“That place,” Saint says, stopping across from the house at the very end of the street.
The exterior is painted in a duck-egg blue, the paint flaking away, revealing rotten panels of wood underneath. Several tiles are missing from the roof, and the garden at the front is so overgrown it could pass for a jungle. The forest runs along the far side of the property, stretching across the other side of the street and beyond, farther than the eye can see. The blinds are down on all the windows, and if it wasn’t for the trickle of smoke fleeing the chimney, I’d put money on the house being abandoned.
“And it’swe,” Saint adds. “You’re a part of this too.”
“I’ll sit this one out. Thanks.” I offer him a tight smile.
“Who said you had a choice?” We face off for a few minutes, and I give up first on purpose.
“Fine.”
“You’re so much prettier when you agree.”
I flip him the bird, grabbing my gun from my purse and stuffing it in the back waistband of my jeans. I feel heated eyes on me, and I look up. All four guys are watching me intently—even grumpy-ass Galen. “What?”
“You sucking that gun is permanently etched into our retinas,” Caz says, earning a sharp look from his leader. “That was so fucking hot.” He adjusts himself in his jeans. “And now, I’m hard as a rock. Great.”
“Maybe Saintly will be nice and let me blow you later.”
“Be a good girl and do what you’re told, and I just might,” Saint says.
“Are we getting out or what?” I ask after a couple minutes of silence.
“Not yet. We’re scoping out the place.” Saint looks over his shoulder. “Well?” he asks Theo.
“Four heat signatures. One of them is McKenzie.”
Saint rubs his hands together. “This night just got even better.”
“Who’s McKenzie?” I inquire.
“A lowlife scumbag who deserves to die a slow and bloody death.”
“I’m sorry I asked,” I murmur, wondering what the fuck I’ve gotten myself involved in.
We sit in the car for another half hour, all quietly observing the house, and not talking per the domineering asshole’s instruction. Just when I’ve decided I’ll probably die from boredom, Theo speaks up. “They’re in the back room now. I say we make our move.”
“Agreed.” Saint gets out of the car and opens the trunk.
I climb out at the same time as the others, watching them distribute some serious hardcore weapons. Caz hands me a rifle, but I back away. “Yeah, no.” I pat my waistband. “I’m good.”
Like hell I will carry one of their weapons. I’ve no gloves with me, and I’m not giving them my fingerprints on one of those things.
Caz shrugs, swinging a duffel bag over his shoulders and sauntering across the road with Galen, both of them making zero effort to conceal their movements. It’s dark out now, but it’s still brazen as fuck. I watch with reluctant admiration as they stick blocks of explosive to the exterior walls of the house.
Saint closes the trunk. “Let’s move out.” He grabs my hand. “You stay with me, princess.”
Adrenaline flows through my veins as we creep around the side of the house and around to the back. The guys line up at the rear right-hand-side window, standing a good distance back. The wooden blinds are closed, obscuring our view of the room inside, but Theo confirmed there were four people inside, and things are about to get real.
An ominous sense of foreboding washes over me, and I’ve a real bad feeling about this.
“Get ready for mayhem, baby.” Saint winks, releasing my hand and steadying his finger on the trigger of his rifle before nodding at the others.
The four of them open fire in sync, sending a barrage of bullets flying through the window. The glass shatters explosively, scattering broken shards all over the patio. The noise is deafening until Saint raises his hand and the shooting stops. Shouts emerge from inside, followed by the sound of running footsteps and the slamming of the front door. The guys grin at one another, looking pumped up and ready to shoot more rounds, while Theo pulls his cell out of his jeans. “It’s clear.” I guess he has the same tech on his phone as his tablet.
Saint lowers his weapon and grabs my hand, and we stride with urgency around to the front of the house. “We’re good here?” he asks, and Galen and Caz nod.
“It’s all set.”
