“I don’t think so, you fucking cocksuckers. You owe me!” He sounds crazed, which is never a good sign.
I tap Renzo’s shoulder and motion that I’m heading back outside. He nods, calling out to Pasha again while I hurry back to the front door. Once I’m outside, I hug the perimeter of the house until I get to the office windows. Slowly, I take the tiniest peek into the room, then retreat, careful not to disturb the bushes behind me.
“It’s Pasha and two others,” I inform our group via the comm. “Very armed. I can take them, but I need a distraction.” One of the men is watching the window. The second I show myself, his gun is pointed and ready to fire.
Renzo’s voice buzzes in my ear. “Got it. You tell me when.”
“Make sure you stay clear of the door.” I don’t want to accidentally shoot one of my own guys.
I double-check my gun. “Good on your count.”
“Three, two, one…”
Gunfire explodes inside the house.
I step in front of the window, gun raised. As I’d hoped, all three men inside are now facing the door to the office in anticipation of being stormed. I pluck them off through the window like apples on a fence post, putting multiple bullets in each of them.
“All clear!” I shout.
Renzo and the rest of our guys, all seven of them, pour into the room. I bolt for the front door to join them back inside, pushing through the crowd until I’m standing with Renzo as the bookcase door swings open.
The first thing I hear is Bonny growling.
“Settle, Bonny,” I issue evenly.
She immediately starts to whine with eagerness to see me. Everyone in the safe room emerges in perfect health. I’ve never been so damn relieved in my life.
Terina’s eyes are brimming with tears when she flings herself into my arms. I hold her so damn tight I have to remind myself to let her breathe. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Renzo doing the same with Shae while the others quietly talk among themselves.
Eventually, I pull back, needing to see Rina’s face and reassure myself she’s okay.
“You’re not hurt?”
“No, you?” she asks.
“We’re all fine, though the guards here at the house didn’t fare so well.”
Her face melts with sadness. “It was so awful. We could see it on the monitor but had no way to help them.”
I hug her to me again. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I was terrified when we realized Pasha was likely going after Isa. We couldn’t get here fast enough.”
“I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if you hadn’t warned Cosimo.”
“So he did get my message?”
She nods. “He had us so freaked out. I didn’t have a chance to look at my phone until we were in the safe room, and then we didn’t have a signal. It was so scary.”
“You did incredible. All of you.”
Rina’s gaze drops to the floor, where three dead men lie at our feet. I’d been so concentrated on seeing her that I forgot to consider how upsetting it might be to see the bloody remains of three men.
“Is one of them Pasha?” she asks.
I force her gaze to mine. “Yes, he’s gone now. You’re safe.”
Her eyes try to stray back to the dead.
“Rina,” I say in a low murmur with just a touch of warning.
