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Worry worms its way through my heart. An insu
rmountable stone drops in my gut. I take the pregnancy test from Lady’s trembling hands and check it for myself.
I’m pregnant.
Dying with Angel suddenly doesn’t seem like an option anymore. I may not be able to protect myself, but I can protect the life growing inside of me. I have to.
32
Angel
The pitch-black van scrambles down a secret jungle road and the metal sheeting beneath my feet lifts and falls with every bump and pothole.
Heavy artillery rattles on every side of me. Irishmen sit alongside Russians as we jet through the Colombian night.
Across from me, Cyrus checks his magazine clip. He’s fully loaded; we all are, even the Russians.
After a talk with Luna Rivera, Fyo Yashin was kind enough to lend me some of his best men. Cyrus, of course, wasn’t going to let any Russian ex-pat out-gun him, so he gathered whatever he could spare and we packed a small army onto my cargo jet.
The flight out of Europe was tense, but not nearly as tense as right now. We’re driving right into the belly of the beast, and word is that it’s filled with all the traitorous men who used to serve me.
My nails dig into my palms as I consider the reality of what’s about to happen. All of our intel suggests that Catalina is being held in my old home. The gall of my enemies to do that is outstanding... but I can’t lose focus. Right now, I need to be the same cold and calculated Angel that I was before Cat came into my life. Otherwise, I may never get to see her again.
“Is everyone ready?” I ask, peering out of the slot at the back of the armored van. The moon is out and bright enough to allow me to recognize the terrain. Home sweet home.
We’re about to set it on fire.
“Yeah.”
“Yes.”
“Da.”
“Mhm.”
Guns are cocked and grenades are packed.
The plan is to cause a ruckus by the perimeter of the compound and draw out all the armed guards. Then, I’ll sneak in past it all and go find my woman. I have a feeling I know where she’s being kept and I have a feeling I know where she’ll be brought once the bullets start flying. I’ll catch her in between and be out of there before my old fortress is burned to the ground.
I find little sentimental value in property. The mansion is only a façade to power. My old life will burn tonight, and I’ll come out of it reborn like a phoenix, ready to blaze my path of vengeance through all who’ve wronged me.
As far as I know, the main perpetrator will be at the compound tonight, watching over my queen. Juan Arias. He’ll be dead before the night is through... and so will many others. They’ve all brought it on themselves. No one betrays me and gets to walk away from it.
The van skids to a stop and I immediately punch open the back doors. The three vans behind us crawl to a stop as well, and my little shadow army starts its trek through the jungle.
In the distance, I can see the light from my old compound. It means nothing to me now. All it has become is a prison for my bride, a prison that I’m not in control of, a prison that’s trying to keep me out.
If only they knew what I was willing to do to get her back...
Cyrus and I share one last nod before our groups break from each other. He goes north and I go south. Monkey’s howl in the distance and crickets chirp in uneasy rhythms. The closer we get to our goal, the more silent the world becomes. Blood rushes to my ears and my pulse slows as we reach the final threshold.
“Now,” I whisper into my radio.
On cue, a giant red flare is shot from out of the north end of the compound. Through my night vision goggles, I can see the guards on duty turn their attention away from their lookout and towards the commotion.
That’s when we start firing.
The veranda directly in front of us is instantly drenched in blood. I rush forward, smashing through the windows as my men stay back to cover me.