“I didn’t think so.” I shoved my gun back in the holster. “Maia, Kujo, get out of here.”
“Think again.” Kujo growled.
“You have a woman to go home to.” I told him. “And Maia…”
“How sweet.” Otis jeered.
“Shut up!” Maia barked. “Cobra may want you to come alive, but I don’t give a shit how you leave this building. But I’ll tell you my preference—dead.”
The look on Otis’ face told me something else about him—something I’d long since suspected. He didn’t particularly like women. He especially didn’t like them in power where they could talk back to him, put him in his place. When Maia ordered him to be quiet, I saw the life fell from his eyes and if looks could kill, Maia would be dead.
Heavy footsteps sounded on the steps and I didn’t have to take my eyes off Otis. Kujo had my back but stood down when Bear made an appearance.
“Oh good,” Otis said. “The whole crew is here. How nice.”
“What’d I say?” Maia asked him, lifting her gun for a head shot. “The fuck did I just say to you?”
“So, he has a bomb.” Bear arched a brow. “Does anyone know how to disarm it?”
“I do.” I replied. From the looks of it, it was the same one Jeffrey was strapped to.
“I say we shoot him and take it from him.” Kujo glared at Otis. “No flesh off my back.”
“Agreed.” Maia said. “One less asshole taxpayers must feed.”
I didn’t disagree. But he’d killed Ellie’s mother. I was pretty sure she would like a few minutes alone with him and a taser.
No, shooting him would be a last-ditch thing. It took a lot out of me when that happens.
Still, I looked over at Otis and knew he wasn’t going to come any other way. If he was willing to blow us up to not be captured, getting shot wouldn’t be a fear for him.
A quick glance at the clock on the device, told me we were running out of time. And getting blown to pieces wasn’t on my agenda, neither was having half my pack taken out.
The decision was clear.
“You wouldn’t!” Otis called.
The first bullet caught him in the left knee. Still, Otis held onto the device while falling to his right knee and screaming.
“The next one goes between your eyes.” I growled.
Instead of listening, Otis tugged something free and the numbers began counting down faster.
“Guys, go!” I screamed.
Kujo grabbed my arm but my shirt came free of his hand. I pushed Bear toward the stairs as Maia went tearing toward the steps.
Ellie
The explosion cameout of nowhere.
It echoed in the night as the bottom fell out of the house. It slumped forward and my entire world died. I scrambled from the truck and took off toward the property.
“Tarek!” I shouted.
“Ellie!” Grim screamed. “Ellie stop!”
But how could he ask me to stop? My heart was in that house and now it was falling apart after a noise that left my ears ringing and smoke towering upward to the sky. I tripped over something and scraped my knees against the upturned earth, but I was quickly on my feet, trying to find a way into what was left of the house.
