Page 44 of Heist in Paradise

“Shut up,” she said, sighing defeatedly. “I’m just so overwhelmed. I thought I was ready, that I was prepared. But I’m not. I have no idea what I’m doing.” Her eyes met mine. “Without you and—god, Madoc—I would’ve never have gotten this far.”

“Better.” I grinned at her.

Her cheeks warmed. “Please stay.”

My grin dropped. I turned away, unable to look at her, at those grey-blue eyes so wide and sincere. I liked it when she begged, but not like this.

Did I have a weakness for cute girls who needed saving? Or was I simply preying on that weakness? Devouring it?

Grinding my jaw, I turned back to her. “I’m not hiding.”

She frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“You want answers, I’ll get them. But you won’t like how I do it.”

In my ear, I heard my crew latch onto my words and the meaning behind them. As if on cue, Madoc reappeared in the doorway, eyes alight with hunger that made my insides lurch.

I gave him a solemn nod. “Root canal.”

His lips curled up slowly.

“You sure about this, chief?” Callum asked in my ear, his voice hitching as he came up the stairs.

My eyes flickered to Olivia. She stared back at me questionably. “No.”

But fuck it. I was doing it anyway.

Ryle arrived next, looking pale but determined, gun already in hand. I took one look at him, all his twitchy glory, and said, “You stay with Olivia.”

Instantly, his face dropped. “I’m not a kid.”

He was, but I knew better than to point that out right now. “Someone needs to make sure she doesn’t get tangled in the insulation.”

Olivia chirped in outrage. “That is so—”

Ryle’s protests were louder: “I hate when you treat me with kid gloves. It’s bullshit.” He pouted and shuffled into the room like a moody teenager.

Madoc kicked his shin as he passed, a solitary reassurance that made Ryle hiss and hobble. “Dick.”

I met Callum, Zola, and Nate on the landing, all of them masked and armed, which made my chest swell up all prideful.

“Secure the painting.”

Zola nodded, dark eyes glinting dangerously above her pretty rhinestone mask. Madoc slipped out behind me and prowled up the stairs. His eagerness for bloodshed should’ve been alarming to me—instead, I found it strangely arousing. My own blood started to boil, my heart thumping hard.

I shot one last glance at Olivia. She met my gaze steadily, even as my demons unleashed from their brittle chains.

She wanted a savior. I’d give her a monster instead.

As I lunged up the stairs, I sank deeper into the crimson-tinged fog. By the time I made it to the bedroom door, I was feral. Callum stood on my left, Madoc on my right. Nate covered my back, for once, utterly still and silent.

We didn’t say a word.

And when the door opened, we attacked.

JAX

“Wha—?”