Chapter 13
Thirteen
Hayden
Just one more job and I’m done.
One more job and I can enjoy the rest of my life with Jaclyn.
My ribs are throbbing, deep and aching pulses with every breath or movement. My knuckles are still crusted over from the fight last night.
I’m driving to one of the locations that Killian sent me. I guess this is where the thief is who has been stealing from him. He wants me to handle it, kill him.
My hands keep clenching around the steering wheel as I drive over to the location.
Jaclyn texted me last night telling me to make it home to her and our kids. I texted her back saying that I promise I will and nothing will stop me from coming home.
This mission isn’t complicated.
I’ve gone on more complicated missions before so this is nothing.
I’m driving through East Oakland in a blacked out M4. Something quick to get away in and run from the cops since guns will go off.
I have a Glock on the passenger seat of the car.
My nerves are suddenly sky rocketing as if this is my first time doing a kill.
My ribs are in fucking pain, I want to go home to my kids and wife, and I am fucking anxious as hell to go in there. I just have this gut feeling that this won’t be a quick and clean kill like I agreed with Killian.
When I get to the location I park the car in a safe spot.
I step out into the California heat, air thick with grime and city sweat.
The building I parked in front of looks abandoned, tagged up and hollow but I knew better.
People like Craig, the person who is stealing from Killian, like hiding in the shadows.
I climb up the stairs, fast and silent. The door is already cracked open and that should have been my first red flag but I ignore it.
I pull out my gun from my waistband and hold it up as I slowly walk inside.
The place is trashed, overturned furniture, broken bottles, white powder and needles on the floor.
“Been waiting for you to finally find me.” Craig walks out of the rooms in the hallway.
Craig is an older guy, balding already and he has a nice, clean suit on.
Killian always liked hiring clean and decent looking people to work for him since he says that appearance goes a long way and it pays off.
“I thought Killian would have come to send his goodbyes.”
“I’m not here to play games. We both know why I’m here. You’ve been bleeding Killian dry, slowly but enough for him to notice. I don’t know if that makes you ballsy or stupid.”
He shrugs. “Killian has enough money to wipe his ass with gold. What’s a few hundred grand?”
“You think this is about the money?” I raise an eyebrow at him. “It’s about loyalty.”
Craig tilts his head. “Funny coming from you because word is that you want to walk away.”
“I didn’t come here to talk.” I pull back the chamber.
“No, you came here to die, apparently.”
His hand moves fast, drawing his gun from his waistband. But I’m faster. I duck sideways as the first shot rings.
I take cover and fire my gun at him. The bullet grazes him as he winces. He covers his arm with his hand and that’s when I come out and shoot him once more in the chest.
He falls to his back, wincing and crying out in pain.
“You made the wrong choice and because of that, you’ll die.” Craig smirks while looking up at me as he puts pressure on his wounds, his gun laying to the side.
“What’s so funny?” I ask, resting my foot on his chest and putting pressure where his heart is located.
“You didn’t scan the house.”
I furrow my eyebrows after another shot rings in the air.
Pain explodes through my stomach, like fire spreading across my skin. My breath punched out of my lungs as I stagger back, clutching my stomach. Blood soaks through my shirt, hot and sticky.
I turn and see a guy, someone who was helping Craig.
I drop to one knee, the gun still in my hand as my vision blurs.
“You chose the wrong team, Night,” the guy says as he raises the gun to me.
I don’t think twice before shooting him. His eyes widen as I pull the trigger, once, twice.
He crumbles like a puppet with cut strings and he falls to the ground.
I fall back, the world tilts sideways.
Jaclyn’s face flickers in my mind, soft and angry, beautiful and tired. I think of the flowers and the note I sent her.
“I plan on coming back home to you.”
I want to believe that.
I grab my phone and take deep breaths, struggling to keep my eyes open as I go to the first contact I see.
Rowan.
I click his contact and the phone rings before I hear his voice on the other end of the phone.
“About time you take my calls, fucker.”
“I’ve been shot, you idiot.”
“Fuck, where are you?”
I hear his voice muffle before everything goes dark.