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They grunt yes, so we keep moving. The house is fucking crawling with guards now, but they’re on the back foot, making iteasy to take them on as they show up. Jackal, one of ours, takes a hit to the arm but it’s more blood than damage. Otherwise, we’re all sporting the right number of holes when a man who looks more like a butler than a guard pops out of a doorway and Riot grabs him by the front of his shirt and smashes him into the wall. The guy’s head bounces with a crack.
"Where's Kane?" Riot growls.
The guy doesn't answer, probably still trying to remember his own name, at least until I shove the still warm barrel of my gun right up under the guy's chin, forcing him to look up. That improves his focus, fast.
"Tell us where your boss is, or we’re spreading your brains all over the fucking ceiling, Jeeves," Tex drawls.
"I… I don't know. I swear I don't know." His face is pure panic, and the acrid stench of urine hits my nostrils. "Please. I’m just his chef. I really don't. I just?—"
Riot gives him another little love tap, and he slides to the floor, boneless. After giving him a quick pat down Riot shrugs. "He’s clear. Should be fine. Concussion maybe. I don’t see him causing trouble."
I nod. Sometimes it’s kill or be killed, but if we can help it, we avoid bringing civilians into it. "No argument. Let's go." I take the lead, out through the pool area, where the shooter that wasn’t as smart about his career choices is floating in a slowly spreading cloud of red. Considering he was trying to do the same to us, it’s not gonna keep me up at night.
The teams come together in the kitchen, where an open bag of broken, discarded cookies lies strewn across the floor. Odd. “Find anything?”
Savage shakes his head. He’s another officer, the two of us serving unofficially as Hellfire’s VPs while the club rebuilds after losing General. “First floor is clear. They must have headed up when we rang the bell.”
Hellfire cracks his neck and sighs. “The upstairs is sealed off like a bunker. Solid steel. Going to have to make another hole.”
I pat Riot on the shoulder. “Sorry, pal. I don’t think even you can charge through that.”
"On it!" Skyhigh, our best demolitions guy, comes running with a camo backpack. He and his backup work to place explosive charges around the barrier. "Step back, fuckers!"
We pull back, and then Skyhigh taps a button on his phone. A moment later, the charges go off. The door slams open with a crash that nobody in the house could possibly miss. We hold back for a second, waiting to see if there’s a welcoming committee. It’s eerily quiet.
"Alright, boys, in we go." Hellfire waves us forwards. “Let’s find this asshole and collect our paycheck.”
3
JESSICA
Anneand I huddle together on the floor of the safe room. I have an arm over her shoulder, and hers are wrapped around my chest, holding me tighter than she has in years. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” she whimpers.
“Shhhh, none of this is your fault.” I’ll never forget the look on her face when she saw her father punch me, the utter disbelief. She’s used to him being strict and uncaring, but with her, the whips he wields are his words and his attention. Victor won’t win father of the year, but he’s usually careful to keep her shielded from the cruel, brutal side of his life. Guess that’s changed.
Her grip is putting pressure on my bruised stomach, but I need the comfort as much as she does. This isn’t the first time someone has attacked Victor, but this is the scariest. As soon as the explosion hit, his guards split us up, taking Victor and Marissa one way, and us another. Rocco, one of the guards, is standing watch at the door, focused on whatever information he’s getting through his earpiece, and not on us.
“You’re okay, right? We’re going to be okay, aren’t we?" Anne asks, her voice thin with fear.
"I don't know. We need to stay quiet and do what we’re told. They probably aren’t here looking for us." I try to keep my voice calm. I can freak out later.
Shouts and gunfire carry through from the first floor, moving from room to room. The only tears I’d shed if Victor ends up dead would be from joy, but I can’t share that with his daughter, and right now my safety is tied to theirs. It would be ironic if Victor finally gets what he deserves, and instead of free, I end up dead in the crossfire.
"Why didn’t we go with Dad?"
Rocco glances our way. “They’re looking for Mr. Kane. He’s safer if we don’t have to split our attention.”
Safer for him, but what about us?
“Can they get in here?” I ask.
He shrugs.
Well that’s reassuring.
Apparently my lack of confidence is obvious, because his lip curls like he just smelled something bad. “If you’re not happy, then you’re welcome to go out there and take your chances. I’m here to watch the girl, not you. What’ll it be?”
“Don’t leave me,” Anne whispers into my neck.
