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Then, I turn and climb onto the helicopter. Snow is already up ahead with Valentine, our pilot and guard for the night, and he’s leaned forward, his ear pressed to the speaker inside. I hold my hand out for her and when she takes it, I pull her up into the chopper, not meeting her eyes.
She takes the seat between Hatchet and Honey, who immediately places his hand on her thigh, and she doesn’t say a word as Nightshade, Ghost and I take the seats opposite them. It’s not a big helicopter, and she’s squashed in between us. I can’t help but study her as we take off into the night, her face a perfect, indifferent mask, even though I see a million questions blazing in her eyes.
As soon as we’re clipped in, the helicopter takes flight. Kayla doesn’t bat an eyelid at the sudden movement, making me wonder if she has experience flying in this manner or just a damn good poker face. The first time I flew with Valentine I nearly puked my guts up. Not that I’d admit that to anyone.
It only takes about forty minutes to get to the mainland but the chopper doesn’t land once we’re no longer over the ocean. It rarely does. We’re usually taken into cities and released, or occasionally dropped off near large country estates and made to walk the distance. If the mission is particularly time-sensitive we might get driven in, but mostly once we’re dropped off we’re on our own.
We’ve been told the mission tonight is a big one – one which Kayla must complete. She doesn’t even know it yet, but she soon will. And she won’t have any choice but to comply. The rest of us are just along for the ride. Backup most likely, in case something goes wrong.
Which it will, because Seytan insisted on the newbie being kept in the dark until the very last minute.
We’re eventually dropped off in Manchester, the chopper landing right in the city on one of the high-rise hotel’s helipads. It’s more high profile than we’re used to, but we roll with the punches. Kayla hasn’t spoken once and as we disembark, she remains stubbornly mute.
Valentine opens the secure chest of weapons and begins to hand them out. Snow is given a hunting knife but sneaks several grenades into his jacket pocket when Valentine isn’t looking, because he’s an asshat. Hatchet is given an axe, Honeymonster, a selection of throwing knives, and Ghost takes a taser. That’s new.
Nightshade and I load up on guns with plenty of ammo.
Valentine turns to Kayla and she gives him a cool raised brow but she isn’t fooling me, I can see her eyes shining with excitement. Until Val hands her a baseball bat and her shoulders fall. Interesting. The media reported that she liked to cave her victims’ skulls in with a bat. Was that incorrect?
Val shrugs and presses the bat into Kayla’s reluctant hands before turning to Night.
“You know the target, and the rules. Make this one flashy. Draw it out a bit. You have until sunrise.”
Nightshade nods and Valentine leaves, heading inside the hotel ahead of us, most likely making his way to the bar and then his room for the night. He’ll have a whore ready and waiting, no doubt.
“You heard the man. Let’s do this.”
We traipse after Night who leads us over to the hotel’s fire escape door which has been conveniently left propped open. I follow him, hoping that by having Kayla out of sight, she’ll be out of mind and hold up her end of the bargain to stay the fuck away from me.
No such luck. We’re not even half way down the first set of stairs when there’s a dull thud followed by Snow’s whining “fuck! What’cha do that for?”
“Quit touching my ass or I’ll remove your fucking hands,” Kayla hisses, every word dripping with murderous intent.
“With what, a fucking baseball bat?” Snow scoffs.
I glance back over my shoulder to see the pair of them bringing up the rear, which is a really fucking bad idea because Snow is no fucking lookout.
“Hold on, D,” I say, placing my hand on Night’s shoulder.
“D? What’s that short for? Dick? Daddy?” Kayla snorts. I ignore her.
“Apparently thechildrencan’t play nicely together so someone needs to split them up.”
Night sighs and nods at me, and I remove myself from our single file line and climb back up the stairs to take up the rear position. Just walking past Kayla and inhaling her scent makes my dick stir to life. Fucking hell.
“Kayla, move behind Nightshade.”
She pouts but doesn’t argue and takes my spot, minx that she is brushing past me and invading my space as she passes.
I shake my head and then catch Snow smirking at me. Taking my place behind him, I smack him on the back of the head.
“Ow! What the fuck old man?”
I hit him again for his cheek. Sure I’m eleven years older than him – and Kayla – but I’m hardlyold.Hatchet’s thirty-eight for fuck’s sake! I’m seriously considering putting a bullet in him, but he’ll only whine and slow us down even more.
“Keep your eyes off her arse and stay alert,” I snap.
Once I’m in place we continue our descent, and this time, with the children separated, we make it to the bottom without any drama.
