He takes out his phone and steps away.
Shit.
Why hadn’t I kept Olivia and Oliver closer?
Because their lives have already been uprooted because of you, and you know neither of them will take this lying down.
I stand up and flex my fingers. Then I punch the man in the face, hard enough to hear a crunch. Blood gushes out of his nose and drips onto the floor. I turn to Carlisle, and my stomach dips when I see the look on his face.
With a frown, I turn back to face the man in the chair. “See, I think this is the real ruse. You’re lying, and you have one minuteto tell me the truth, or I will have your girlfriend dragged here, and I’ll make you watch.”
He shakes his head slowly at first, then faster and faster. “I’m not. I swear—”
I hold up my hand and look over at one of the men to my left. “Bring me the girlfriend. Alive. I want her to be aware of everything I do to her.”
“They’re going to try to break into the Payne estate.” The man’s words pour out of him in a rush. “Tonight was a ruse; you’re right. They wanted you gone, so they could break in. I don’t know why. I was supposed to double back and help them.”
My blood turns to ice.
There aren’t enough men at the estate to hold off an attack.
Oliver and Olivia are being taken there, but a quick look in Carlisle’s direction ensures they’ll change route.
Fuck.
I’m halfway across town, and getting to London in time will be nearly impossible.
Other than Katia and a few men stationed outside, everyone else is spread thin.
She’s a sitting duck because you weren’t paying attention. How could you not have seen this coming?
“Send as many men back to the estate as you can,” I yell to Carlisle. “Get in touch with the others. Have them move into formation. Nobody better fucking get into the house.”
Abruptly, I turn to the man who is watching us through his good eye. Wordlessly, I slice his binds, and his fingers immediately move to rub the angry red on his wrists. He rises to his feet and clears his throat. There’s a low pounding in my ears as I turn my back on him and stride back to the car.
“You’ll call off the men watching my girlfriend, right? I kept up my end of the bargain, and I’ll make it up to—”
I wheel around and shoot him between his eyes before he can finish. His mouth forms a surprised O, and he slumps to the ground, blood pooling around him. I pause to sheathe my gun and slide into the back of the car. Before we pull away, I spot one of our men dragging the man’s body away.
Time drags as my driver weaves in and out of traffic, honking and with tires screeching. My fingers fly over the keyboard on my phone, and through the window, I spot my father’s car, tearing in the opposite direction. One of our safehouses has already been set up for him and my siblings, and I know I’ll get an earful for not joining them.
But I have to get to London, consequences be damned.
Katia might be one of the best weapons in my arsenal, but even she can’t stave off an attack and protect London.
We race through a red light, earning a few disgruntled honks from the drivers.
Suddenly, the car skids to a halt, and I lurch forward. When I spot the line of cars ahead of us, I frown and shove the car door open. Then I pull the driver out, and he stumbles onto the street, his eyes widening in fear. Without looking at him, I get into the driver’s seat and pull on my seatbelt. Then, I place my hands on the wheel and back out of the tight spot until I’m out. I see red as I muscle through alleyways and down side routes until the estate looms in the distance.
The gates are open, and I press harder on the gas.
I’m out of the car before it comes to a stop, my gun ready.
Carlisle and a few other men follow closely behind, and my heart sputters when I see the front door ripped from its hinges. A few of the guards are lying on the floor, gasping for breath. I step over them and gesture to Carlisle, who relays an order to the guards. As they spread out, Carlisle inches closer to me, and we creep up the stairs.
A few more bodies are waiting at the top, but no one I recognize.
I stop to slit a few of their throats.
