He continued: “So nice ofyou to bring the target.”
Ryder was about two feetinside the apartment. I was right up in his business, because I knew he wouldfreak if I didn’t attach myself to him. Of course that didn’t stop me fromlooking up and around more than once. I was pretty sure there were no other Sanctummembers in here, but you could never be too sure.
“Laz, I was kind ofhoping I wouldn’t see your ugly face again.” Ryder sounded calm, but I couldfeel his tension.
Laz’s expression finallymorphed into something resembling an expression, sort of a sneer or a shrug.Hard to tell. “You know the drill, you’ve done this plenty of times before.Drop your weapons on the floor, and if you haven’t handed over the targetwithin ten seconds, I shoot the friend.”
My stomach dropped as Isaw fear flash in Jayden’s eyes. Ryder was smooth as he dropped his weapon, thentook mine from me and tossed it on the ground also. The heavy weight was stillin my boot, and I was relieved to think we still had that backup.
“Kick them toward me,”the Sanctum mercenary said.
“I’ll pay you double tocall off the job,” Ryder said as he slid both guns across the tiles. They bumpednear Jayden’s bound feet.
Laz looked a littlesurprised. “It’s not like golden-child Ryder to give a shit about a girl. Lookslike this one is special to you in more ways than one. I might enjoy her beforeI hand her over.”
Not happening, asshole.
Then Laz focused fully onRyder. “We both know you can’t afford it. This target is worth almost my entireyear, and Iwillbe bringing her in. The people who want her, they arewilling to pay anything. She’s more important than you think.”
There I went again, beingthe all-important freakin’ unicorn. I would be okay with just being a regularhorse right now. Unicorn was overrated.
Ryder grinned then, andit was sort of scary and sexy at the same time. “I know her exact worth. Andthey will never get their hands on her.”
Laz pressed the gunharder against Jayden. My friend’s head snapped forward from the impact. “Saygoodbye to your friend,” he said.
“No,” I screamed, and rightthen I didn’t care about Ryder’s previous orders, I was handing myself over. IfJayden died because of me, I might as well be dead. I would never be able to livewith myself. I shoved Ryder, who was not ready for it and stumbled. This gaveme an opening, but before I could step out, Sam flew through the window. Heheld a gun in each hand and was shooting before he even landed. I felt a hotweight on my leg, and glanced down to find Ryder’s hand capturing my ankle, yankingme down beside him.
“Jayden!” I screamedagain as bullets flew. My best friend had better not get hurt or heads wouldfucking roll!
I heard grunting, and Iwas able to flip over and see that Jayden’s chair had been knocked forward.ThankGod.He seemed fine and was squirming to break free. The bullets stopped asLaz and Sam crashed into each other and started fighting. Laz seemed to favorgrappling. He immediately brought the large enforcer down, but Sam recovered instantly.He was quick, and managed to flip Laz over and crack him twice with his elbow.
I was distracted as Rydersilently rose and crossed the room, moving in to help his teammate. Just beforehe reached them, though, another dark shadow flew in through the window. Iexpected it to be Markus, but the fully black-clad figure didn’t look like theScottish enforcer. It was one of the Sanctum. He landed on Ryder, the two ofthem trading blows. I started to drag myself across to Jayden. If I freed him,we could escape together. I’d come back for Ryder as soon as my friend wassafe.
I gasped as Laz gainedthe upper hand on Sam. He pulled a knife from within his black fatigues andstabbed him a few times in the gut. Ryder’s eyes practically glowed then, andwith a snarl he locked his Sanctum under his arm and with the slightest twistsnapped his neck. But he didn’t stop there, continuing to twist until the headwas completely removed from the body. Blood spurted everywhere, slowing to adrizzle in seconds. Ash bled a lot less than humans. But seriously,what?Whatsort of strength would anyone have to possess to be able to literally tear ahead from a person? It was inconceivable.
Ryder launched himself atLaz, knocking him off Sam. Laz pushed Ryder and took off then, heading towardthe open window, and then he …jumped. I stumbled up and ran to the openwindow with Ryder hot on my heels. We got there in time to see Laz fallingrapidly, right before he pulled a cord and a wingsuitflipped out fromhis black outfit, like a base jumper.
I gave a little shriek asMarkus popped his head up from outside the window, hanging by the suction cups.He grinned. “Sorry, was a little tied up with the sniper. He jumped with hisboss.” I noticed then the second wingsuit zooming out across the Hive grounds.“But I can head after them if you want.” His eyes flicked to Ryder.
Ryder shook his head.“No, you’ll never catch them. They will be gone before you even hit theground.
“Shit, so they all justget away?” I asked, frustrated. “Well, except for dead guy…” Who I guessed wasthe ninja-clad dude from the stairwell. Since he had thrown Oliver down thestairs, I couldn’t dredge up much sadness for him.
Ryder’s hands wereclenched on the window sill, but he finally turned to face me. “They’ll be back.This was just a test run. They hoped for an easy mark with me out ofcommission. Next time they’ll come in force.”
Great, awesome news toend this shit day.
“Not to interrupt yourlittle powwow here, but can I get some goddamn help? Where’s my man?” Jaydenhad loosened his gag, and was looking pissed from his position on the floor.
Whoops, I’d never gottenaround to freeing him.
I scrambled to untie hisbindings, and in that same moment Oliver and Kyle appeared in the doorway.Oliver was holding about eight bottles of blood and was looking a lot better.
“I thought I said meet atthe vehicle.” Ryder didn’t sound that pissed.
Oliver ignored him; hissole focus was on Jayden. My fingers fumbled a few times with the thick ropes,and before I could loosen them Oliver stepped in and softly moved me so hecould take over. His eyes were dancing with silver; he looked murderous, buthis hands were gentle as he cut away the binds.
“Did he hurt you?” Oliverground out when Jayden was finally free. The enforcer reached down and hauledhis man to his feet.
