77. Chapter Seventy-Seven
Chapter seventy-seven
Peter
I stood there stunned for a second Adair’s shot went off. I wasn’t sure what was more shocking, that she killed William or that no one else in the room moved.
After a moment, she let out a sigh, lowered her arm, re-holstered the gun, and looked down at the lifeless form that was William. “Sorry about the rug, Lynette.”
She’s worried about the rug right now?
Lynette shrugged. “It’s okay. Lianne and I had been discussing replacing it, anyway.” She turned and looked at her daughter. “Do you know who Barbara ordered from after Emmett shot one of Prime’s for being disrespectful to you?”
Lianne arched her eyebrow. “Not off the top of my head, but I can ask.”
Liam shook his head in disbelief. “Wait, the Don Supreme shot someone on his team for being disrespectful to you?”
She nodded. “Killed the man, too. Only because I didn’t do it myself. I’m surprised you didn’t already know that. Your sources are clearly slacking.”
Adair’s back went completely straight as her muscles tensed, but she leaned into my touch when I reached out and ran my hand down her back, hoping to soothe her.
While I wanted to take in everything happening between Lianne and her brother, my focus was fixated on Adair.
If anything felt off or suspicious, I was prepared to pull her out of harm’s way and quite literally shield her.
Lynette got that code name right.
Adair clenched her jaw before she took a deep breath in through her nose. It didn’t look like she was trying to stem a panic attack, but the woman wasn’t calm, either. I gently massaged a tense muscle, and her shoulders lowered slightly as a small smirk lifted the corner of her lip.
Good. Stay with me.
“I still can’t believe the true heir isn’t running the Agosti business like George intended, but instead, was handed to some girl who can’t handle a little blood and violence.”
Nolan’s rude comment pulled my attention back to the middle of the foyer, and I tensed up at the statement, my full attention going back to my don.
Lianne is going to kill him if he keeps running his mouth like this.
She showed no reaction, save for the tiniest flicker of rage in her eyes.
“You mean, you can’t believe I’m not handing over the business to the man who attempted to murder his own fiance, who attacked, poisoned, and tried to kill my best friend, who was responsible for my brother and his wife almost dying, the man who murdered my father, the man who tried to kill me, my mom, and Ryan after Lukas and Quinn’s wedding, and the same man who had no problem helping sell Gage’s sister off to the highest bidder to pay her mother’s rent?
That man? How fucking delusional are you? ”
“You’re in over your head, Lianne. You need—”
Narrowing her eyes, she squeezed the trigger, and a hole appeared in his shoulder the same time a concussive bang filled the foyer. “That’s Don Agosti to you.”
Adair jumped at the sound, and I instinctively grabbed her hips, pulling her closer to me, readying myself to remove her from the foyer.
Nolan’s eyes went wide in shock as he grabbed his shoulder, blood seeping between his fingers. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Lianne glared at the man. “I’m sorry, did you want to die instead?”
“I think Don Agosti is more than justified in killing both of you, especially since I found this.”
My attention snapped to Ryan as he walked out of the kitchen holding out a small, lidded jar filled with a clear liquid. Rolling around the bottom was something small and round.
What in the hell did he find?
Lianne kept her attention on the two men still standing in front of her. “Because of what, Ryan?”
He walked closer to Lianne, making sure to stay well out of the range of her gun. “Remember that earpiece we gave Avery a few weeks ago when she was covering Poppy?”
“Yes?”
“Well, we found one in Chloe’s things. In the ear of her stuffed bunny, to be precise.”
Sounds of disgust and growls of anger filled the room.
Adair took a half-step closer to me, and I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed the back of her shoulder. “I’ve got your back, Hummingbird.” I didn’t miss the tiny sigh of relief she let out.
Lianne’s entire posture stiffened, and her eyes narrowed on Liam. “You did what to your daughter?”
His eyes went wide as he turned and glared at Nolan. “What did you do to her bunny?”
“Followed your wife’s orders.”
“But her bunny? You fucking idiot!” Liam looked outraged, and if I was reading his reaction correctly, he was not so much upset about the earpiece, but about Nolan messing with his daughter’s stuffed animal.
Did he know?
“Excuse me?” Lynette suddenly stepped forward, glaring death at her oldest son.
“You wired your sweet baby girl to eavesdrop on us? You actually made her a pawn in your sick, twisted game?” She shook her head, looking absolutely disgusted.
“Your father and your uncle are both rolling in their graves right now. I hope you’re pleased with yourself. ”
Adair suddenly stood up straighter, pulled her gun from her holster again, and lifted it.
What are you doing, Hummingbird?
Leaning, I whispered, “Please be careful.”
There was a small nod from her before Liam started stuttering.
“It-it’s not like that, Momma. You have to--”
The Agosti matriarch slapped him across the face, the sound echoing off the paneled walls as his head snapped to the side from the impact.
She then crossed her arms over her chest, letting out a disappointed huff, and glared at the man in front of her.
“I don’t have to do a damn thing, son. What else could possibly be happening here right now? ”
The sharp tone mixed with her frigid posture had me fearing for my life, and I wasn’t the one staring at the business end of a gun. Adair tsk-ed as she stared down the sight of her weapon. She was taking slow, measured breaths, and I tightened my hold on her hips, not sure what her plan was.
Please don’t do something reckless.
“You won’t give us information we’re entitled to. Why should we share ours?”
Lianne sneered at the man in front of her. “Oh, I’m more than happy to give you what you’re entitled to, you insufferable pain in the ass.”
“Me, too.”
My eyes went wide as Adair spoke up.
What are you doing, Hummingbird?
Time slowed to a crawl as not one, but two guns went off in the enclosed space.
The contents of one man's head splattered onto the rug and tiled floor as a scream of pain came from the other.
Letting out an angry breath and stepping forward, Lianne pressed the barrel of her gun to the forehead of the last man standing.
“Start talking or you’re next.”
The end… for now.