Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 100791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
We came out of the back hallway and crossed under the staircase, making for the old servants’ elevator.
“Haven’t you called the police?”
I shook my head. “We don’t call the police.”
“Don’t?”
“Don’t,” I said firmly. “Calling the bomb squad down on the gas station was a one-time necessity. Dozens of innocent lives were at risk. But we’re criminals, Kenzie. The cops aren’t on our side. And they shouldn’t be, because then they’d be dirty as hell.
“If we get them involved, they’ll use that as leverage to put us in the same cell as the Brotherhood. It’s not worth it.” I rubbed her arm soothingly. “Not even now.”
“But then what are you going to do? You said it was being taken care of. That’s why I told Sienna it would only be a few hours. She and Laurel can’t wander around the park all day and night.”
“They won’t have to. Trust me. It is being taken care of right about...” I checked my watch. “Now. We can go up and watch if you’d like.”
She glanced at River, who winked at her. “Uh... okay.”
We stepped up to the elevator, and on the imperceptible pressure plate beneath the floor. The doors opened automatically when I pressed the button, welcoming home our family.
When we got to my floor, I let them both in, then straight to my coffee table and the pair of binoculars I left on it. Handing it to Kenzie, I gestured for her to follow me to the balcony doors.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” she asked, staying rooted to the carpet.
“I’m sure. The best sniper in the world tested it with the best weapons on the market,” I assured her. “The most she was able to do was crack the glass. We’re safe.”
Trusting me, Kenzie stepped up beside me.
“You see there on the roof of that office building?” I pointed. “There’s the one assigned to me.”
“Assigned to you? What does that mean?”
“Look.”
Edging closer, Kenzie put the binoculars to her eyes and leaned forward—peering out the glass to—
“Ahh!” she cried, shooting back. “He waved at me! He fucking waved at me!”
“Creepy, isn’t it.” My tone was light—almost amused. “He’s been waving at me all morning. Making sure I know he, and his gun, are there.”
She shivered. “Creepy is right.”
“Keep looking. It’s about to get even more interesting.” I squeezed her arm, letting her know I’d be right back, then I ducked into my office and got two more binoculars. One for me and River.
We all had them for this very reason. It wasn’t the first time an enemy got it into their heads that they didn’t need to break into the Fairfield to kill us. All they had to do was wait until we stepped outside.
Together the three of us posted up against the glass, staring at the assassin as he stared right back at us. We watched him wave. We watched that five-fingered wave become a one-figure salute, and then we watched him lift both middle fingers high for the double fuck-you.
“Dick,” Kenzie muttered, making both me and River laugh. “What’s about to happen? Because I don’t—”
The dickhead sniper suddenly jerked—the whole of him flopping like he was electrocuted. In a blink, his hands dropped, falling over the side of the roof and dangling there. Nowhere near his trigger.
“Done.”
“Done?” Kenzie looked from me to him. “What do you mean done? Did he—? Is he dead?!”
“As the proverbial dodo.”
“But how? Who?” She dropped her binoculars, not wanting to stare at a corpse for a second longer. “I thought all of the Sons of Saint, Cardinals, Scourges, and Liam’s people were stuck in here with us.”
“Yeah, they are.” I winked. “But not all of the Merchants are.”
She flicked to River. “I’m guessing you know what that means.”
“Yep.”
Kenzie sighed. “Am I ever going to know all of your secrets?”
“Yes, but only when dropping on you means you’ll make that cute, shocked face.”
“You are so—"
Boom!
“What the—?!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Kenzie fell in my arms, screaming as explosions ripped through the deceptive calm Leighbridge morning.
“Don’t worry, baby. That’s just the sound of the trash getting taken out.” I rubbed her back. “We can’t call the police on them, but we can blow up all those sneaky shits lurking in the cars that ran my sister off the road, and when the cops, fire trucks, ambulances, and news crews rush in to pick up their pieces, we’ll walk everyone out the front door.” I beamed at her. “Not even the Brotherhood will try to pull something in front of all those journalists and first responders.”
She gaped at me. “That—that— I don’t know if that’s brilliant or terrifying. Who came up with this plan?”
I grinned wider. Her jaw dropped further.
“Again, terrifying but... brilliant, baby.”
“I thought so.” I dropped a kiss on her nose. “So, if you want, you can tell Sienna to find a comfortable spot to wait all this out.” Sirens and ambulance blasts hit the air, backing me up. “As soon as we’re sure the Brotherhood has cleared out, and we’ve got everyone safely home, they’re safe to come back.”