Before I finished my next breath, I aimed in a fluid move that was second nature and took the shot.
A stocky man with a gun standing closest to me went down.
My next shot was for the man shouting at the front of the room near the dealer. But he was already moving, and I only clipped him. He dove down behind the table.
The man by the door swung around, aiming his gun my way.
I dove and rolled across the black-and-bronze carpet. I came up on one knee, and saw terrified clusters of gamblers.
“Get down,” I clipped.
Almost as one, they dropped to the carpet.
Bullets hit the poker table nearby. Bastian would be pissed.
Crash.
I saw Cole burst through the front door. He slammed into the shooter like a linebacker and took him to the floor.
The previous shooter I’d clipped rose, blood on his arm.
“Drop your fucking weapons or I’ll kill everyone.” He waved his handgun around.
He was so busy shouting, he didn’t see the danger drop down from the ceiling panel behind him.
Bastian quietly hit the floor and rose.
Bang.
One shot to the back of the head and the man went down.
I pushed to my feet. “Everyone stay down. The threat is neutralized, and security will be here soon.”
I glanced over at Cole who was standing by the door. His target was sprawled on the floor, his head at the wrong angle. Snapped neck.
The security team arrived, rushing through the front door. I nodded at them. They’d been handpicked by Bastian, and trained by me. Security at the Avernus was a well-oiled machine.
I moved to the side with Bastian and Cole. Security hustled the dealer and high rollers out of the room.
Bastian glanced dispassionately at the dead bodies. “Theo.”
“Boss?” The head of security stepped over to join us.
“Dispose of them. Where no one will find them.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
Theo Garrett was older than the three of us, ex-military with some time as a mercenary thrown in. He was a shade under six feet, with a fit, muscular body, and salt-and-pepper hair. He always got the job done, no exceptions.
I suddenly felt bone-tired. “I’m heading home.” At least the walk to my villa on the casino grounds didn’t take long. Except for Bastian who had the penthouse, all the guys had villas.
Yep, it was like a fucking retirement village for retired assassins.
“Thanks for the help, Nash,” Bastian said.
I lifted my chin, then slid my gun into its holster and headed out.
Nope, my life was not sunshine. I knew I wasn’t living, I was surviving, but it was all I had.
