Page 23 of Vengeance

"You've disappointed your father long enough,” Lucius said.

"It’s become a hobby of mine,” Vengeance said.

Lucius laughed. "You always did have a mouth on you." Another bullet struck the bridge—closer this time.

"We don't have much time," Vengeance whispered.

"I noticed,” Chloe grumbled. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a small black cylinder, and Chloe frowned.

"What is that?" she asked.

"It’s something that can create enough smoke to give us some cover,” he said.

"You carry smoke grenades?" she asked.

"I told you—” He pulled the pin. “I learned how to do things from the wrong people." He tossed it twenty feet to their left, and thick gray smoke immediately billowed across the clearing. "Move!" He grabbed Chloe's hand and sprinted. They stayed low, weaving through trees while the smoke concealed them. Gunfire erupted behind them as the men fired blindly into the smoke. Lucius wasn't shooting; he was listening and tracking them. Vengeance knew exactly how dangerous that made him. They reached the far side of the creek, and Vengeance slid behind a massive fallen oak.

"Catch your breath,” he ordered.

"I'm trying." Her chest heaved. "I am officially out of shape."

He almost smiled. "I've seen worse."

She shot him a glare. "I appreciate the encouragement." A flashlight beam swept through the smoke. It was Lucius, and he wasn’t rushing because he knew that eventually, Vengeance would run out of grenades and cover.

"He's hunting us," Chloe whispered.

"No." Vengeance watched Lucius carefully. "He's hunting me to get to you."

Her eyes widened. "He knows you'll go to him to protect me."

"Exactly." Lucius stopped walking. He looked directly toward their hiding place, and Vengeance's stomach dropped.

"He sees us,” she whispered.

"No, it’s worse than that,” he said.

"What?" she asked.

"He just guessed right,” Vengeance breathed.

Lucius smiled. "I know you're there, V." Only one person had ever called him that, and God, he hated that nickname. "Come on out. I don't want to shoot the girl."

Chloe looked horrified. Lucius continued, "You've made this personal."

"It already was personal,” Vengeance said.

"It doesn't have to be,” Lucius insisted.

Vengeance stood slowly. "What are you doing?" Chloe hissed.

"Buying you time,” he said.

"No,” she breathed.

"If he sees you run—" Vengeance started.

"I'm not leaving you,” Chloe insisted.