Chapter Twenty-Three
Giana
The crack of a branch pulled me from the peaceful moment as I jerked in Spade’s hold.
His eyes narrowed to slits, his body tensed and on high alert like a predator stalking its prey.
The snap was too loud to be caused by a critter, and judging by the violence sparkling in Spade’s gaze like stars in the sky, I knew we were on the same page.
We moved at once, like we were sharing one mind. We both leaped off the hood of the car and bounded into the line of trees at the edge of the parking lot just as a shot boomed through the air, followed by the crack and tinkle of glass splintering.
It took me a moment to discern his form as the black-clad man melded with the shadows, but Spade and I were both racing into the forest the instant I locked our attacker. Spade pulled his gun from his hip and fired off a shot before the mercenary could get off another round.
He stumbled back, a cry tearing from his lips as he clutched the arm the bullet had embedded into, his gun dropping to the forest floor.
“Ah ah ah, if you try reaching for that gun, my next shot will be right between your eyes,” Spade said in a sing-song tone that made my toes curl.
I slid my knife from its sheath on my thigh, a wide grin curling on my lips as the man lifted his hands in the air. This was exactly what I needed.
I prowled toward him, my long strides eating up the distance as Spade followed at my side. He tore off the man’s black ski mask, revealing his utterly unremarkable face. Where was Angelo getting these guys from, Mercenaries-R-US?
“Now you’re going to tell me who sent you, and what you were supposed to accomplish,” Spade purred, sending a shiver of desire up my spine.
We already knew all of that, but I used the opportunity to strip the man of his weapons, not missing the way his mouth tightened as I plucked each knife and gun from its holsters. He was definitely planning on catching him off guard before Spade had the chance to finish him off.
Just as I pulled the last one from its holster and tossed it into the pile of weaponry I’d made a few feet away, his leather-gloved hand banded around my ankle and tugged, attempting to throw me off balance.
But I was prepared for him. My pink blade sank into his other shoulder, and he immediately released me as his pained cries echoed off the towering tree trunks.
“I love it when you make them scream, sugar,” Spade said before pistol-whipping the man across the face.
His wails cut off as Spade placed the barrel back against his forehead, reminding him that his life was in our hands.
“Now are you going to answer my questions, or is my woman going to get to show off her knife skills?”
I ran the tip of the blade down the side of his throat, pausing to nick the base, right above his collarbone. “I’ve barely gotten to use my present ever since he gifted me with my pretty blades. So I’m hoping you keep stalling. I haven’t cut out a tongue in a while—now that would be fun.”
Spade beamed back at me, and I could only imagine how chilling the scene of us grinning maniacally at each other while we played with our prey would look to an outsider.
Electricity rocketed through my limbs as he let loose a pained hiss. I needed more, and thankfully I’d get it because there was no way we were letting this man walk out of here alive.
“Tick-tock,” Spade sang, a sheen of fear clouding the mercenary’s brown eyes as he shuddered.
“Angelo,” he whimpered as he sliced himself on my knife, a crimson droplet rolling down to soak into his black shirt. “He has an open hit on you three.”
“Three?” I frowned, and pulled the knife away so he could continue.
His face brightened, like he took that as a sign he might just survive the night. He definitely wouldn’t.
“He put a hit out on the three guys, but he wants you taken to him. Alive.”
I cracked my neck, suppressing the shiver that begged to slither up my spine. It seemed he wasn’t content to take us out one by one anymore. He was done playing games, and so was I. I’d use his sick need to subject me to his own torture against him.
“Thanks for the help.” Spade sighed and pulled the trigger. The shot rang through the forest like an exclamation point to the mercenary’s warning. We had to make a move, but it had to be the right one. If we chose to trust Lorenzo and he betrayed us, I would never forgive myself.
The joy that had lit up my chest only moments ago had shriveled and soured, sinking like a leaden weight in my gut.
“Hey.” Spade wrapped his arm around me, his gun still out in case we had any more unexpected visitors. “I’ll call the cleaners to take care of this. You get in the car.”
I nodded, about to pull away, but his grip on me didn’t loosen. “He won’t lay a hand on you, sugar. I promise.”
“That’s not it.” I rested my forehead against his solid chest, soaking in his comfort and warmth. “Angelo needs to be taken out, but I don’t know if trusting Lorenzo is the answer, or the decision that might damn us all.”
“I know.” He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Let’s get you home, and in bed, though, and we can talk about it in the morning. It’s not a decision that you need to take the burden of alone. You know that, right?”
“I do,” I said, smiling against the soft material of his shirt. “But thank you for always reminding me.”
“I always will.”
And I knew he would, down to the depths of my soul. I wasn’t alone, and with these three men by my side, I’d never be again.