I hated being questioned. "Because it's what I want." I left it at that. I didn't need to explain myself.
"You don't need to snap at me. Usually killing someone makes you a smidge nicer."
Notice she didn't say happy. Nothing made me happy, but Sloane was right. I was normally in a much better mood after I killed a target. Krista's situation was throwing me off. That should be the first clue that I needed to drop her and forget she existed, but I couldn't do it.
"Let's just get back to the plane already." I slammed the vehicle door shut. I had shit to do. Including finding a way to get in contact with Mason. Maybe once I got him to talk, I would feel better.
Mary's house was in North Carolina. We had flown up from Florida with Krista and now needed to get back to Kentucky. We never stayed here too long. It could put Mary and everything she did in danger.
I kept to myself throughout the flight. Sloane and Nyx didn't even bother trying to talk to me. I figured I was giving off the “don't fuck with me” vibes. I hated taking my anger out on those closest to me, but I couldn't find it in me to give a shit right now.
I barely waited for the engines to shut off before I was pushing the cabin door open and exiting the plane. "I'll be at my place if anyone needs me." I didn't stick around to find out if anyone heard me. It wasn't like I could disappear and never be found again. Our compound was wired to the extreme. Everystep we took on the property was recorded. It was just as much for our safety as it was to keep people out. If my team wanted to, they could watch my every step. Any other time, I found that comforting, but right now––when I wanted to be alone––it was suffocating.
Maybe a good workout would make me feel better.
I didn't have much hope that would be the case. Usually when I was in this kind of mood, only torturing someone helped.
I was going to chalk my bad attitude up to the fact that Hakan's death was too quick, and he didn't suffer long enough. Men like him deserved weeks of torture. Not mere minutes.
Halfway through unpacking my weapons, my phone alerted me to an incoming call. I sneered at the ringing phone. "This is becoming a habit," I snapped at Wes after hitting accept.
"I assure you, I have nothing but good news for you." We would see about that. I didn't answer though, causing Wes to sigh before he continued. "I sent you an address. Meet me there at oh nine hundred tomorrow."
"I don't take orders from you."
"Maybe not but you're going to want to follow this one."
Wes was smart enough to hang up before I could chew his ass out more. I glanced at the text. It was for an address in Nashville.
I might not take orders from Wes, but I was curious enough to know what I would find when I got there.
Just this once I would give Wes slack. One of two things would happen. I would be happy with the news or Wes would piss me off enough that I would strangle him with the slack I provided.
Only time would tell.
CHAPTER TEN
ANITA
The address was for an abandoned gas station on the side of the road in a shitty part of town. Things weren't looking so hot for Wes. At this rate, I was going to make his wife a widow.
Stepping out of the Jeep, I walked over to where Wes leaned against his SUV. "You have five seconds to tell me why I'm here before I kill you for wasting my time."
Wes knew I didn't throw out empty threats. I made promises, but that didn't stop him from snickering. "I'm surprised you came alone. I thought for sure Sloane or Nyx would've tagged along to keep you under control."
They tried. It didn't end well for either of them. We weren't prone to fighting amongst ourselves, but my fuse was shorter than usual, and I was taking it out on those around me.
"Your time is up."
Wes held his hands up. "Mason Dunkin."
The cocksucker’s name stopped my forward progression. "What about him?" Wes had to see I was at the end of my rope. One wrong word and I was going to destroy a relationship seven years in the making.
"I pulled off a miracle. He's being released on a technicality in an hour. I figured you'd want to be there to pick him up."
That was the best news I had since learning Mason resurfaced. "Why the hell didn't you just tell me that yesterday?"
"And risk you fucking things up because this is too personal?" Wes shook his head. "I know you, Anita. You don't think straight when it comes to Nova. This is my way of saving your ass from yourself."
