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“Randomly isn’t good enough for what we’re potentially walking into,” he mutters.
I can’t argue with that because he’s right. Tonight of all nights was bad timing for them to do their upgrades. As we pull up to the gate leading up to my estate, chill bumps roam up and down my spine.
“Something’s wrong,” I say to myself. “This all feels wrong. They’ve done something, I know they have. I have a bad feeling, Garrick.”
“I do too,” he conveys through a strained voice.
“Fuck!” I growl, punching the dashboard.
“Hey! Don’t do that. If you break it, you buy it,” Garrick scolds me. “Not all of us have money lining our bank accounts and can afford to replace our vehicles if you destroy them.”
“I’ll get you a new one for Christmas. Just hurry the fuck up,” I utter, wanting him to stop lolly gagging around and put his foot to the floor.
The fourth round of him trying to input the code and the gate not opening has me losing what little patience I have left.
Garrick swivels his head my way and holds up his palm. “You’ve got to calm your tits and think, Aris. Is there another way for us to get in if the panel stops working?”
His tongue lashing has me settling down long enough to think.
“Yes,” I say, shifting my hips and pulling my keychain out of my sweats pocket. “There’s an entrance gate that requires a key to open. It’s on the edge of the property, that way.” I point to my left and we jump out of the vehicle and amble that way.
My hands are shaky, but somehow through their unsteadiness I still manage to get the key in the keyhole and twist. The sound ofthe lock mechanism releasing is like music to my ears. Once the metal bars swing open, I take off for the house.
“Aris! Slow the fuck down. You can’t go into the house without backup! Think, man!” Garrick thunders, but his words don’t slow me down. I need eyes on my woman and Berk.
They can shoot me down for all I care. As long as my family is left alone, as long as Berlynn and Berkley don’t have a single strand of hair out of place, I’ll leave my fate in the hands of a higher power.
As I step foot into my front yard, Tracker’s low, threatening growl has me pausing. He never reacts that way to anyone he knows, so this means it must be a foreign person. A stranger. That has my own hackles rising. With the amount of men we have guarding the perimeter of my property, nobody should have been able to infiltrate my sanctuary.
“The fuck?” I hiss like a rattlesnake, turning on my feet and heading toward the back half of the house.
“Careful!” Garrick chides. “Dammit, Aris. You’re gonna get yourself killed if you don’t listen to me.”
“So be it,” I say in return, refusing to slow my stride.
“You’re a hardheaded motherfucker, you know that?” he asks.
“So I’ve been told,” I volley back.
“Would you slow the fuck down and get behind me? I have a weapon, you don’t,” he argues.
“I do,” I reply, showing him my doubled fist, raising them over my head so he can see. “I’ve never needed anything more deadly.”
“Shit,” he mumbles.
“You’ve got that right,” I state as I round the corner. What I see has me snarling. “You shoot that dog and I’ll break every one of your goddamn necks!”
“Aris!” I hear my name shouted behind me by numerous voices. I don’t stop to see who it is, I’m aware of who followed us from the office.
“Kayson,” I call over my shoulder. “Call your men off before I fuck them up.”
“Put your guns down!” Kayson demands. “Now.”
Once all of their arms have lowered and their pistols have been re-sheathed, I slowly walk over to Tracker, not wanting to get bitten by him seeing as he’s in protective mode.
“Tracker,” I say his name in a calmer tone than what I’m feeling. “Come here. Let’s go see Berk.” As soon as Berk’s name leaves my lips, Tracker slowly makes his way to my side. “It’s okay, boy.” I pet the top of his head and escort him to the back door.
When the alarm sounds off, my forehead creases.
