Chapter 11 #2
Good. I can’t be on babysitter duty to keep her from turning any one of the weapons on herself. If she even thinks about trying, I’ll bend her over my fucking knee for daring to challenge who it is that owns her heart, body, and soul.
Gunfire sounds off in the distance and she starts to pace, her face growing pale in the fading light of day. It’s almost nightfall and based on the slowing increments between shots, I’d say Rune should be done any minute now.
I approach Odessa and press my front to her back, halting the ditch she’s pacing into the earth.
I wrap my arms around her and hold her against me, just feeling the heat of her body intertwine with mine.
I’m not afraid of this fucker, and I’m honestly not thrilled about the prospect of bringing Odessa into the fucking thick of it, but I will not deny her revenge.
My earpiece crackles before Rune’s voice sounds, causing Odessa to jump.
“Exterior all clear. There are some men scrambling inside, but Calix and I haven’t seen anyone exit the premises.
I took down as many as I could through the windows, but I’d bet my left nut that the rest are hunkering down with Ferrero. ”
“Don’t say that,” Calix whines in our ears. “I like your left nut as much as I like the right one. Especially when?—”
“ Calix —” Rune and I hiss at the same time.
“What, we all like balls here, don’t we?”
“I’ll have your ass for that,” Rune grumbles. I watch the backs of my little Wraith’s ears turn fire red, clueing me in to the flush taking over her at what she’s hearing.
“You promise?” Calix chuckles. I swear under my breath.
Grabbing Odessa’s chin, I tip her head back until she’s staring at me upside down. My stern expression is unrelenting and has her swallowing nervously.
“You are to stay behind me at all times. I can’t protect you if you let your emotions get the better of you and go charging ahead of me full steam.
You let me take out whatever fuckers are in there until we find Ferrero.
His kill is yours, but you have to let me take him down first. We work together. Do you understand, Wraith? ”
Her eyes bore into me with a sense of understanding before she nods in my grip. “I’ll stay behind you,” she promises. “But what if you get hurt?”
She’s worried about me?
Why the fuck does that make a strange heat spread throughout my body?
I shove it away and allow an unhinged grin to pull at my lips and bend down until my lips brush hers.
“You worried about me, little Wraith ?”
“Yes.” Her whispered answer is immediate.
Nipping at her lower lip before straightening, I pick up my quiver and sling it over my back.
I check my handgun before tucking it away in the holster beneath my arm.
I pull my mask and my riding cowl from my bag and hand the cowl to her.
I pull mine over my mouth and nose and look at her once she’s covered.
I can’t focus on just how good she looks.
She’s a fucking distraction and we can’t have that.
I turn back to her and snort, grabbing her hand and lacing her fingers through my back belt loop. “It’d take a lot more than Santino fucking Ferrero to kill the Cupid Killer, baby.”
The closer we get, the more my heart pounds at the thrill of finally getting to kill somebody. I stop us just shy of the clearing and keep hidden behind several large trees as I press my earpiece.
“Perimeter clear?”
“Affirmative. North entrance clear.”
“South side clear.”
Their confirmation is all I need. I know they’re still stationed just outside the estate and can cover us, if needed.
Guiding her through a weak, broken portion of the fencing, we make our way to the house hidden away in the hill of the island.
Bodies litter the ground, most of them dead with near perfect bullseye bullet wounds between their eyes, and others some shots to the center of their chests.
Odessa releases my belt loop and before I can snap at her, she switches her grip and grabs the fabric of my shirt in a tight death grip.
“Jesus Christ,” she whispers behind me.
“He’s got nothing to do with this shit,” I murmur behind my mask.
My earpiece crackles before Calix’s voice cuts in.
“Some movement on the main level but I can’t get a shot. There can’t be more than a handful of guards inside.”
“Fucking amateurs.”
I huff. “We’re almost there. Stay vigilant.”
“Always, A . ”
We reach the front door, of which the handle has been conveniently blown off.
Thank you, Rune.
“You ready, Wraith? ” I ask, not really caring whether she’s ready or not. Santino Ferrero will die and he’ll die tonight. “Where will you stay?”
“Behind you.”
“Good girl.”
She fucking shudders. I file that away for later. After tonight, I’ll have a fucking lifetime of pushing Odessa to her limits and discovering all the ways that I can make her scream my name.
Clapping my hands once, I rub my palms together and let the chaos flood through my veins, injecting a hefty dose of pure adrenaline into my body. I break out into a grin.
“It’s a good day to kill a mafia don. Shall we, Wraith ?”