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“What do you want?” I grit out facing him. Nothing can happen to these kids.
“Remember that leverage I told you about? Well, this ensures my escape. I told you I won’t be dying tonight. If you kill me? This immediately goes off, triggering a bomb. Killing every last one of those little, adorable children.”
I aim the gun back at him. “I don’t believe you.”
“You're lying,” Anita hisses, stepping closer to him.
His face turns to steel as if that offended him. “Liars are for dipshits who are afraid of the consequences.” He clicks the button again and the kids appear. Each of them are strapped with bombs.
I suck in a small breath. Bile approaches my throat. For the first time since starting this job, I feel so helpless.
Fuck, they are going to be so traumatized.
“You shoot me, they die. My heartbeat is connected to the bombs. If it stops, it automatically alerts it and it explodes. It’s wonderful what inventors can create.” He smirks wickedly.
His heart is the detonator. What the fuck. I cut my gaze at him. “What do you want?”
“I want your cooperation. See, I will leave. You’ll all die. I’ll get my money, and you’ll be rid of the world and my business can continue as planned. End of story.”
I stand there, lowering my gun. Even though I feel like pure shit, the one thing he doesn’t know about me is that I don’t back down for anyone, and I damn sure don’t answer to him. He may be able to walk out right now. But we will make it out of here, one way or another. I’ll save those kids like my life depends on it. Because it does...My compound, my school, the kids and teens I take in, it’s all for them.
I clasp my hands together, raising my chin. It's clear what the message sends.
Fuck. You. This shit isn't over.
Victor grins, standing up, then strolling casually in between us before facing Anita.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t have had a better run. You would have been a delight to have. Probably a personal fuck toy?” He roams his eyes up her body. My hand has a mind of its own. I grab his collar with the pendant on it, and my fist flies out with the gun, decking him straight in his nose. It felt so fucking good. He staggers back, howling out a roar. My hand crushes the pendant, and my other fist stings with joy.
The other two guards rush out, yanking me by the arms and locking me, causing my gun to drop on the floor.
“You never said anything about punching you.” I huff, grinning. After a couple of sniffs and nose checks, Victor glowers at me, while fixing his suit and wiping his nose with a spare napkin. Instantly, he’s in my face. I keep my eyes steady on him, unafraid of his backlash.
He stares at me before curling a wide smile and striding off, buttoning his suit jacket back. Once he approaches the door, it opens, and five other men stampede in.Mercenaries.
Victor looks back at us, then at his men. “Kill them.” With that, he disappears, leaving the merc’ to follow his command.
“Look what we have here. Fish to fry. Bones to crack,” one of them spews, each of them lined with a bulletproof vest and a gun.
I stuff the pendant into my pocket undetected and immediately look at Anita, whose eyes bounce from man to man.We are going to make it out of here alive.At least some of us are. I glance over at Boone. His arms are shifting slowly.
Mal, no longer kneeling over but sitting on the heel of her feet, looks around with a malicious expression.
“Who wants to go first?” the merc’ says, looking around like he’s doing us a favor by asking.
“Maybe you.” He targets Anita, and my entire body stiffens. He strolls toward her. “Drop the knife.”
She listens.
He grins. “Now—”
Bam!