Chapter Twelve
S lade
“Are you sure you’re ready to do this?” Elijah asked.
I pulled the black shirt over my head. “Yep.”
“But is now the right time to make this move? During the day, when everyone can see?”
I fastened the 9mm to the holster and put my wallet in the back pocket. He was right; it was risky doing this, but I had to see what we were working with. I needed to beat them at their own game, and something told me the fiance wouldn’t go down without a fight.
My jaw ticked. “What’s your real problem?”
He stepped back. “I don’t have a problem. I just think you’re being stupid by not using backup.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “No. That’s not why you’re questioning my authority. It’s something else.”
He rubbed a hand down his face. “ Fine. I think it’s bullshit you’re doing a recon mission in broad daylight without backup, because I know what your weakness is.”
I laughed and walked around him. “You’re delusional, man.”
“I know your weakness, King.” I stiffened. I wasn’t shocked that he knew my weakness, but I was put off by the fact that he was going that route. He was my best friend, and we had been through pretty much everything together, but he hated Raven. I wouldn’t put it past him to kill her if he had the chance. Yet, he knew she was mine to deal with, so he’d back off, but still. He was testing me.
“And while you act like a cold-blooded killer, I know for a fact that the second you’re in the vicinity of that woman, she’ll break you down, and all the walls you’ve built will cease to exist.”
In a split second, I was in his face with my hand gripping his throat. “You come at me like that again, and best friend or not, I’ll kill you myself.”
He flinched but nodded.
I let go of his neck and walked out the room. It didn’t matter what he thought. It didn’t matter what any of them thought. I didn’t have feelings for her anymore. She was a means to an end. And if that end involved my gun being pushed into her chest to save my daughter from that asshole, then I would gladly be the one pulling the trigger.
No, by the end of this game, the Queen’s chess piece would fall.