I step into the hallway, the piece of shit standing at the entryway and I point my gun at his shoulder. I pull the trigger. The recoil feels wonderful. Just as my bullet pops through his left shoulder, Brooks shoots from the front door through his right. My best friend aims his weapon at the back of the soldier’s head, ready to pull the trigger.
“Brooks, wait. He’s coming with us!” I blurt, going against my gut.
Right before I complete my sentence, Brooks clocks him with his gun. He goes down like jello, and I breathe out deeply.
It’s over, she’s safe.
Brooks comes forward. “Outside’s clear. Pax is in the ba—”
Right then Pax enters and looks at the man on the floor next to me. “Rest’s clear. No other people. Someone slashed your tires. I fucking told you not to go by yourself.” Pax crosses his arms as he stands next to Brooks. His eyes tell me he wants to burn me alive.
Colt’s right behind him. “Isn’t stubbornness a Young thing?”
Pax gives him a deadly glare.
I ignore them all, lean toward the stairs, my eyes on her hunched up form. “Lay, it’s over.” Gently I touch her shoulder, which makes her cower even more. I narrow my eyes, look to the hall.
Brooks drags a red mailbox outside, with which the fucker forced the door open. “Call the clean-up crew. Lucky no one’s home,” he says to me. Pax and Colt lift the blond hulk and drag him with them.
Silence descends over the house.
I crouch down on the second stair, keeping myself balanced by holding the banister. “Honey.” My voice cracks. “Layne, open your eyes.”
She shakes her head. “Is he dead? Did you murder him? Did Brooks…”
“He’s not dead. He will be, but he isn’t. Look at me, honey.”
Slowly those beautiful tear-filled brown eyes open. “If you murder him, you’re exactly like—”
“Layne,” I interrupt her. “If we don’t, you and Rebel will never be safe. You think that’s the right solution?” I cock my head. My heart clenches as I meet her gaze.
“No, but…” A tear falls.
“There’s always a reason. You know me. You know I don’t murder people for the fun of it. Never did, and never will.” I cradle her face.
She closes her eyes, allowing another few tears to fall, and then she nods. I pull her against my shoulder and press a kiss on her forehead.
“Just dangerous people, honey.” Even though I wished I had a normal day-to-day job. She deserves so much better than this. Better than people shooting at her.
What the fuck did Connor do? What did he know that makes them hunt Layne down?
Twenty minutes later, I leave Layne in my apartment. With a smoke between my lips and my laces untied, I stomp across the grounds toward hangar four. The blood on my ear has dried by now. The guy is lucky it was just a graze, and he didn’t hitanything or anyone else. My blood boils as I think back to the whole incident.
With a bang, I throw open the metal door and step inside.
The bastard is strapped to a wooden chair. His eyes are wild and he’s biting on a piece of cloth Brooks has tied around his head so he can’t talk.
In the hangar’s corner stands an old wooden workbench, where Brooks is sharpening his knives. His tools are all in order. Despite its nature, this space is spotless and organized. The sound the iron blades make on the block causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up straight, but I don’t show a reaction.
Instead, I rest my gaze on the man and take a couple of steps to stand in front of him. I take a drag from my cigarette, blow the smoke in his face and then put it back between my lips. It’s a gesture of intimidation, and when I see his eyes widen even more, I know it’s working. I yank off the cloth. A slight twitch goes through my body from the adrenaline.
Dirty bastard.
Faster than he can see me coming, I ram my fist against his jaw.Ah, that feels fucking good.
With a groan, his head turns and splatters of blood clatter to the floor.
“That one’s for shooting at Layne.” I take another swing, ram my fist against his jaw again. A satisfying crack resounds, and he spits blood on the floor as I say, “That one’s for hitting my ear.”
