Chapter 1 #2
I knew she’d be living the good life. She’d been smart. I knew she’d gone to college because Elliot had told me. I knew she’d have a good job by now, be married to some steady guy. My gut cramped. She’d have a baby on her hip.
Yeah, living the beautiful life.
I closed my wallet. I’d never looked her up. I knew if I saw her, I wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation.
Suddenly, several muffled thumps echoed through the wall. My head jerked up.
I knew that sound all too well.
Gunshots.
I shoved out of the restroom.
Cole and Bastian were on their feet, both tense. Bastian had a cellphone to his ear.
“How many?” His voice cut like a blade. “They blacked out the security cameras?” He emitted a low growl and met my gaze. “No, I’ll take care of it. Don’t call the police. It’ll be dealt with. No one fucks with my casino.”
He ended the call. “Three men in the High Rollers Suite next door pulled weapons.” He tapped his phone screen and pulled up video feed. “They spray-painted the security cameras.” A cold smile curled his lips. “But they can’t cover the secret ones they can’t see.”
Cole and I leaned forward.
“How did they get weapons through security?” Cole frowned as he studied the three guys.
The attackers wore black balaclavas. I saw one guy gesturing at the uniformed dealer and the players in the room. The players were all scared, holding their hands in the air. My gaze zeroed in on the weapon the guy was holding.
“The weapons are plastic,” I murmured. “Probably 3D-printed.”
Bastian’s phone pinged with a message from the security team.
“They caught them on security cameras in the elevator before they put their masks on,” he said. “They’re low-level thieves. Been arrested for hitting some of the seedier casinos.”
“Now they’re trying to make a name for themselves hitting the bigger places,” I said.
A muscle ticked on Bastian’s icy face. “You two up for helping me teach these assholes a lesson?”
Cole and I both nodded.
Bastian had saved my life twice—although he maintained it was three times. He could annoy the shit out of me, but he always had my back, and I always had his.
Cole had saved Bastian from a bad situation once, too, back when he’d just been known as the Darkwolf. He could track his prey, silently and relentlessly for days, weeks, months. Whatever it took to take them down.
For better or worse, these men were my brothers.
“Entrances?” I asked.
“They blocked the front door.”
“I can get through that,” Cole said.
Bastian nodded. “The service entrance at the back leads into a small kitchen and bar.”
“That’s mine,” I said.
“Good. I’ll come through the ceiling.”
Bastian was former CIA. The guy could sneak in anywhere. Once, he’d been called the Reaper.
He was the last thing you faced before you died.
All of us pulled out our weapons. None of us went anywhere unarmed.
Bastian had a Glock 19.
Cole had a Springfield Hellcat.
I had a custom SIG Sauer P226. I nodded at the others, and we split.
I went to the kitchen, where the server who’d been taking care of us was loitering, looking worried.
“Stay in here and stay down.”
The young man’s head bobbed rapidly.
A door led into the kitchen of the High Rollers Suite. I quietly opened it, slid through, then closed it behind me.
I heard loud voices and yelling.
“I want everyone’s money, phones, jewelry. Everything!”
I waited a beat to give Bastian and Cole time to get into position. The familiar feeling washed over me. A cool focus that flowed through my veins. I felt connected to all my senses. Everything sharpened.
My fingers melded into the grip of my weapon. Making us one.
That should be enough time.
I whirled around the corner and whipped my weapon up.
Before I finished my next breath, I aimed in a fluid move that was second nature and took the shot.
A stocky man with a gun standing closest to me went down.
My next shot was for the man shouting at the front of the room near the dealer. But he was already moving, and I only clipped him. He dove down behind the table.
The man by the door swung around, aiming his gun my way.
I dove and rolled across the black-and-bronze carpet. I came up on one knee, and saw terrified clusters of gamblers.
“Get down,” I clipped.
Almost as one, they dropped to the carpet.
Bullets hit the poker table nearby. Bastian would be pissed.
Crash.
I saw Cole burst through the front door. He slammed into the shooter like a linebacker and took him to the floor.
The previous shooter I’d clipped rose, blood on his arm.
“Drop your fucking weapons or I’ll kill everyone.” He waved his handgun around.
He was so busy shouting, he didn’t see the danger drop down from the ceiling panel behind him.
Bastian quietly hit the floor and rose.
Bang.
One shot to the back of the head and the man went down.
I pushed to my feet. “Everyone stay down. The threat is neutralized, and security will be here soon.”
I glanced over at Cole who was standing by the door. His target was sprawled on the floor, his head at the wrong angle. Snapped neck.
The security team arrived, rushing through the front door. I nodded at them. They’d been handpicked by Bastian, and trained by me. Security at the Avernus was a well-oiled machine.
I moved to the side with Bastian and Cole. Security hustled the dealer and high rollers out of the room.
Bastian glanced dispassionately at the dead bodies. “Theo.”
“Boss?” The head of security stepped over to join us.
“Dispose of them. Where no one will find them.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
Theo Garrett was older than the three of us, ex-military with some time as a mercenary thrown in. He was a shade under six feet, with a fit, muscular body, and salt-and-pepper hair. He always got the job done, no exceptions.
I suddenly felt bone-tired. “I’m heading home.” At least the walk to my villa on the casino grounds didn’t take long. Except for Bastian who had the penthouse, all the guys had villas.
Yep, it was like a fucking retirement village for retired assassins.
“Thanks for the help, Nash,” Bastian said.
I lifted my chin, then slid my gun into its holster and headed out.
Nope, my life was not sunshine. I knew I wasn’t living, I was surviving, but it was all I had.
At least I knew Georgie was living her perfect life.
Then, shoving dreams of things I couldn’t have out of my head, I headed out of the casino.