Actually, he had three.

The third was ignore her and catch up to Jakob.

Luke did exactly that, sweeping Shaw up with him and taking her upstairs. She didn't protest at all, especially not once they were face to face with Jakob and guy-now-known-as-Dimitri.

"You good, boss?"

"Yeah," said Luke. "Let's get down to business. Where's the car?"

Dimitri signaled a waiting hippy van. It pulled up in front of them and the side door slid open, revealing four seats. Discrete, unexpected, and straight out of the 60s, there wasn't a chance in Hell any of the Shaws or Eric himself would be expecting them to drive out in that thing.

"Ladies first." Luke could see just the slightest hint of anguish on her face at her current inability to insult him and get away with it. "Mila?"

They were in the van and out of the parking lot inside of three minutes, taking a rear exit to a back street and going straight for the hotel. Luke didn't release the tension from his body until they were seated in a VIP lounge above a bar, with armed guards outside the door and drinks on the table. A woman with a low, husky voice sang somewhere on a stage downstairs in Spanish, strumming a guitar every now and again.

"How long we planning on staying here?"

"Sunset," Jakob said, relaxing at the end of the five-seater lounge he and Luke occupied. "Once the sun's down, we leave. Until then, enjoy the show, I guess."

Elizabeth stood at the railing, looking over the first floor, back pressed against the wall and eyes moving from face to face then back again. Luke didn't ask what she was searching for or whether she'd found it. The way she smoothed out her skirt with her hands and clenched her fists only to unclench them seconds later screamed she was on edge.

"Mila?"

"It's not smart to walk into the bear's den while the bear is home. If there's even the slightest chance Sergey recognizes me—"

"Have you ever met him?"

"Not properly, but I've been in a room with him."

"Then he won't recognize you," Jakob said. To assholes like these guys, women were a piece of furniture, but he didn't need to explain that. The three of them all knew it as well as anyone. "If you're concerned, you can wait out the back. Hobbs and I will take care of business."

"No."

"Fine. I'll do it myself," Jakob continued. "You two wait."

"Sit on my lap facing me. He won't recognize you and you can watch via the mirror," Luke said. Behind them lining the rear wall was an array of mirrors. No doubt intended so whoever was up here could see their own private strip show from all angles. "Whisper in my ear and I'll do the talking."

"Excuse me?"

"This is where you're drawing the line, Beth?"

"It's the facing you part I have a problem with."

"Let me remind you, all of this was your plan. You want to blow it now or—"

The door creaked and Elizabeth didn't move from the railing so much as glide. She approached him as the door opened, grasping the back of the lounge and seating herself on Luke's lap, as Sergey whatever-the-fuck-his-patronymic-was walked in.

"Is this better, sir?"

"Yes, it is, sweetheart," Luke said, putting his hands on her bare thighs. "Now how about you sit there and keep me warm while we talk business."

"Yuri Vladimirovich sent you?" Sergey said, taking a seat on the lounge chair opposite theirs. A low table divided them, keeping the piece of shit well out of arm's reach. "To me?"

"My boss is interested in a certain sale," Jakob said. "Perhaps it's via you, perhaps your competition, but one of you has what we want and so we're looking to buy. Whomever delivers it first will get the money."

"A sale."

"A girl. Ten years old." Luke pulled out his phone and found the first photo of Sam that didn't show her smiling. "Someone has her. I'd like to buy her."

"I'm afraid we don't deal in children."

"That's not what they say in Peter," Elizabeth whispered in his ear. Luke repeated her words a moment later, watching as Sergey began to subtly squirm in his seat. The mobster cleared his throat and reached for his pocket, pulling out a small bag of sunflower seeds to chew on. "Go to Sergey, Yura said. He can help."

"...I suppose we can make some phone calls," Sergey said. "Maybe someone has seen this girl. How much is she worth?"

"Fifty thousand. Triple it if she's unharmed and delivered within one month."

"For a child?"

"He's a man of discerning taste." Jakob's stomach churned as he said the words. He'd had a gut feeling that Elizabeth would use this situation to her advantage, and as long as Cipher wasn't monitoring them, Jakob would give her and Hobbs the bare minimum of leeway. "Someone stole her. We want her back. If that doesn't interest you, we'll be speaking to the Serbians later."

"Mila, I'm feeling a little cold," Luke said, squeezing Elizabeth's legs. "How about a kiss?"

"Yes, sir." Elizabeth rolled her eyes at him and leaned forward, bringing her body as close to Luke's as she dared. She slanted her mouth over his, kissing him while Luke brought his hand up and grasped her through her skirt. There was a hitch in her breath, a low groan, as his fingers cupped the shape of her ass. "Is that all you'd like?"

"No. Get on your knees."

The look she gave him screamed 'what the fuck?' but Elizabeth moved anyway, positioning herself on the carpet between his legs. She kept her head straight, eyes on his lower chest, and waited.

"She's a very good girl." Luke tapped the phone. "And I want her back. Find her for me and I'll pay you. Cross me and Mila here will be given a different order. It's amazing what you can teach a whore to do with the right incentive. When it's kill or be killed, she's quite the violent bitch. Yuri used her to kill his enemies and I intend to do the same."

Elizabeth gazed up at Luke, struggling to suppress the smirk growing on her face. Clearly that wasn't where she'd expected him to go, but the threat seemed to work. Sergey stood up and took the phone, nodding and excusing himself like getting out of the room was the only thing on his mind. As soon as the door closed, Luke relaxed back against the lounge and smiled as Elizabeth helped herself to a seat on his lap again.

"Huh," she said, looping her arms around his neck. "Apparently I underestimated you. You're not just a badge and a nice arse after all."

Luke rested his forehead against her shoulder, body trembling with the laughter he couldn't let out. "I bet you say that to all the boys."

"Only the pretty ones."

"Using the mob to find your kid under Cipher's nose is smart," Jakob said, "but it's not going to work. Cipher won't be keeping her somewhere that's easily found."

"Trying is still better than sitting up there, twiddling my thumbs while my baby girl is locked in a room and scared out of her goddamn mind. Hell, I wake up every day wanting to put a bullet in Cipher's head but I can't until Sam is safe."

"So you really don't know where Sam is." Elizabeth looked up at Jakob. "Not the faintest clue?"

"Everything's compartmentalized. You know only what's required to get the job done. I wasn't involved in taking Hobbs' daughter and I doubt anyone on the plane was either. Cipher's running a full ground team. Roberts and the guys? They're just protection after the last time Deckard was let loose."

Great. That meant they had more than one bunch of assholes to contend with. Luke groaned and leaned back against the couch, forcing Elizabeth to let go or move with him. She chose the latter, shifting positions on his lap so she could bring her knees up and sit sideways. He placed his hand on her lower back out of habit and didn't move it, leaving the three of them just sitting there, waiting for Sergey to return or someone to walk through that door with a gun and start shooting.

Fortunately, Sergey came back, unarmed. "Half upfront, half upon delivery."

"Nothing upfront, the entirety upon delivery." Luke said. "I'm not paying for failure."

"Half—"

"Ten percent," Shaw whispered in Luke's ear. "I'll front you the money."

Sergey seemed to settle when it dawned on him ten was a lot better than nothing and that Luke wouldn't give another inch. Hands were shaken, a bank account given, and once again the mobster was gone.

This time Jakob walked out of the room with him, ensuring Sergey wasn't going to screw them over. Elizabeth helped herself to the newly available space on the couch and laid down on her side, closing her eyes. Luke didn't ask if she was in pain, or if this was all too familiar for her—the last thing he wanted right now was to talk.

Paying the Russian mob to find his daughter? In what world did he hire criminals to...No, nevermind, that was the dumbest question in his head right now. In a world where his daughter had been kidnapped, what wouldn't he do to get Sam back?

"Is it fucked up if I say I kind of miss this life?" Elizabeth said, breaking the silence. She tucked her arm under her head and laid there, not moving a single muscle. "It was so much easier. Go here, shag this guy, listen to him whinge about his problems and pretend to care."

"Are you pretending now?"

"Don't go there."

"So you are."

"Hobbs."

"Don't play me, Elizabeth."

"Play you? In contrast to what you did at the start of this? Threatening my brothers?" She pushed herself upright and faced him. "Don't be stupid. I'm not pretending and you know it."

"Actually, I don't know a goddamn thing."

"So you really are an idiot."

"Woman." The look in his eyes turned dark. Not just cold detachment but a shoot first, ask questions later level of 'don't fuck with me'. Jaw clenched, Luke stared at her, waiting for another word to come out of her mouth. Instead, she approached him and pushed him back against the couch, straddling him. "I told you not to call me that.'

"You want to be a team?" she said. "Fine. I'm with you. I'm on your side. Your bitch on a leash. Whatever you want to call it. I'm yours, you bloody idi—"

He pulled her sideways onto the couch, and all but dragged her into the kind of kiss that made Elizabeth's legs close around his waist. She kissed him like she wanted to devour him while he dug his fingers into the backs of her upper thighs, gripping her tight enough that there'd no doubt be bruises tomorrow.

"Shit," Elizabeth groaned. "Baiting me into an argument is low. Even for you."

"Shut up." He gripped her thighs tighter, pulling her flush with his body. "For today, just shut your goddamn mouth, Beth. Sit there, be quiet, and do what you're told. If I hear another word out of you—"

She dragged herself over the length of him, angling her hips just so, and Luke's dick jumped in his pants. With that miniskirt on, there was almost nothing between them save for a thin piece of cotton.

"You'll what? Put a dick in my mouth? I am your partner. Me. Not Jakob or Deckard or Toretto. It's you and I. We're a team and if I have to pound that into your thick skull, I will."

"Elizabeth."

"I have had a long fucking day so you can kiss me or walk out now. It's your choice."

Fat chance of that happening. Luke flipped them over with ease, pressing her into the couch cushion and staring down at her. "What did I just tell you?"

Shaw scowled but didn't say a word, lips pressed together in a barely restrained pout. She couldn't just stop talking, could she? Not for even a few minutes so Luke was able to process just what the hell he'd done.

What she'd said.

What they were doing to each other...

All this—it was insane. It wasn't the kind of man Luke was. God, this wasn't him at all. This wasn't right either. Not before, not now, not the way they were biting each other's heads off at the slightest provocation.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Jesus fucking Christ, he wasn't going to survive another week of this. Not with his soul, his principles, still intact. Cipher had his daughter but Elizabeth was the one pulling him apart piece by piece—toying with him and cracking him open to see what made Luke tick.

"You and Jakob can handle the rest." He got up, fixed his suit and walked toward the door, leaving Elizabeth to lay there. "I'll be downstairs getting a drink."

She didn't say anything or even look at him as he left the VIP lounge. Beth just stayed on the couch and stared at the ceiling with her words playing on a loop in her head.

I'm with you. I am your partner. Me. It's you and I.

"...What the fuck did you do?"

Elizabeth tucked her arm under her head and dropped her gaze to look at Jakob, standing in the doorway with his hand on his sidearm. "I put Hobbs back where he belongs. I can't...It was supposed to be easy, but it's only been three days and he's already cracked my chest open and shoved my soul back in."

"It?"

"I told him to seduce me. The making out, the flirting, it was meant to distract Cipher."

Jakob scoffed. "You really thought that would work on her? Come on, Princess. She's probably laughing her ass off waiting for you two to tear each other apart because right now, Cipher's ten steps ahead. Always has been. You won't ever beat her by playing the game like that."

"Great speech, Jake. Really supportive."

"Oh, you want the attagirl and a pat on the head for doing the right thing. Yeah, it's not happening." He sat on the end of the couch, allowing Elizabeth to lift her head and rest it on his leg. "Hobbs say where he was going?"

"Downstairs."

"Care for a drink?"

"Why not? We're stuck here until sunset, right?"

"I'm thinking we leave in thirty. Have them drive us out to the rendezvous point. You got any better ideas?"

"Get blind drunk. That's always—"

"Luke?" Hattie's voice carried from the bar downstairs as the music suddenly cut off. "I'm just here to talk, but first I need you to tell me where Jakob and my sister are."

Elizabeth pushed herself up slowly and slid off the couch, staying low and moving toward the door as Jakob did the same. She pressed her back to the wall and waited for him to clear the door before they ducked outside, still crouched, and rushed into the hallway.

"How the hell did they find us? The hotel is supposed to be on an airgapped system."

"Hobbs' phone isn't."

Fuck.

The lights switched off, plunging the building into darkness. Jakob let out a huff and pulled on a set of night vision goggles tucked behind his vest. "Stay low. I'll guide you. Keep going forward."

"We need to go downstairs and grab him. We can't go back without Hobbs."

"He can take care of himself. We need to get out before your brothers find us."

"Jakob."

"It's us or him. I choose—"

"Him. Get yourself out. I'll be fine."

Elizabeth crossed the corridor blindly and felt for the wall. The moment they'd stepped inside the hotel, she was already trying to map the place out in her head. Looking down every corridor, wide-eyed and awed, building a mental image of just where the hell they were. She found the edge of a door and started moving forward toward the stairwell that sat just shy of a now useless bank of elevators.

As long as Hobbs remained downstairs, she could find him. It was when the arsehole started moving or let Hattie take him somewhere that was going to be a problem. Elizabeth slipped the fire exit door open and walked blindly toward the stairs, feeling for the railing. Once she found it, she eased her way down step by step, heart pounding in her ears, hugging it tight in case her foot slipped.

The entire stairwell was pitch black save for the dim red glow of an emergency exit sign downstairs. There was nothing to indicate how far she'd gotten, or how far she had left, except for when she reached a turn and changed directions.

Surely the ground floor had to be close by now.

Surely Hobbs had to be close.

Without him, this entire plan fell apart. God knew she couldn't rescue his kid on her own. Luke was the only...

"Upstairs and chuck a right. You're sure, Ramsey? ...Jesus, alright, I'm only asking."

Elizabeth froze, pressing herself against the railing. If she could hear Deckard, she was close to the first floor. Maybe too close. Somewhere, a door creaked before swinging open, providing just enough illumination for her to see a figure in the doorway. A torch clicked on, revealing just two steps below her, and Deckard's face lit up from beneath.

Shit.

She jumped the steps, landing on the floor, and ran. Shoulder angled forward, head down, Elizabeth drove Deckard out of the way, pivoting on her feet and throwing herself out of arm's reach before he could grab her.

"Beth!"

Hobbs. Where the fuck was Hobbs? Better question, where the hell were the Russian assholes who were supposed to be...

"She's alone. Ground floor. I don't know where. You get her, Owen, I'll grab the other bastard."

Squinting, Beth could just make out faint light from something moving in the distance. Rectangular and phone-shaped, she hesitated before the light lifted to reveal Hobbs' face...and Hattie's. God, she'd grown up. A weak smile tugged at her lips before Elizabeth ducked down and started toward the Fed.

She only needed to tap him on the shoulder. Give him some signal that it was her, that they could get out of there and get back on Air Cipher. Get back to business and find his daughter.

Someone tapped her instead, then an arm wrapped around her throat. Elizabeth turned, trying to jam her head into the remaining space before it was cut off, but Owen clamped down like a vice. She gasped, throat aching as the blood supply to her head was reduced to nothing. Kicking out desperately, Elizabeth struggled to stay upright as her legs started to give out.

A few more seconds of this and she'd be unconscious...and that wasn't on the schedule for today.

Elizabeth reached for his thigh instead and found Owen's sidearm. She undid the strap, fumbling to draw the pistol and find its safety. No toggle, no nothing, no—

This one has the safety built into the trigger. Don't point it at anything you don't want to shoot.

Maybe it was a Glock. Maybe it wasn't. There was only one way to find out. She angled the barrel away from the both of them and squeezed the trigger. The bullet ripped through the holster, leaving her ears ringing from the shot and causing Owen to loosen his chokehold. Elizabeth drove her elbow into his balls, breaking free, and rushed toward Hobbs.

"Luke! Let's—"

Pain seared through her entire body as Hattie grabbed her wrist, stepping in and slamming her into the ground. She screamed out, pain searing through her ribs and spine, only to be flipped onto her stomach and have her arm bent backwards. Cuffs closed around her wrist, then her other wrist was pulled up and secured. "I bagged her, Decks. You got Jakob?"

"Hobbs, don't be stupid," Elizabeth said, face pressed into the carpet. "We need to go. Sam—"

"Is with my sister in South Dakota."

"What the hell are you talking about? Cipher took her!"

"Stop lying, Elizabeth! You and Cipher were stringing me along the entire goddamn time. Jesus, I—Woman, you'll be lucky if you see two minutes of sunlight after this. You think Gitmo was Hell? Wait until you're living in your new home."

"Hobbs, you know this is bullshit. Cipher has Sam. You've been talking to her for days. You heard her in the cargo hold!"

"I don't know what I heard."

"You're an idiot. You're going to leave her in a—I thought my father was a piece of shit. God, you really take the cake. Sam's out there and you're back to running off with my sister, but I guess you can always make a new daughter, can't you? Well, at least Hattie likes kids. She'll be a great mother to number two while your first rots in a fucking cage!"

"How many times do I have to tell you to shut your goddamn mouth, woman?"

She's probably laughing her ass off waiting for you two to tear each other apart...

Jakob's words echoed in her mind like a death knell as Elizabeth closed her eyes, pressing her forehead into the carpet. What were the odds that he was right? That all this had been for nothing? She'd sat there and exposed herself, let Hobbs get under her skin and allowed him to see a side of her that few ever did. It was only a few days. Nothing that mattered in the grand scheme of things, but it'd been something, hadn't it? God knew no one had ever made her laugh like that in years.

Except him.

...because right now, Cipher's ten steps ahead.