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“I don’t use guns.” I flicked the metal barrel, the cold touch of it sending a shiver up my spine. I wrinkled my nose in disdain as he waved the weapon around. My mind tried to tear me away from reality to the suffocating memory of the last time I used one. But with a simple shake of my head and click of my tongue, I went back to preparing for this job.
“Going to have to sometime,” Logan grumbled under his breath, frustrated. His hand tightened around the grip of the gun as he holstered it.
“But I don’t now.” I smirked at him.
He continued grabbing his array of weapons—I swear he had more than a fucking ninja. At least three guns, a few blades, and something that looked a lot like a homemade taser. A bit overkill for the Skorpions.
I glanced up at the house. The lights were on downstairs, with music blaring so loud it shook the ground. My heart thundered in my chest as I tried to rationalize how we were going to do this, on this night of all nights.
“We can’t do this when there are less…well…people?” I asked, the bass traveling through the grass yard, shaking my boots.
“Our payments are due next week.”
“Liam’spayment,” I corrected without thinking.
Logan gave me a pointed look but didn’t say anything. I wondered if he agreed. After all, it was Laila who got us into this mess. Laila hated me, but I always thought she had a thing for Logan. Most people did. I thought of Audry and what she would think of him.Would he be her type?Jealousy bubbled in my stomach, twisting it into knots. I shook the thought away.
“Come on.” He motioned.
We snuck around the side of the house, staying low. This was the Skorpios’ main point of operation. The fact that we were even hitting them for the bounty was beyond me. This violated so many rules…not that anyone followed them to the letter. The three major families weren’t above hitting a rival, killing an enemy regardless of ties, or messing with the others’ business. The only rule that everyone obeyed was the neutral territory that the Santora’s had drawn up. No one fucked with a Santora, and they didn’t fuck with anyone.
At least they didn’t till Nate,I reminded myself.
The party goers danced, their silhouettes visible from the windows. Changing color lights pulsed, bringing a bright blue light across the outside. Shadows stood on the property, the trees drenched in the ominous glow.
Logan motioned for me to continue, pulling his mask down. I pulled mine down as well, working my way into the back. Liam would already be inside as our back-up plan if things went wrong.
The bounty wasn’t on a person, at least. No, it was on a piece of stolen property. Allegedly, the Skorpions stole a few art pieces from this rich asshole who lived on top of the cliffs.
The other side of town was full of them. Rich people with their gaudy cars and beachfront properties. But the ones on the cliffs were the most expensive. Filled to the brim with those that prefer privacy over convenience. With how they were growing, I wouldn’t be surprised if they became a major player, either by backing an already established organization or creating their own.
We made our way through the back door, turning right toward the stairs. Our footsteps were quiet, and the map of the house was memorized through hours of studying the plan. There were rumors going around about Jared Skorpios—the current de facto leader—bragging about keeping the art on property. He was debating on where to display it, and until he got a hold of a very specific decorator, he was going to keep them somewhere safe.
Now, where do assholes like him think aresafe? His bedroom, of course. A sex worker who made her way into Carson’s care mentioned that behind the bookshelf was a panic room filled with a variety of stolen goods. That was where we banked on him having it.
Voices wandered through the corridor, stopping us in our tracks. The bounty said any means necessary…but, as I gripped my blade, I hesitated.
Logan yanked me by the collar into a side closet. He left the door open just a crack.
We watched as a couple walked down the hallway, their footsteps softened by the obnoxious red carpet. Easier to hide stains, I suppose.
“What the fuck was that?” Logan hissed in my ear.
“Don’t worry about it.” I shrugged him off as we continued to the end of the corridor and up the last set of steps. Jared’s bedroom was in the walk-up attic. As we moved over the last step, I saw why.
Large windows overlooked the darkened property, tall enough to frame a perfect view of the starry sky. His large king bed rested against the wall opposite, mirrors plastered on the wall behind and above it. I shuddered at the thought as to why. Jared was known for his perversions. Most of Carson’s girls who wanted out of the life came from him.
I spotted the bookshelf just as we heard the steps thundering up the stairs.
“Get to it then, thief,” Logan instructed. That was my job, after all. My special ability and the reason Samuel kept me around all these years.
After Laila, Logan, and I were at risk—risk that was bigger than death—our punishment would have involved plenty of sharp implements and hours of screaming. But Liam made a deal that we would pay his father back. In return, Samuel restricted our access to certain benefits of being a member and told us to figure out how to pay him back ourselves. This was our lives now—bounty hunters.
I hurried as I unlatched the safety. But not much else was needed. I cocked my head, confused. “It isn’t locked?”
“What?” Logan stumbled closer, taking a better look. “This isn’t worth it. Let’s get out of here.”
But the footsteps were nearing the top. “Fuck.” I opened the door to the panic room. “Get in.” I pointed.
