With any luck she’d return before he even woke up. That way she could hand over the evidence and be done with the inevitable argument before it was time for breakfast.
And she had no doubt there would be an argument.
She’d seen his face last night, that protective look in his eyes as he pulled her close. Just like she’d spotted the guilt. Put together with the long, private conversation he’d had with Michael, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on in Ty’s head.
He wasn’t just having second thoughts about her plan. He was going to call it off.
The weird thing was Morgan understood. She knew she was in way over her head. Her life had been threatened twice in the last thirty-eight hours. This time yesterday a bullet had whizzed just inches from her head.
She also understood the connection that had formed between her and Ty over the last few days. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She didn’t fully understand it, but she did know it was real.
Maybe it was the intensity of their situation that had stitched them together so swiftly. Maybe it was the danger. Maybe they were simply meant to be.
Who knew?
All Morgan knew was that she cared about Ty, more than she’d cared about anyone in a long time. He made her smile. He made her feel safe. He ignited a fire inside her that burned brighter than any before it.
And she did the same for him. She could see in his eyes just how deep his emotions ran. She understood that he only had her best interests at heart, and she couldn’t blame him for wanting to keep her safe.
But she couldn’t go along with his plans for one simple reason.
Gregg.
Morgan got that Ty didn’t give a rat’s ass about her brother. He only saw him as another criminal.
Sure, Gregg was acting like an idiot teaming up with the damned Russian Mafia, but he was still her brother.
Even when Morgan tried to hate him for all the trouble he’d caused, all she could see was the little boy he used to be. She couldn’t shake the image of the brother she’d played with, grown up with. And, yes, she understood he was far from perfect, but he was still family, and she wasn’t about to leave him at the mercy of the Bratva. She would drag him kicking and screaming to safety if she had to.
Just like Ty was trying to do with her.
Morgan tried not to let the irony affect her too much as she swung open the alleyway door. The security lights cast an eerie glow against the walls. The long hallway that snaked around the back of the club had never seemed so empty.
But that was a good thing, wasn’t it?
The club was deserted. She was alone.
Maybe this was going to work out after all.
Morgan forced her legs into motion. She rushed down the hallway, and twisted the doorknob on Gregg’s office.
It didn’t budge. Not surprising.
She gripped the barrel of Ty’s gun and smashed the office window with the butt. She tucked her hand inside the sleeve of Ty’s leather jacket and swept away the remaining jagged shards with her elbow. Only then did she reach inside and open the door.
Thank goodness she was past subtlety. Compared with lock picking, breaking windows was a huge time saver.
Morgan tucked the gun back inside the jacket pocket as she stepped inside. She went straight for the wall and took down the bland black and white city skyline photo that covered the safe. Then she pulled Michael’s device out of her pocket. The magnets attached to the metal face with a satisfying click. She pressed the on button and the red light flashed to life.
Now all she had to do was go through the numbers.
One.
Two.
Three.
The green light flashed.
It was working. Thank God.
Three was the first number. Now all she needed was the other five.
Morgan leaned in concentration and restarted the sequence.
Three.
One.
Two.
“What the hell?”
Morgan jumped straight up at the sudden shout behind her. Adrenaline rushed through every vein. She spun around.
“Morgan?”
“Gregg,” Morgan said with a breathy sigh of relief.
“Morgan, what are you doing here?” he asked with wide eyes.
Morgan drew in a long calming breath. Sure, seeing her brother wasn’t the best-case scenario, but at least no one was behind him. And as long as Barinov and his friends didn’t show up, maybe she would have a chance to talk some sense into Gregg.
It didn’t look like it would take much. He stood frozen in the doorway. There were dark circles under his eyes. His hair was uncombed. His usually pristine clothes were rumpled.
Morgan guessed that Gregg hadn’t slept last night. Maybe the one before that as well. More importantly, he looked scared, almost as much as she was.
Had the Bratva gotten to him as well? Had they already decided that her brother was more trouble than he was worth?
Even though the idea made her stomach sick, Morgan halfway hoped that the shine had come off of Gregg’s relationship with Barinov. That would make what she was about to say to him a hell of a lot easier.