"Oh, right." I sorta lost sight of that plot while I was tangling with a psychotic killer. "Whoops." Immediately, I'm taking offmy jacket to put around her shoulders. She shouldn't stay like this, she'll freeze to death. "Warm yourself up, baby, and let's get you out of here."
No matter how far away I get her from him, from that room, it doesn't stop her from looking in that direction, thinking. She's always thinking,and this time, it worries me.
"Denali?"
Her lips twist into a frown. "We have to call the cops."
Absolutely not. "Denali, no way. You said it yourself–the cops are on his payroll. Do you want to spend the rest of our lives communicating through letters and five minute phone calls?"
Her body sags into the couch cushions as she gives up in defeat. "Do you have a better idea?"
Unlike the first time she asked me that question, this time, I can answer her in the affirmitave. I've been thinking it over since I snapped a man's neck with my bare hands. "Actually, I do."
I'm going to call my brother. He owes me a favor, after all.
Maybe it's time I cash in.
"Are you sure you don't need my help?" I ask for the tenth time as my twin, a man I've only met once, and his two half brothers, who I suppose are also mine as well, show up in a tricked-out muscle car, engine revving, pile out, and proceed to wrap the man on my floor in the rug he lies on and throw him in their trunk like he's garbage. "What do you plan to do with him?"
I know what he does, whatthey alldo, for a living, but still, I can't help but be a little apprehensive about it all. After all, if someone finds his body, I'll be the one going down for murder. And we don't know each other all that well yet. What if they plan to screw me?
I have to be careful. Denali could be affected by all this too.
Angel shrugs, his eyes falling on Denali, who still stands around in nothing but my jacket and her lingerie in the cold, refusing to leave my side. I didn't want her back in that room either, not until Theo was out of it. "You might want to put something other than that cheap jacket on your body, dear. Temps like this, you'll freeze."
She nods solemnly but scoots closer to me, leaning into my warmth. "I'm fine, thanks."
Nash, the one with mean, nasty scars that remind me of the Joker from some of the Batman comics I read as a kid, huffs in annoyance. "What is it with women and being so damn stubborn all the time?" He pulls a trenchcoat from their backseat and tosses it at me. Thankfully I manage to catch it, and in seconds, I've got Denali dressed up a little more, and she's no longer shivering.
It's a step in the right direction.
"Thanks," I mutter, and he nods his agreement, grunts, and slides behind the wheel. Meanwhile, the darkest of the three, the tall one with the british accent, walks out of the house carrying a few pieces of fabric covered in what looks like blood. "What's all that?"
"Evidence," he says simply—I think his name is Rowan—as he walks to the trunk, tossing it in the back with the body. "You leave no trace when shit like this happens."
I don't plan to be making this happen again any time soon.
Angel snorts at my twisted expression. "Well, apparently killing runs in the family, but I guess commercial mass murder just doesn't appeal to our long lost fourth." He shoots me a look and turns to join the others. "Remember to keep your nose clean until we tell you it's safe. And for the love of god, maybe take some shooting lessons, yeah?"
"What the fuck do I need to take shooting lessons for?"
Rowan just laughs, shaking his head, and slides into the car, leaving me, my twin, and Denali alone out here.
Angel takes my forearm in his grip, and I return the favor, holding on to him because I don't know how long it'll be before we see each other again. "You take the lessons to protect your girl, you hear? You're a big shot, and sure, you have security, but where were they this time? You can't rely on anyone but yourself, bud." His eyes scan Denali one more time, and his smile is soft, genuine. "She's good, Kai. Take care of her. I'll send you a little care package in the mail soon. Just promise me you'll stay out of trouble for awhile?"
"No promises," I tell him with a chuckle. "But I'll do my best."
"I'll keep his nose clean," Denali pipes up, winking at my twin.Winking at him.
When they're gone, we shower in a rush, taking our time only to reaffirm that we're alive in the most primitive of ways—hot, fast sex pressed against the glass door of the damn thing. When we're done, we throw on some clothes, pack our things, and call the number on the card my brother gave me. They're supposed to be some professional clean-up crew. They'll make sure all of this is taken care of, past what the guys handled already.
And then we hop in the car with Anton—who is all too happy to pretend that none of this happened if it means he doesn't have to admit a nobody knocked him out with his own gun—and leave our personal nightmare behind.
For good, this time.
epilogue—two months later
Denali
