Daniels managed to get Ares to agree, but the asshole was vocal in telling us it was a mistake to wait. Athena has been in contact with Arlo via text using one of my burners, and he’s under strict instructions to delete the message thread every time. He’s primed and ready for our call.
I’m so grateful for the relationship he has with his sister. There hasn’t been a single hesitation. He didn’t for one second believe the bullshit Amos was trying to fill his head with. He told us he purposely threw a tantrum at dinner when Amos started spouting crap about Athena, and it gave him an excuse to lock himself in his room and tell them to leave him alone.
We all had a little chuckle at that. I’m glad he’s resourceful and accepts the plan with no argument.
The strategy has been pre-agreed with Ares’s crew over the phone, and we’re all itching to get our hands on that sick prick as we pile out of the two vans that met us at the private airfield. To pull this off, we need to get Arlo out the same time we bust through the door and grab Amos and his wife. Both things must happen simultaneously. While Athena and I want to be the ones to rescue Arlo, we know it’s safer if Ares’s men get him out of here while we deal with the two adults.
“There aren’t any cameras,” Ares whispers as we all converge at the high wall behind the closed gates. “My men scouted the area, and we had drones sweep the place. The only security is the ones Arlo mentioned.” Ares is the only Luminary leader here tonight. I’m guessing this is below his pay grade and he’s only here for Athena and Arlo, maybe Xavier too. I’m under no illusion he’s here because of me, but I’m grateful he’s here all the same.
“It’s sloppy,” Athena whispers. “We must have forced his hand if this is the best he could do.”
“Agreed,” Ares says. There’s an unspoken truce between us tonight. Getting Arlo to safety and dealing with Amos and Cadance are the goals, and we’re united in that.
“Are your men ready?” I whisper as Athena approaches the keypad beside the gate.
“Yes. Let’s do this.”
Everyone splits up into their assigned teams as Athena punches in the code, and the gates open with a loud click. We’re far enough away from the church for it not to be heard.
“Let’s go.” I slip between the gates and turn right in the direction of the church. We creep en masse toward the red and cream stone structure, splitting up when we get close. Two-thirds of us head toward the front doors of the church and the rest of the men to the rear. They will get Arlo out and keep watch outside for any unexpected visitors or threats.
“Send it,” I tell Athena when we are in position at the front door.
She presses the button to send her pre-written text to Arlo telling him to climb out through the window now as Ares inputs the code to the front door. The alarm blares two seconds before we push inside the church. Zayn moves to deactivate the alarm system while the rest of us race around the pews toward the door at the side of the altar.
“He’s safe,” Ares says, pressing his earpiece. “My men are taking him to the car now.”
Relief washes over me, and it’s like a switch has flipped in my head. Cold determination replaces the blood flowing through my veins as I charge through the side door into the hallway that leads to the living area at the back.
Athena shouts a warning as a gun goes off when I round the corner, but I barely feel the bullet graze my temple as I let out a roar and lunge at the man readying to shoot me again. Amos and I tumble to the hard floor, throwing punches and wrestling before I land a solid punch to his face, knocking him out cold.
“You stupid whore!” Cadance, I presume, screams, and I turn in time to watch Athena headbutt her stepmother. Cadance shrieks, stumbling over a chair and yelling as she falls awkwardly to the ground before passing out.
We drag them to their feet and shove them into chairs.
“Let me look at that.” Athena presses her fingers to the side of my head.
“It’s only a scratch.”
“It’s more than that.” She shows me bloody fingertips.
“I’ll live, unlike them,” I growl, watching with anger burning my insides as Charlie and Ares strip Amos and Cadance down to their underwear before tying them securely to the chairs.
“How do you want to play this?” Ares asks as Athena presses a wadded tissue to my temple and forces my hand to hold it in place.
I can tell it’s killing the god of war not to say something, but he’s behaving for a change. I’m glad they’re letting me lead. Ares, Athena, and I have a vested interest in seeing this asshole dead, and my claim isn’t stronger than theirs. But I have waited years for this moment, and torture is basically my middle name.
By the time I’m done with him, Amos Martin will be begging me for death.
There’s gonna be a tank full of piranhas with his name on it by the end of tonight.
“Manning.” Ares reclaims my attention.
I toss the bloody tissue to the ground and clench and unclench my hands at my sides. “I want answers now. Then we kill the bitch and take him with us. I have a nice room all lined up at my hotel.”
Athena goes to the sink with a large bucket, filling it with cold water and adding the bag of ice she finds in the freezer. Except for the men outside standing watch, everyone is in the room, and we stand back as she throws the ice water over her father and stepmother. Cadance screams like she’s being murdered when she comes to while Amos shouts out a grunt before narrowing his eyes at his daughter.
Athena turns to me, and I nod. She gets to start the show.
