Page 98 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

He’s the most extravagantly dressed man Kade has ever seen.

And he called him Jules.

‘My name is Kade.’

‘Hmm,’ the ridiculously beautiful man sighs. ‘Is tricky, then. Kade of Iron Star killed many of mine.’

‘You sent them.’

‘Love refuses inaction,’ he murmurs, dark eyes sparkling, ‘but let us not begin this way.’ He gives an antiquated bow. ‘Vasily Sorrenko.’

From beside Kade, Luca utters, ‘Holy shit.’

Lachlan puts himself between the new addition and Kade’s team.

‘Let’s move inside. We’re exposed.’

‘You planned this?’ Kade demands tightly of Lachlan while keeping his gun aimed right at Sorrenko’s heart, even if the bullet has to go through Lachlan. ‘You knew he’d be here?’

‘I invited him,’ Vasily explains, extracting a leaf from his hair and dropping it before Kade can hurl more pained accusations at the man he thought he could trust. Swiftly, he adds, ‘No more walls, tunnels or towers. We must speak.’ His gaze moves and settles on Kade’s left, watching Riley with warm and curious interest. ‘All of us. Do you agree?’

He’s asking Riley.

Kade waits, counting down the seconds until he can punch Lachlan for such a betrayal, no matter how well-meant.

He feels so stupid for trusting him.

‘We can talk,’ Riley agrees at length.

Vasily’s smile is dazzling. ‘Perfect. I make tea.’

✴

The unit formation stays intact as Lachlan walks ahead with Sorrenko. The people Lachlan was speaking to are some of Sorrenko’s team, currently jamming communications to shield their presence here. Around the Estate, Kade spots several bodies, identifiable as fallen Resets by the eerie blue glow of their wrist cuffs. The Front have already taken them out, which is a good thing, but Kade is still so angry he can taste it.

If his hands weren’t gripping his weapon so tightly, they’d be shaking.

The steps to what was once the main entrance are littered with dead leaves and dead men. Everything that didn’t burn is blackened or burst. Kade steps over broken glass and bodies to enter the Estate. It’s open to the elements at the front, but the deeper they go, the more cloistered from the night they become.

‘Where the fuck is he leading us?’ Hiru demands quietly.

‘For tea,’ Seth answers as if Hiru forgot.

Kade makes a face but stays focused, deferring to Riley. ‘Boss?’

God, he’ll be lucky if Riley ever trusts him again after letting Lachlan lead them face to face with Vasily Sorrenko, leader of the Moroz Front.

‘Let it play out,’ Riley instructs.

Kade doesn’t let himself relax an inch.

He’s going to kill Lachlan for this.

‘What the fuck happened here?’ Luca asks, toeing a burned beam.

‘The Estate was structured to survive fire, so I don’t know,’ Lachlan answers, checking corners before they turn into a more cloistered area.

‘Was me,’ Sorrenko pipes up. The clip of his heels on ruined marble is irritatingly pleasant. ‘Many firebombs.’