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“I counted six earlier.” As soon as the words left my mouth, the sound of gunshots coming from the lake echoed up through the trees. “Let’s go.” I pulled the knife out of the dead man’s heart and wiped the blood off in the snow. Orin handed me a shotgun, and we rushed through the trees towards the lake.
It was quiet. Almost too quiet as the cabins came into view. Goodacre was going to pay for this, no matter what the cost. My life wasn’t important. All that mattered was Nova. I would not let her live the rest of her life in fear.
Goodacre’s truck was parked out front of the cabin Milliani was staying in, smoke billowing out from the chimney. Were Harvey and Eros in there? Had they been able to get to him?
The closer we got, the more the knot in my stomach grew. This had to be a trap, but there was no turning back now. I sucked in a deep breath and gripped Orin’s shoulder. “Go around back and I’ll take the front. If you see Goodacre, put a bullet in his fucking head.”
He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, squeezing me tight for a moment as he pressed his forehead to mine. No other words needed to be said. We all knew what had to be done and what the possible outcomes were. Valik nodded and pumped his shotgun, and they took off.
Only when they were around the corner did I ascend the stairs, my boots heavy as they pounded up the icy steps.
This ends tonight.
I kicked the door open, my shotgun raised as I burst into the room.
Ryzen Goodacre stood by the fireplace, a twisted smile on his face as he turned to face me. An eyepatch covered his right eye from where Nova had stabbed him.
“Just on time, Blackwood.” He chuckled as he raised his hand up, holding a walkie-talkie. There was a gun holstered on his hip, and I narrowed my eyes at what looked like a hand grenade on his belt.
Psychopath. I pumped the shotgun, aiming for his head.
“Ah-ah. I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” His lips curled at the corners, and my finger wavered for a moment.
He was too fucking calm. My eyes darted around the room, looking for any of his men. Had we killed them all? I took a step forward, never taking my eyes off him as I kicked the door shut.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, Goodacre.” Venom dripped from my voice as I circled around the couch, moving closer to him.
He smirked and pressed the button on the side of the walkie-talkie. “What do you see, Andre?” The room was quiet for a moment as I held my breath, ready to pull the trigger at any moment.
A thick Russian accent boomed through the device a second later, my heart stopping at his words. “I have the La Roux woman in my scope. She’s headed our way. What are your orders?”
The way Goodacre smiled made my blood run cold. He was lying. He had to be. Nova was safe in the panic room. She wouldn’t have left.
“I don’t know, Blackwood. Whataremy orders, hm?” He quirked his eyebrow.
“You’re full of shit,” I snarled, my heart racing.
“Am I? Do you want to find out?” His sinister laugh echoed through the room, and I was once again reminded that he was a damn lunatic. He pressed the button on the walkie, a gleam in his eye. “If you don’t hear from me in sixty seconds, shoot her.”
My heart pounded in my ears. He was lying. She wouldn’t have left. She wouldn’t have come out of safety to help me…I squeezed my eyes shut, my nostrils flaring.
My stubborn, strong, beautiful little star…what have you done?
“There it is.” Goodacre sighed, tilting his head to the side. “The realization that I’ve got you exactly where I want you. Put the gun down, Blackwood.”
My mind raced as I took another step forward, my gun held steady. I had to think. Where were Eros and Harvey? I needed to buy time.
“Then what?” My eyes darted down the hall, a movement catching my eye. It had to be Valik and Orin.
Goodacre shrugged. “Then I let her go. You die, she lives, and I’ll be happy.”
Lies. It was total bullshit, and I fucking knew it.
“Twenty seconds.” He rocked back and forth on his heels. “Your life for hers.”
“Call him off.” I was less than ten feet away from him now. If I dropped my weapon, I still had a chance of killing him. My knife burned against my back where I had it nestled, reminding me I had to be quick once I lowered my shotgun. He wasn’t leaving here alive. The question was, was I going to?
“Drop. Your. Gun.” He tilted his head from side to side with each word, my body tensing. I would have to move quick and fast. My fingers shook as I lowered the gun, tossing it across the room.
