Chapter 39 Cataclysm
Cataclysm
The following morning, I woke to a strange sense of dread. I felt heavy, weighted down by more than just the strain in my muscles from all the “brat taming” Darren did yesterday.
Either my tolerance for his ruthlessness was increasing or my body had finally figured out how to run on nothing but spite. But none of it compared to the mountain of anticipation that pulsed in my chest at the realization of just one more day.
What the hell would my tomorrow look like after it was over? What bed would I wake up in then? Or was this all just another pipe dream?
Fuck, what if the whole operation failed? What if Darren survives and it only makes things worse? Matt didn’t give me shit to work with, and now, I was living on pins and needles of what-ifs and hows.
What if Jason really did join the fight tomorrow, and Darren killed him? My heart broke at the very thought. It was an incredibly high possibility, and I knew the opportunity would be all too pleasurable for Darren.
He’d probably strive to take him alive just to slowly torture him to death while I watched. I could not let that happen. When the time came, I would have to make sure the fight was successful.
After washing up and readying for what could be my last day of this life, I took Camaro down to the dining room for a late breakfast. I noticed an unusual amount of guards posted throughout the house, heightening my nerves even more for tomorrow’s impending battle.
Darren was nowhere to be seen, making me wonder what his agenda would be for the day. So I just asked my question aloud hoping one of the dozen guards nearby would hear and answer.
“Anyone know where the boss is?” I asked sardonically.
The room was silent for several awkward seconds until someone finally spoke up.
“He’s out riding this morning, Mrs. Davis,” one of the guards replied.
I nodded my acknowledgment, fixing myself a plate of waffles and fruit while Camaro went for her dog bowl nearby. At least I’d have some time alone to calm my nerves before Darren came back.
I picked at my breakfast quietly, finding my appetite to be a continued struggle. I couldn’t eat when my nerves were this shot. But I had to keep up appearances and force myself to eat. I would need my strength for whatever tomorrow brought.
Barely finishing my plate, I stood from my seat, ready to go see Luna, the horse Darren had gifted me as a wedding present. But just as I was about to head for the door, I was immediately halted, the guard standing at the door raising his hand.
“Sorry, Mrs. Davis, but you’re to remain inside today unless accompanied by Mr. Davis. No exceptions.”
My eyes went wide with rage. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“No, ma’am,” he answered, shaking his head with what almost seemed like sympathy.
“Why?”
“It’s not my place to question him.”
I rolled my eyes at the useless response. “Well, when is he coming back?”
“I’m not sure,” he answered.
“How long ago did he leave?”
“About thirty minutes ago.”
I groaned and spun away in frustration.
Fuck.
He would probably be gone for another hour or two. That motherfucker.
Fresh with rage, I stormed down the hallway with Camaro attempting to keep up behind me. Rounding the corner, I headed for the gym to relieve my anger with a punching bag when the sound of a helicopter flying nearby caught my attention.
If Darren was out riding, why was there a helicopter? Was he expecting someone?
The answer to my question came when the hallway ahead of me suddenly exploded. A storm of fire and heat and debris erupted in front of me, the mass of which was enough to send me flying backward, landing hard on my back and side.
Pain burst throughout my shoulder and hips, radiating straight to my pelvis.
The heat of the fire licked at my skin, competing for attention as my ears rang from the roar of the blast. I could barely hear the rest of the security alarms going off, the muffled sound blaring in and out all around the house.
My vision wasn’t much better as I tried to fight through the disorientation, the room tilting on its side as water from the sprinkler system began raining down, soaking everything as it tackled the fire.
Somewhere beyond the noise, I could hear Camaro barking, but I couldn’t get my body to fucking cooperate. I struggled to pull myself up, the water soaking my clothes and making me feel even heavier than my rocked limbs already did.
“Camaro!” I screamed through the noise, trying to see past the water, smoke, and debris to find her. Despite multiple voices shouting and alarms blaring, I could hear her barking, her sharp whine leading me as I stumbled through the mess.
When the sprinkler system stopped, my eyes could focus, clarity finally returning to my rocked system. As I climbed over the debris, the sound of more men yelling had me rushing through until I finally found my poor dog stuck under some of the rubble of the house.
Lifting the heavy, wet boards up, Camaro scrambled to her feet, her body moving naturally without any painful cries. Relief filled me when I realized she wasn’t injured but quickly sank to dread when the sound of gunfire caught my ears.
Shit, was this the attack? They were a fucking day early!
“Mrs. Davis!” More shouts came from behind me. “Get down!” A group of guards had made their way into the hallway just when another group of gunmen entered from the destroyed blast site.
“Shit!” I yelled, ducking down behind more debris with Camaro just as the gunfire went off.
What the fuck had happened? Had Matt lied to me? I knew I was a goddamn fool for trusting him.
Cursing Matt for denying the very important details, I waited for the gunfire to cease before grabbing Camaro by the collar and rushing into the next room.
After I practically threw ourselves into the space, I realized we had made it into the parlor.
As the guards fought off the approaching gunmen, I raced to one of the cabinets and threw it open, grabbing one of Camaro’s protective body covers.
“Come here, girl,” I called, placing the body armor over her wet and dirt-covered torso, quickly strapping it on and tightening it as fast as I could. She growled as her paws clicked madly over the wood floors, her body turning toward the door to guard me.
With Camaro secure, I grabbed the armor fitted for me and strapped it over my wet clothes. Darren had once shown me where at least ten of these armor kits were hidden around the house.
He had little fail-safes scattered throughout every piece of property he owned for this very reason, but the ones I knew about where meant only for me, which meant they didn’t include any fucking guns, only knives, tasers, and first-aid kits.
As I tightened the straps, I remembered that Matt had warned me to be away from the house before the fight started.
Clearly, whoever was here wasn’t too keen on ensuring I didn’t get caught in the crossfire.
They’d blown up the side of the house I’d been walking through and shot in every direction without hesitation.
Did Matt tell them I wouldn’t be here?? That wouldn’t make sense if they were attacking early!
Something was off about this attack. An objective to refrain from shooting at a very obvious redheaded woman with a dog should be an easy order to follow, but these guys weren’t even looking.
What the fuck kind of rescue operation was this?
What if this isn’t your rescue mission at all?
My throat went dry at the very real possibility of that. Darren had many enemies. But what were the chances of back-to-back attacks from different adversaries?
The more I thought about it, the less sense any of this made.
Dread seeped into my stomach as I considered the probability that Jason might not actually be in this fight.
That I was about to engage in the wrong attack and completely blow my redemption period with Darren.
If he caught me doing this and we both lived, I was going to be so fucked.
But there was only one way to know any of this for sure, and that meant shoving his latest rule right out the fucking window.
Like you were going to follow it anyway.
“Camaro,” I called, patting the side of my thigh for her to follow.
With knives in both hands, I slowly made my way around the doorway into the quiet hallway. I could see a few bodies crumpled over the debris of the house. Otherwise, no one else was around.
Hopefully, their guns were still attached. But then the sound of more heavy boots came barreling around the corner, fifty feet in front of me.
Only one way to find out if they’re here for me.
Hating this strategy, I stood just outside the doorway and waited for them to notice me. When they did, they all paused in unison, and I held my breath.
“Uh…hi?” I waved awkwardly.
Hi? That’s what you say?
I would have punched my inner monologue self, but I didn’t have the time. Devastation was just as swift as the bullets that were suddenly shot my way by the gunmen, forcing me to duck down and back into the room.
FUCK!
Rolling to the floor, I ducked down behind one of the couches as Camaro followed, moving just as quickly as the approaching footsteps. Hiding against the side of the tall liquor cabinet, I waited silently as the gunmen spread out into the room.
Thank fuck for all the noise and gunfire still going on around us, otherwise they probably would have heard Camaro’s panting next to me.
When the gunmen gathered into the right formation, I clutched my blades against my palms and made my move.
Sprinting into a run, I launched myself at the closest one before they noticed me, eliminating the distance he would need to shoot me. Both knives sank deep on either side of his neck as my legs wrapped around his waist, my front to his back.
The distraction gave Camaro the advantage of a sneak attack as she launched herself onto the closest gunman and trapped his jugular between her jaws.