AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was strange, how quickly I’d been willing to give up. I was going to fight Marcus Holden tooth and claw, but as soon as Jayce stepped into the room, I couldn’t. All the struggle left my body.
If someone was going to kill me, letting him do it would be better. He’d make it quick, even if I’d hurt him. He’d make it clean, even though he’d told his dad he’d make me suffer.
I wanted him to do it so at least one of us would walk out of the room alive.
I hadn’t expected his mouth on mine — I hadn’t expected him to lean in and show me he had my gun strapped to his hip.
And I didn’t expect the rapid-fire pop when he shot one man with his tongue in my mouth, then turned to shoot another as soon as he broke our kiss.
I moved without thinking, moved without worrying if I could trust Jayce. Something inside me said I could — something inside me said that I’d always been able to, and I’d been a complete idiot for wasting so much time trying to keep things from him.
I couldn’t take my actions back, but I could make sure we got through this situation now so I could tell him I was sorry.
So I could tell him who I really was.
So I could tell him I’d meant it when I told him I wanted it to be just us. I’d come here to keep him safe.
And somehow, he’d come to make sure I didn’t get killed in the process.
“Jayce, you should know better.” How did Marcus Holden still sound so arrogant, even though three of his men were dead and Jayce was moving to shoot a fourth? Sure, the mansion was huge — there was every chance there were more men in this house than we could deal with — but he was still the one stuck in the room with two men armed with guns and nothing to lose but each other.
“Come on, Dad. I thought you wanted me to be violent. I thought you wanted me to follow in your footsteps.” He raised his gun and fired. “I’m just doing what you taught me.”
I glanced around his shoulder, hoping the shot he’d taken had hit Marcus squarely in the chest — but no, there was a dead man on the ground, and Marcus was vanishing around the corner of the open living room. Had Jayce intentionally shot someone else? I couldn’t imagine this was easy for him. Even if he hated the man, even if he’d been horrible to him, was a part of him still loyal to the monster? He had raised him, after all.
I knew it was possible to be angry and still be… attached. I’d seen it before. Apparently, he wasn’t attached enough to stop himself from following the retreating figure around the corner.
“Be careful,” he said in a soft voice when I stepped behind him. “This house is crawling with people. And probably traps. God only knows where he’s going.” Jayce kept his gaze forward, but I noticed the way he shifted in front of me as we moved. He was still trying to protect me — he’d been trying to from the beginning. I wasn’t some innocent boy who needed protection, though. I was just as dangerous as he was.
Maybe it was time I showed him we could protect each other.
Even though his legs were longer than mine, it was easy to catch up and stand at his side — my gun came out level with his, and I didn’t miss the way his eyes slid to me for just a moment as his jaw tensed.
“We can do this. I’ll follow your lead.” But I’m staying at your side.
I didn’t say the words aloud. Apparently, I didn’t have to. He kept moving forward. When we rounded the corner and two more men were waiting with guns, we moved like we’d been born for it — Jayce took the man on the right with a quick shot, and I spun to put a bullet between the eyes of the one on the left. It was too easy, easier than anything I’d ever done. We moved like we were both connected to the same strings, the same muscle, the same thought.
We moved like we’d been meant to do this dance forever.
Jayce seemed to have some idea of where Marcus was going, because we wound our way through rooms, shooting when we had to — we were never out of step. When I’d been assigned the mission of taking Marcus Holden down, I’d assumed he’d have this kind of protection. I’d thought I would have to do something to get him alone, and then use my skill set to get myself out without someone noticing.
I didn’t think I’d be storming his home and leaving bodies in my wake. And if Jayce knew these people, if he’d associated with any of them, he didn’t show it as he moved methodically from room to room and shot first without checking where his gun was aiming.
We finally came to an enormous set of double doors, and I felt the first sting of pain when a gunshot rang out before I had a chance to move. The burn ripped along my bicep, and the snarl that tore from Jayce’s throat sounded like an animal. He shot the two guards beside the man who’d hit me, but he stalked forward to the one who made me bleed.
There was a rapid-fire of bangs — legs, stomach, his throat. Jayce watched him gurgle and choke on his blood before he threw the doors in front of him open.
Marcus Holden stood there with a gun aimed at Jayce’s chest, and I felt myself freeze behind him.
“There’s still a chance to stop this, Jayce. You know I appreciate violence just as much as the next man. Maybe I’ve been too easy on you after all. I never knew you had all of…” he jerked his head to the open doors behind him, “this in you.”
“I’ve always had it in me. Just not for you.”
I didn’t miss the meaning, but I didn’t like the way Marcus Holden’s gun hadn’t wavered. Maybe Jayce thought he still had some kind of protection because the man called him son.
I didn’t trust it. I didn’t trust him.
“Jayce,” I said his name softly under my breath, but he didn’t turn to look at me. The only reason I knew he’d heard was from the tension that ran through his shoulders. “We need to get out of here. You know he has connections to other families just as much as I do. He’s probably called in reinforcements. And if they were telling me the truth, and he’s struck some kind of deal with my bosses…”
