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Roxy tries to stomp away, but I circle my arm around her waist and toss her back to Ryder. Someone out there is trying to kill us, and they don’t care who gets caught in the crossfire. But I refuse to let it be her. I hear her arguing before a smack sounds and she yelps.
“You spank me again, buddy, and I’ll chop off your hand and give it to D.” I grin at that, even as I keep my eyes peeled, scanning everything as we walk. I don’t like it, it doesn’t feel right.
As we cross the road, the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Clicking open my holster, I palm my gun. The others must notice, because they go quiet, and I feel them move in closer behind me, their own weapons undoubtedly drawn. Putting my back to the wall, I scan the surrounding area, and my eyes catch on a glint from the opposite alley just as they start shooting.
Grabbing Roxy, I slam her to the wall behind us and place my back to her front as I take aim and fire back. The others surround her, protecting her as they shoot. The shots are going wide, so these aren’t hitters, this is sloppy and desperate. One comes way too close, though, so blowing out a breath, I narrow my eyes and fire, watching the man go down with a scream. Two more sounds of bullets finding their homes drift to us, and the shooting stops.
Breathing evenly, I scan the area for any more hitters. Roxy is grabbing onto my back, but I ignore her as I keep watch. “Garr—” She yells before pulling my second gun from the base of my spine.
I turn just in time to see her take aim and fire at a man creeping up on my left, obviously hiding and waiting for us at our car. She hits him dead between the eyes, but she fires again and again. The bullets hit him in the chest as he jerks and goes down.
I look at her, my eyebrows raised. Her eyes are round, her breathing coming in short bursts, and her face is pale, but when she looks at me, she nods and hands back the gun. I shake my head. “Keep it for now.”
She blinks before a small smile curves her lips, and then she clicks on the safety and keeps it next to her leg. “Let’s go,” I bark. “I don’t want to be caught in the open again.”
“I’ve already texted the chief, he’ll cover this up,” Kenzo offers, as I grab Roxy’s hand and stride past the person she killed. I open the car and push her inside before making sure the others get in. Only when they’re inside and safe do I round the hood, gun still drawn, and leap into the driver’s seat. Putting the gun on the console, I rev the engine and get the hell out of there.
Once we’re a few blocks away, I relax my hands on the wheel but don’t stop checking in case anyone followed us. How the fuck did they know we were there? Did Tiny betray her? No, he wouldn’t have had enough time, which means…
“Someone followed us.” Ryder sighs, obviously coming to the same conclusion.
“Yup,” I snarl. “Probably from the building. They weren’t professionals though. It was rushed, they took their opportunity.” I smash my fists into the wheel. That was sloppy but too close, especially with Roxy there.
My eyes go to the mirror and lock on hers in the backseat. Killing someone for the first time is hard. It takes a piece of you, a piece I’m used to, but she probably isn’t. She’s used to dealing with bad people, but there is a difference between kicking ass with a bat and shooting someone. Her head is on Kenzo’s shoulder, who drops a kiss there. Her other hand is held in Diesel’s, who is playing with it as he watches her. But her eyes are locked on me. They aren’t scared or even concerned. They are calm.
“You did good.” I nod. “Thank you.”
She saved my ass. Why? She hates us, hates that we stole her. She could have easily let me die, but instead, she took a life to save mine. She smiles softly, those lips I’m obsessed with curling up. “You’re welcome. Nice gun, by the way. I’m going to call it Killer.”
I snort, unable to help myself. “No one names their guns.”
“Ahem,” Diesel coughs.
“Okay, no one sane does.” I laugh. I notice Ryder is on his phone, no doubt conversing with security at the building and the police.
“I want CCTV from around the building. Find out who they were, go to the office, and get their prints and identities from the police. I want security doubled. We’re going into lock down. Someone wants us dead. Hire more men if you need to.”
I leave him to it. He’s good at his job. Mine is to keep us alive, but his is to make all the plans. So I focus on driving, ignoring the speed limit. No one would dare pull us over. “I’m hungry,” Roxy whines.
Ryder hangs up and looks over at her. “We’ll be home soon.”
The fact that she doesn’t question the wordhomesends something soft through me that I want to squash, but I can’t seem to when she’s around. “But, Ryder, I’m hungry too,” Diesel complains, and then Kenzo joins in.
Ryder sighs, pinching his nose like he’s getting a headache, and I can’t help but laugh. This must be killing him. She’s throwing all his perfect plans and control out of the window. I might dislike her because of what she represents and because I can’t stop thinking about her, but Ryder? Ryder will hate her because she’s his weakness.
“We could stop at Rizzo’s,” I suggest. “Red might know something about the hit anyway, and if anyone is waiting for us, they would expect us to head straight home to regroup.” I shrug.
Ryder looks at me incredulously. “Not you too.”
“I like their burgers.” I grin, and he sighs, knowing he’s defeated.
“Fine, we go through the back though,” he warns, and I nod, checking the mirrors before changing lanes and heading to the upscale Italian place run by an ex-assassin. He’s also the guy who taught me how to fight, a good, trustworthy man. Ryder doesn’t trust anyone with our lives or business, and he’s the only man who comes close to knowing any of it, meaning he’s someone we trust with part of our lives.
I don’t head to the front entrance, but around the alley out back. I get out first, checking it over before opening the back door and letting Diesel and Roxy tumble out. Staying close, knowing she’s the most likely to panic in a situation, I lay my hand on her back and steer her to the back door which Ryder is opening. He lets us in first, and Diesel takes up the rear. We only relax once it slams shut.
Putting my gun away, I keep my hand on Roxy to keep her close in case anything happens. That’s what I tell myself anyway. I poke my head around the kitchen door as we pass it, grinning when I spot Red barking orders. “Hey, old man, got room for us?”
He glances over, the snarl on his face transforming into a wide, crooked grin. His bald head gleams under the light, and his huge, scarred, tattooed body is encased in a chef’s jacket and trousers. “Garrett, my boy! Always!” He heads my way, enclosing me in a big bear hug before pulling away and smiling at the others, then his eyes catch on Roxy and widen.
