Chapter 18
Dario
The limo pulls up to Selene’s house, and I can tell she’s pissed about being brought here like a guest. Her jaw’s clenched, hands balled into fists.
“You okay, pumpkin?” I take one of her hands into mine.
She rolls her eyes. “Of course. Just ready to get this shit over with.”
After our extracurriculars in the limo, Max called. He picked up Lily from where she bailed and gave us a list of the Russian guests. Every single one that mattered was going to be there—and fuck me if it wasn’t about to be a dangerous evening.
Kaz had this feral excitement buzzing off him after the call. He was itching to spill blood.
“I’m just making sure, kitten.” My voice is soft as I rub my thumb across her knuckles.
She lets out a small sigh, smiles at me.
“Everything will go as planned.” She glances at Kaz and Keir. “We got this.”
She says it like we’ve done this a hundred times before. Like we’re a team.
It hits me in the chest. I never want to leave this woman.
“We’ll succeed. We’ll get you the vengeance you deserve.” Keir says from her other side.
I glance at him. He’s taken Selene’s other hand. And fuck me, hope blooms in my chest.
This could be it—the moment we end the hunt and go home, then bring everything back to her.
She nods, emotion flashing in her eyes. She opens her mouth to speak, but the limo door opens, and she just shakes her head with a soft smile.
“Ready, malyshka?” Kaz winks, offering her a hand.
She takes it, stepping out. Keir and I follow, and we all stand in a small circle, exchanging glances.
“Main target is Barbra,” Selene says low.
We all nod. The plan’s simple—corner Barbra, get her to the back gardens near the shed on the far side of the property. Once she’s secured, we’re free to take out whoever else we want.
Though she did tell us—very sternly—not to wreck her damn house. That had me laughing, which earned me a smack to the head.
“Let’s get to it, then.” She smiles.
She’s deadly and angelic. It does something to me I can’t explain.
Kaz offers her his arm, and she takes it as we all walk inside. The party’s already in full swing. Everyone’s masked up, even security.
I scan the room. Max said Selene’s trusted men would be marked by silver pins on their suits. I count maybe twenty of them posted around.
“May I have this dance?” Keir holds a hand out to our girl.
We’re in a modern-day ballroom, music floating around us. Of course, Give by Sleep Token is the song that begins. I can tell by the opening chords.
She takes his hand, and they head to the floor. Kaz and I hang back near the open bar, posted against the wall.
Keir pulls her in close, and they move like they’ve danced together forever. Smooth, magnetic. They’ve caught everyone’s attention, including mine.
I keep my eyes moving, but I spot a woman looking visibly pissed—the men she was talking to are now focused on our silver angel.
Barbra. Gotcha.
I nudge Kaz and nod in her direction.
“She looks disappointed, Dario,” he mutters.
“You should ask her to dance.”
I nearly gag. “I’m not doing that.”
He laughs silently, shoulders shaking. “You’re a young, mysterious man. She’ll eat it up.”
He’s right. I can fake it long enough to lure her outside. Easier than our main plan.
“Fuck. You’re right.” I groan.
I stride across the room and step up beside Barbra.
“You’re too lovely to be standing here watching.” I lean in and whisper it in her ear.
She turns, anger gone in a flash, giving me a half-baked smile. Probably all that filler holding her face together.
“Is that your way of asking me to dance?” Her voice is high, fake-sweet, like she’s trying to sound twenty years younger.
I offer my hand, voice dropping into a smooth, sultry tone. “Of course.”
I scan her bony figure stuffed into a too-tight red dress, fake tits on the verge of bursting the seams. She beams at the attention.
Faking it till you make it.
As the next song starts, I glide her to the center of the room. She presses against me, aligning our bodies like she’s trying to crawl inside my skin.
We start to move—not gracefully on her part—and I catch Selene and Keir still dancing. My girl meets my eyes, laughter twinkling in hers.
“What kind of business are you in?” Barbra asks, biting her lipstick smudged lip.
Gag.
“Finance. Just here meeting a few clients.”
“Oooh, I bet you do well.”
“I do okay. What about you, bombshell?”
She giggles. “I’m a homemaker.”
I twirl her, giving myself a break from her choking perfume.
“So, you have a husband then?” I ask, feigning disappointment.
She laughs. “No, but I’m in the market for one.”
Of course, she doesn’t mention she’s recently widowed.
“I see. Maybe we could go for a walk?” I trail my fingers down her spine.
She shivers—overacted and forced. Nothing like Selene’s real, involuntary reactions.
“I definitely think we could use some privacy.” Her voice turns into a whimper.
I start to lead her away, but she tenses. Her eyes are locked—not on Selene, thank god—but on Lily.
“You’ll have to excuse me.” She steps away.
I let her go. This is part of the plan—lure Barbra into following Lily for answers or revenge.
I move off the floor and head back to Kaz and Keir.
“Where’s our girl?” I ask, scanning the room.
“Ladies’ room,” Keir replies.
I nod and turn to Barbra. She’s rejoined the men and gestures toward Lily.
One guy pulls out a phone. No doubt texting someone.
Men without silver pins start closing in on Lily, while Barbra and the rest drift toward the glass doors. Lily notices and follows, the plan intact.
“We have to go out there,” Keir mutters.
Kaz and I nod, moving fast.
Selene’s men are already on the move. We slip outside and follow the voices.
In an open area, Lily’s on her knees, a gun to her head. Barbra stands beside the guy holding it, venom in her voice.
“You stupid bitch. You’re just like that useless girl.”
Lily spits back. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
Barbra hisses. “You didn’t sign papers saying you get it all?”
Lily laughs. “Of course I did. But what the fuck did you do with Selene?”
Crack. Barbra slaps her.
“She’s missing, you ditz.”
I catch movement—a guard crumples in the dark. Then another. And another. Till they are all motionless on the ground.
Selene.
A shot goes off. I whip my eyes to Lily—she’s fine, smiling like a maniac. The gunman’s dead at her feet.
The others panic. Barbra’s eyes dart wildly.
“You’re in trouble now,” Lily taunts.
One of them knocks her out.
“Open fire!” Barbra screams.
The remaining six form a circle, aiming blindly into the trees. One of them is aiming straight at us.
“Fuck, get down,” Keir hisses, pulling Kaz and me down.
We drop just in time. Gunfire erupts. Then silence—reloading time.
I peek through the brush. A figure emerges from behind a tree.
“Tsk, tsk, Barbra.”
Selene. Her voice is ice, sharp and cold. Unrecognizable.
The men spin to face her. We move in behind.
Max appears too, unnoticed.
“You!” Barbra shrieks.
“What the fuck is she doing?” Keir mutters.
A guy looks around at the bodies, then shouts in Russian, “Chert voz’mi, pristreli yeye!”
“NO!” Kaz bellows, charging.
I glance at Keir, confused then follow.
A gun fires.
Time stops, as if the world halts on its axis. Everyone is still standing, then it happens as if in slow motion. We are all frozen in place, shock and horror shackling our bodies.
Selene trembles, knees folding like she’s being lowered by the angels themselves. She hits the ground soft, as if the world is trying to protect her.
“Get up!” Kaz’s voice is pain filled.
“Get up moon!” His voice cracks on her nickname.
“GET UP! You don’t get to fucking leave me!” He roars.
She doesn’t move. That’s what does it, unleashing our demons.
Kaz reaches the first man and snaps his neck.
I lunge at another, fists flying. Rage consumes me. I beat him to death and continue till blood soaks my skin from his mangled face.
“Dario.” A hand lands on my shoulder. Keir.
I’m panting, blinking trying to clear the black out haze of rage.
“We have to go Dario. Barbra and Petrov got away.”
“Selene?” I croak.
He shakes his head. “She was alive—barely. Max took her to the hospital.”
I get up feeling nothing but emptiness. Kaz is kneeling where she fell. He stands slowly, nods. I don’t miss the tear tracks on his face.
“Let’s track those fuckers down.”