"I've got you, Kitten," I whispered, burying my face deeper in her hair, inhaling her scent.
My throat burned.
"You're safe now, love. He will never touch you again!"
Becca's voice cracked. "This is Atlas?"
She said, pointing to me.
Kit nodded. "Yes!" She replied, still in shock.
Becca fell to her knees sobbing beside us. Jacob moved in, lifting her from the floor, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders. His voice was rough, but gentle. "Easy, sweetheart. You're out of the fire and safe now. I got you."
The party outside the door raged on, no one the wiser, yet. The music was blaring, men were laughing and toasts were being done every two minutes.
I had my Kitten in my arms again, and Hector was tied and gagged on the floor, powerless for the first time in his miserable life. Now it was time to get the girls out of the house and link up with the agents waiting in the shadows to finish taking down Hector's whole empire.
Chapter 23
The Ball
Atlas
Kitlyn clung to me like she never wanted to let go, but time wasn't on our side. The ballroom roared just beyond the doors, and every second we lingered risked blowing the whole operation.
I wanted more than anything to comfort my queen, but that would have to come when we were finished with the rest of the scum on the compound.
"Kitten," I whispered, pulling back just enough to look into her tear-streaked face. "I need you to be my strong girl a little longer. Jacob and I still have work to do. You and Becca will be alright now."
She shook her head, panicked, her nails digging into my jacket. "Don't leave me with him!"
I cupped her jaw, forcing her eyes to mine. "He's not touching you again. Ever. He's finished, love. I just need to clean up the mess."
Jacob steadied Becca on her feet, his arm around her shoulders, her face buried in his chest. She was sobbing quietly; the sound muffled against his suit. He looked at me over her head and gave a quick nod, telling me it was time to move.
We dragged Hector's unconscious body into another adjoining room. His wrists and ankles were bound tight, his mouth gagged with his tie, and his mask was tossed aside in the other room. He groaned, half conscious, but he wouldn't be going anywhere.
I turned to Kitlyn and pulled a small blade from inside my jacket. Pressing it into her trembling hand, I whispered, "If he so much as twitches, put this to his throat. Don't hesitate."
I kissed her head before slipping the mask on again.
"You'll be out of harm's way here. Both of you."
We left, locking the door behind us, leaving Kit and Becca inside with Hector bound and helpless at their feet.
Jacob and I slipped back into the corridor.
I tapped the earpiece twice.
"Now."
The line crackled, and Zach's voice came through."Copy. I see Hector's down and his two guards eliminated. The CIA team's moving in. Outer perimeter engagement starting in three….two…"
Through my buds, I heard muffled pops echoing through the trees, the outside guards dropping one byone. The chaos would be quiet, controlled. Mine and Jacob's job was to clean the inside. My partner was already moving, knife in hand. We slipped through shadowed hallways, stalking the guards stationed in pairs at doors and stairwells.
One turned his head just as I stepped behind him.
Not quick enough.
