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“Me and you are going in behind the others,” he says once he seems confident with my vest. “I want you behind me at all times with your gun drawn.”
As I’m about to ask what gun, he pulls one out from behind his back. “It’s just like the one you used when Vin took you. I watched the video feed. You seemed confident with it.”
It’s not a question, but I can see the worry in his eyes, so I nod. “I had some practice as a teen, and I’m not scared of pulling the trigger.”
That’s the best I can offer him, and I hope it’s enough not to have him changing his mind. When he closes his eyes longer than necessary to blink and takes a heavy breath, I know I’m not going to like his next words.
“We should have focused more on training you,” he says, then glances behind us as others have already exited from the house. “I believe that you want to be here, but I shouldn’t let you do this. It’s more risk than I’m willing to take with your life.”
He isn’t actually telling me that I need to stay behind, which I appreciate, but I also don’t need to be a distraction for him. Maybe there’s a happy medium we can agree on, considering I’m really only here to make sure Titan is dead by the end of the night. After all, it’s not as if I have a death wish.
“What if we compromise and I stay two houses down and only enter the house once the initial burst of bullets have passed,” I suggest, then add, “You can wait for me by the front door, and I’ll wait for you to text ‘go’ or something.”
His hands cup both my cheeks, and he presses his forehead against mine as he speaks. “I think you just might be the best thing that has, and will ever, happen to me, Olivia Danes.”
“Of course I am.” I grin widely. “I take it that you like my offer?”
“It will allow me to be more focused,” he says, pulling back. “So, yes. You stay hidden, and I promise to bring you in as soon as it’s safe.”
That’s not exactly what I said, but I let it go. If I have to, I’ll go in without him. I won’t miss my chance to make sure Titan knows he truly means nothing to me. I want him to know that he hurt me before, but that he can’t ever do so again. Not only because he’ll be dead, but because any attachments I had to him as a child have been completely severed.
Luca gives me another quick kiss that I try to savor as long as appropriate. After being unsure if he’d ever be ready to press his lips to mine, I won’t ever take these moments for granted.
“I need to go,” he says, voice deep and filled with more emotions than we have time to process right now.
“Be safe. I’ll see you soon,” I reply, squeezing both his hands before pushing him toward a waiting Jaxon and Markus. “I’ll be ready and waiting.”
At least for a little while.
27
LUCA
Leaving Olivia behind isn’t something I’d normally feel comfortable with, but twice in one day and at the same house, I’ve been left with no other options. Well, besides having forced her to stay home.
I would have done so if we’d been going after anyone other than her father. But we aren’t, so here I am, walking away from her and hoping I’m not making the biggest mistake of my life. Though, after hearing the conviction in her words about needing to be here, I don’t worry as much as I had been.
Jaxon and Markus are joining me in leading the other group inside now that we don’t have Olivia to worry about. Damon is around the back side of the house with a smaller group, and with timed precision, we march forward.
Though, this is nothing like earlier. As soon as we step foot into the yard, bullets come flying at us, so it’s time to run, ducking and dodging as best we can to avoid being hit.
It’s to our advantage to have the bigger group moving and evading, but that only lasts until we get to the front. Half of the group breaks down the plywood that was added to cover the gaping hole from the explosion. The other half goes with me through the front door, which is locked.
Since my leg still isn’t at its best, Jaxon steps forward and kicks it in within three tries but takes a bullet to the chest.
He sucks in a breath and moves behind me, waving everyone else forward. The vest stopped the bullet from actually penetrating him, but that doesn’t mean the impact doesn’t hurt like a son of a bitch.
I go ahead, gun raised and ready to shoot without question, except once again, Titan is more prepared than I expect. Rows of men line every open space within the house. All of them are armed and shooting at us.
A bullet hits me in the lower middle of my vest, and another grazes my bicep, leaving blood running down my arm. Thank fuck Olivia stayed behind, because this is going to be messy.
I fire back, taking down a man with every bullet that leaves my gun. Still, the men next to me aren’t as lucky. While plenty of Titan’s men lie dead, so do several of mine.
We continue to push forward, leaving behind our brothers and sister to be taken care of later. It’s the harsh reality of our lifestyle, and we will grieve them later.
My left arm burns from the wound, but I don’t stop shooting except when I have to replace my mag. Shouts and cries echo through the house, and the smell of blood and gunpowder is heavy in the air, but I don’t let any of that distract me as I continue to take life after life.
My eyes don’t stop searching for Titan, though. Unless he has more underground tunnels, the rat is here somewhere, likely calling for help that will never come. Even the neighbors’ concerns will go unanswered until we’re done here.
