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17
RAVAGE
“Tell me you didn’t.”
“I did.”
“Dammit, man.” The vein in Knox’s neck pulsed with anger. “She’s my fucking niece.”
“I know.”
“She’s family!” he roared.
“I know.”
“She’s just a kid.”
“Ummm.” I winced. “She was a kid… She’s not anymore.”
“That doesn’t change a fucking thing.”
“I know.”
He clenched his fists at his sides, trying his damnedest not to end me right then and there. I didn’t try to defend myself. I’d fucked up. I deserved whatever he dished out. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
The answer was simple.
I wasn’t thinking.
Not when she looked at me the way she did that night. Not when she’d asked me for something I never should have agreed to give. Not when I’d spent months pretending I didn’t want her. I didn’t know how the hell I was going to explain that to Knox, especially when we were about to head into a fight we couldn’t afford to lose.
I was trying to think of something to say that would defuse the situation when Stone stepped between us and snapped, “Enough. This isn’t the time. We’ve got a fucking job to do.”
Knox kept glaring at me like he wasn’t ready to let it go, but after a nudge from Coop, he shook his head and headed for the SUV. Reaper was already behind the wheel and sitting on go, just waiting for the others to fall in line.
Stone and the others climbed into the designated rides, each checking their weapons and gear without saying a word. I got in the back with Lucky, while Knox climbed in front. None of us said a word as Reaper threw the truck in gear and started for the gate.
The others followed close behind. I didn’t have to see Knox’s face to know he was still fuming. Hell, I could feel the anger radiating off him. I hated that it had come down to this. He wasn’t just my best friend. He was my brother. I’d spent years standing at his side, and I trusted him with my life.
And up until now, he’d felt the same about me.
He had every right to be pissed. He had every right to hate me. But hating me wouldn’t change anything. Emery was mine, and not because I’d forced her hand or made the decision for her. She wanted this just as much as I did, and that wasn’t going to change any time soon.
So whatever happened with Knox and me, I wasn’t walking away.
I was pulled from my thoughts when Reaper announced, “We’re gettin’ close.”
I glanced out the window and watched as the city blurred past us. The familiar city streets quickly gave way to the rougher part of the industrial district. My pulse picked up as the warehouse came into view. This was it. This was the moment we had all been waiting for, and that had my adrenaline kicking up into high gear.
I lived for moments like this. We all did. It was our chance to remind our adversaries why we were Fury. Reaper pulled into the lot across the street, well out of view from the warehouse, and the others followed behind us. I checked my Glock and adjusted my vest as I looked over at the warehouse.
It was just after eight. Normally, a place like this would be shut down for the night, but something was going on. Hell, the parking lot was full, and all the lights were on. That could only mean one thing. The Armenians were inside, and soon, this bullshit would be done.
I didn’t know all the ins and outs of how Mercy had come up with the plan. I didn’t know how he’d gotten the explosives in place or how he’d worked out the timing, the escape route, and every other detail he’d put in place. It wasn’t my job to know. My job was to cover the rear entry with Reaper and Lucky, and that was all I needed to know.
That and the fact that the Vipers were across town, preparing to take out the second warehouse. The rest was just details, and I trusted Mercy to make sure everything was covered. He always did.
The hard part was done. Now all we had to do was wait for the signal, then we would hit these assholes hard enough to cripple their operation. And we would do it in a way that would leave them with no way to fight back.
