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My eyes swept the perimeter, scanning for any signs of the enemy, my grip on the gun firm.
Then, as if out of nowhere, a figure stepped out from the overgrown bushes lining the driveway, shadows crowding over his face.
I stiffened, my gun aimed right at him. “Don’t take another step!” I called out.
The man raised his hands and dropped his gun, the dull thud of it hitting the ground the only noise in the morning silence.
“It’s just me,” a familiar voice called out.
I paused. “Jarrod?”
He stepped into the sunlight, and my gaze landed on my inside man from the New Orleans gang. Dark hair blew in the breeze, and his carefree grin made it hard to be mad at him. His voice was winded as he panted out, “No need to shoot, buddy.”
“Jesus, Jarrod,” I barked, my weapon trained on him. “What the fuck are you doing here? And why’d you shoot at us before?” Seeing him unnerved me because he wasn’t supposed to be at the institute.
His cheek sported a harsh bruise, blending into his short beard, and a dried gash ran across his forehead. When he walked, he limped slightly, suggesting pain.
“I thought I saw one of the Bloods on the property, but it turned out to be a deer near the building. After they jumped me back in New Orleans, I’ve been paranoid as fuck.”
“Shit, man, next time, try not to shoot toward the building, okay?” I growled, thinking of how panicked we’d all been, especially Katerina. “Why the fuck did the Bloods jump you? They found you out?”
Jarrod spat out a curse, and then the words tumbled from him.
“They found us, found you. Intercepted my call to you... your location, it’s compromised. They beat the shit out of me, but I got away. They’re coming.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
My world spun as sharp, icy dread trickled down my spine as my gaze flickered toward the building behind me, my thoughts on Katerina.
“We can’t bring her, Mason,” Logan’s voice was solemn as he knew exactly what crossed my thoughts. “Fuck, I wish we could.”
“He’s right,” Bridge added.
“You think I don’t know that?” I snapped.
“Who?” Jarrod asked, but no one answered him as he picked up his dropped gun and moved toward us.
“If that bastard is on his way, then we call the cops, so they’re here when they arrive,” Bridge chimed in, strolling our way. His gaze flipped from me to Jarrod, a heavy exhale gushing from his mouth. “But we... we need to be long gone by then.”
Jarrod nodded, thrusting a set of car keys in my direction. “Got wheels waiting. We need to leave now, Mason.”
My mind spun like a hamster wheel. The plan had always been clear—hide and escape, no connections, no emotions. But there she was, Katerina, unwittingly tangled up in our business when she would be safer and better off without us.
Thinking back to our time together yesterday in the shower, the way she looked into my eyes, those sweet moans on her lips, loomed over me. I should have ended it right then. Got her out of my system, fucked that sweet cunt, enjoyed her squeezing my cock, and be done with it.
In truth, I would have done it… if I could stop seeing her as a woman in need of love. A woman so delicious and ready for us, I struggled to see her as anything but ours.
Drawing in a deep breath, a responsible part of me tried to push past the ferocious hunger I felt for her and think of the right thing to do. I knew the answer, but fucking hated it.
Reluctantly, I sucked in a sharp inhale.
“Bridge, call the cops. Use the landline phone in my office.” The words left my mouth on autopilot. I took a final longing look at the institute. “We need to gather whatever we’ve left behind fast. Then we leave immediately.”
Kat
Idarted through the eerily silent institute, my footsteps echoing in the deserted corridors.
Louise, where in the world are you?
