Serena?”

“Oh my god.” Everything had just gone to hell. Brock’s and Milo’s hot stares forced her to collect her words. “We can’t do it. Titus has company for the weekend—his house will be full of guests. There’s no way we can get in and out unnoticed.”

“Sonofafuckingbitch!” Milo bounced his palm off the desk and Serena jerked. Brock’s mouth flattened into a grim line, and he turned to pace near the wall. They had every right to be angry. This job was going to be hard enough as it was without another hurdle.

She sunk her teeth into her cheeks until the tinny taste of blood hit her tongue.

“So not only will Titus be home, but he’ll have people there—until when? Monday?” Milo’s tone had a rocky edge.

“No, they leave Sunday. He’ll be out of the house Sunday evening for a business trip. He’s supposed to call me before he leaves to tell me if he’s signing with me or not.”

A little bit of tension left Milo’s rigid shoulders.

Brock turned back to them, his hands tense at his sides. “Then we need to ask for more time. Another twenty-four hours on top of the time we have.”

Serena chortled. “Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be fine with that.”

Milo took two steps, closing the distance between them. “Tomorrow night is the soonest we can get in. I’ll negotiate with the kidnapper. It’s not like we have control over Titus’s schedule, nor would you want to postpone getting Dani out safely if you didn’t have to.”

He didn’t touch her, but the vibration of his body synched with hers, slowing the waves of nausea that pitched in her stomach.

She dropped her shoulders. “You’re right. We have no choice.”

Brock stepped forward. “We need to call them before they call you.” His gaze shifted to Milo. “What exactly are you going to negotiate with?”

Milo’s arm moved around her lower back and cupped her elbow, steadying her. “I’ve got some cash I can offer them to buy us more time.”

Brock drew back his head. “How much?”

Serena snapped her eyes to him, and her mouth popped open. A muscle jumped at the side of his face. “I can get a hundred grand to them tonight. If they want more, it will need to be liquidated, which will take time, at least a couple of days.”

Brock caught his chin between his thumb and forefinger, his gaze stuck on Milo. He looked to be at war with himself. “I can match that, and maybe another fifty.”

Serena looked back and forth between the two men. The pit of dread in her stomach evaporated. “Y-You would do that? Both of you?”

“Of course,” Brock said. “I told you I’d do anything to help.”

This time, Serena didn’t stop the tears from leaking out of her eyes. She rose onto her toes and threw her arms around Brock’s neck, and then turned and did the same to Milo. Brock was an attractive man, but his proximity did nothing for her. Milo’s hold, on the other hand, made her feel cradled. Her head fit into the spot between his pecs, her shoulders snuggled against his ribs. Beneath the wall of muscle on his chest was his heartbeat, falling into pace with her own. He turned his head and his whiskers scraped across her forehead before he pressed a kiss to her temple.

“We need to make the call now, babe. It might be best if you go in the other room.”

She yanked herself out of his hold. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Milo met Brock’s gaze over her head, and the silent communication raised her hackles.

“No way. You know something.”

Milo blew out a breath, and she stepped away from him and planted her feet. “Tell me what you know.”

“I don’t know anything.” He rubbed his palm over his chin and down the breadth of bristly hair at his throat. A familiar uneasy gesture that brought up memories. “They’re going to be pissed that we’re not going to have the diamonds tonight. They could . . .” He grimaced.

“Milo, tell me,” she said, stomping her foot.

He blinked and then stared at her, his eyes reluctant and full of sympathy. “They could react.”

“Hurt Dani is what you mean.”