Page 50 of Every Last Breath

Probably a bit sick, but her skills were a total turn-on.

He offered a hand, not that she needed his help from the floor.

“We’re blown. Are you guys getting this?” Maddox said in the mic hidden in her necklace, clutching her right side as if she’d been injured, though he hadn’t seen her take a hit. She nodded, listening to whoever responded in her ear. “They’re inbound.”

“Good. Things are about to heat up.”

She pressed a hand to her ribs.

“Did you get hurt?”

“I’m okay.” She unclipped a gun from one of the guys on the ground and whipped toward Cole, eyes ablaze. “The next time I tell you I’ll be fine, you need to trust me and do as I say.”

Really? She couldn’t wait to give him shit. “Duly noted.”

More armed guards stormed toward the glass doors on the far side of the room. Cole grabbed Maddox by the arm and yanked her behind a sofa as the doors opened.

She glared, pulling her arm free. “I know how to take cover.”

“I can’t help it. Don’t ask a man not to act like a man.”

“Don’t ask an operative not to do her job. You’re worse than Castle.”

Now that was crossing a line. “Hold on a minute—”

Ear-shattering gunfire erupted. Bullets tore through the room.

Chapter 14

International Waters, Atlantic Ocean

7:42 p.m. EDT

Poised in readiness, Aleksander waited for the moment to strike. The rattle of thunderous gunfire from the deck below peppered the quiet of the parlor. A shameful amount of ammunition wasted. A talented security team would’ve ended this by now.

Even if she was a Gray Box agent.

Incredible. The Gray Box was supposed to be a myth. Like the boogeyman. Something the Americans made up and leaked to scare terrorists and others who operated in the underworld.

Van Helden patted his tuft of cottony hair and adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his rosy nose. The little man reminded Aleksander of the frantic white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. He was only missing a pocket watch.

“We’ll begin the auction immediately,” Van Helden said. “The opening bid is $5 million. The winner will transfer the money using this secure network.” He indicated the computer near the piano.

Aleksander pulled his e-cigarette from the jacket of his tux and twirled it between his fingers while Val swept up alongside Reinhart’s personal bodyguard.

Two security guards posted outside exchanged words and rushed into the parlor. “We need to assist downstairs, sir.”

“Go! Go!” Van Helden waved a feverish hand, his cheeks deepening to the color of bruised tomatoes.

The guards hurried away as the barrage of gunfire downstairs intensified. From the sound of it, four different weapons were currently in play.

Van Helden lowered his head, rubbing his bushy white brows with trembling fingers.

Rotund Reinhart sipped champagne as if this were a normal day, while his security guard tensed on alert. Both men would be nothing more than speed bumps.

With no new guards posted outside, their window to strike opened.

Ejecting the blade from the e-cigarette casing, he spun on his heel and slit Reinhart’s jugular in a smooth, fluid stroke.