“Everyone else in position?” Vee asked. A chorus of quiet, grim responses from everyone confirmed their readiness, and Gray lined up the first guard in his sights. Something wasn’t right, though. A pool of dread filled my belly as I studied the scene through my binoculars. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but… something was wrong. Why were all the guards from the boat masked so thoroughly? Why would they care who saw them? Wilson paid their salaries, and Giovanni was about to be killed… So why bother disguising themselves? The two guards holding Angelo even had gloves on…as did Angelo.
“Let’s do this,” Vee gave the command.
“Wait!” I exclaimed, bumping Grayson in my panic. His shot went wide, hitting a drum of gasoline further down the dock. It was enough to alert the scene to our attack, and within the space of a second everyone was shooting at one another while also diving for cover.
“Billie!” Grayson roared. “What the fuck?”
“It’s not him!” I shouted back, absolutely convinced of my evidence-less theory. “It’s not Angelo!”
Gray looked at me like I’d lost my fucking mind, then turned his eyes back to the rifle scope. It took him a moment to find “Angelo” again, now that everyone was locked in a full on firefight, but then he breathed a curse.
The man who’d been dragged from the boat, hands bound and a hood over his head, lay in a dead heap on the dock, but there, hiding behind the gas barrel that Gray’d shot? My Angel. He’d ripped his ski mask off, and his handsome face was set in a mask of grim determination as he gave hand signals to another of the “guards” from the boat.
“Son of a bitch,” Gray whispered, then picked up his radio. “Pick your targets carefully. Angelo has his own plan in place.Onlyshoot Wilsons and Riccis; leave the boat guards untouched.”
He then shifted his rifle, searching for a new target. I suspected he was looking for Wilson. My father. Was this how he died for real? Would I watch the man I loved shoot the man who’d raised me and I’d thought lovedme?
“Over by the container,” I told Gray, locating the two-faced bastard. “Hiding behind the SUV.”
Gray waited patiently, then took his shot when he got the chance. It hit Wilson right in the chest, knocking him off his feet and flat onto his back. I felt nothing. Fucking nothing. No grief or fear or even regret. I was numb.
“Figures,” Grayson grunted as Wilson slowly pushed himself back to his feet like something out of a zombie flick. “Should have gone for a headshot.”
It took me a moment to understand his meaning. Wilson, like me and all our team, wore a bulletproof vest. And now it was too late for another shot because he’d already disappeared into the back of the car and a driver was gunning it out of the area.
Gray still popped another shot at the vehicle, though, aiming for its engine, maybe? Either way, it did nothing and I had to watch silently as my father—the man who’d just been about to execute Angelo—disappeared into the night.
“Anyone got eyes on that car?” Gray asked into the radio.
There was a pause. Then Jace responded, sounding puffed. “Just lost them. Sorry.”
Grayson glanced at me for a reaction, but I was still cold as ice and shrugged. “We’ll get him another day. All that matters now is Angelo.”
He gave a thoughtful nod, then started packing up his rifles. “Let’s get down there. By the time we arrive, it’ll all be over with and you can check your Angel over for injuries.” He winked. “I bet he’d be more than happy to let you kiss all his scrapes better.”
Fuck yes.Fuck yes. Finally, it was like I could see light at the end of the tunnel. Our family was almost complete once more, and god help anyone who tried to break us apart again.
fourteen
BILLIE
Grayson was right about it all being over by the time we arrived at the docks. Blood and bodies littered the area, and several fires burned from where gasoline had caught alight and exploded—we’d heard them go off on our way—but otherwise, it was all relatively calm.
“Angel!” I cried out when I spotted him, gun still in hand as he nudged a dead body with his toe. He glanced up, a huge grin on his face, then quickly fired two bullets into the dead man’s head before putting his gun away.
“Bella, you’re here! Why are you here? Where the fuck is Grayson, and why did he not keep you somewhere safe?” He closed the gap between us and wrapped me up in a massive hug, lifting me clean off the ground.
I hugged him back just as tight, tears rolling down my face. “He’s not the boss of me,” I informed him in choked sobs. “As if anyone could stop me being here for you, Angel.”
“Silly, gorgeous girl,” he scolded, pulling back far enough that he could kiss me without ever putting me down. Then those kisses quickly heated up, and I hitched my legs up around his waist.
“Okay, okay, enough,” Vee interrupted, striding over, looking like the femme fatale she was. “We need to clear the area. Angelo, you seem in one piece. Go with Billie and Jace to get checked over by our medic at the safety point, please.”
Angelo stared at her with wide eyes, then gave a slow nod. “Yes, ma’am.” He still didn’t put me down, though. “Was that Giana I saw slitting a man's throat earlier?”
Vee smirked, the love and pride for her partner shining through. “Sure was. My baby is ruthless.”
“So much for keeping her out of this life, huh?” Angelo remarked sarcastically. “You got this all handled?” He gestured to the mess we’d all made. There werea lotof bodies to take care of.
