Page 124 of Silver Fire
“I work for myself. I’m just a transporter.”
Sophie’s eyes widened. “Oh, I’ve heard about people like you.”
Morgan ignored her statement and said, “Sophie, I know you’re feeling guilty about building the zefinium bomb, but it’s not you who is pulling the trigger. Walk away.”
“Is that how you justify your actions?” Sophie fired back. “You provide the weapon, but it’s not you pulling the trigger?”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Morgan snapped. “Down here? Life is different. More vicious and far from the cushy existence you know in your little corner of the world.”
When Sophie remained silent, Morgan sighed. “Look, I’ll see what I can find out. Damn it! My life was much simpler before you and your friend came along.” He paused. “You’re making me grow a fucking conscience.”
Sophie grinned.
He smiled back. “So are you guys just going to storm his compound? It’s heavily guarded you know.”
Sophie fidgeted nervously. “I really need to be heading back. They might be looking for me.”
As Morgan reached out as if to stop her, a furious voice reverberated through the alleyway. “Stay the fuck away from her!”
All Sophie saw was a blur as Derek knocked Morgan off his feet.
“Derek, stop!” Sophie screamed as Derek straddled the big man and pummeled his face. Against her better judgment, she moved to stop them but was held back by Quint, who had arrived with Derek.
“Daniel, you have to stop them,” Sophie pleaded. She flinched when Morgan threw Derek off him. The two men scrambled to their feet and circled each other before they started swinging again in an all-out brawl. Sophie knew Derek was formidable, but Morgan was built like a professional wrestler, and she did not want to find out who was the bigger badass.
“Let your man get it out of his system,” Quint murmured into her ear.
What? Are these men insane?Sophie watched in horror as Morgan’s ham-sized fist headed straight for Derek’s jaw. Her man deftly ducked his head under Morgan’s arm and planted a solid punch into his gut. The big guy grunted but linked both hands and pounded a blow on Derek’s back before raising his knee to finish him off. Derek crossed his arms in time to deflect Morgan’s move and staggered back.
Sophie renewed her struggle against Quint. Despite Morgan’s advantage in size and strength, she knew Derek’s speed made him an even match against his hulking opponent, but all signs indicated that this would not end well if no one stopped it.
“What the hell?” Marissa’s voice echoed in the alley. Manning was with her. “Quint. Break them up!”
Quint stared at Marissa as if she’d lost her mind. Stan Morgan was bigger than Manning, who was their largest commando, and Derek had totally lost it—it would be like containing a rabid pit bull.
“We can’t have Lockwood limping on the mission tonight. Break it up,” Marissa repeated.
Quint sighed, releasing Sophie and nodding to two other commandos who had appeared at the alley with Manning.
By this time, Derek was bleeding from a cut near his eye, and Morgan was not faring any better. Both men were breathing hard, exchanging and blocking jabs or wrestling and shoving each other against the walls of the alley. Quint timed his move and grabbed Derek under his arm, palm pressing against the back of his neck to lock him in a half-nelson just as Manning positioned himself in front of Stan Morgan to prevent him from going after a restrained Derek.
“I’m fucking gonna kill you!” Derek shouted angrily, trying to shake off Quint and one other commando who had joined in to contain him.
“Stop heaping the blame on me, Lockwood,” Morgan responded in a calm voice. “You’re feeling guilty because you valued going to a fucking fundraiser more than the safety of your woman—”
“You drugged me, asshole—”
“You put yourself in that position—”
“Fucking piece of shit!” Derek snarled, managing to break free from the men holding him back.
Sophie launched herself in front of Derek but not before casting a glare at a smirking Quint.
“Derek, enough!” Sophie yelled.
Derek stopped abruptly, staring at her with a furious look on his face. “What the fuck, Sophie?”
“Stop,” Sophie said. “Morgan helped me escape from Justin.”