Page 17 of Ashes

30 MINUTES EARLIER

“Areyou sure you want to do this?” Kai asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

I stepped out of his gray McLaren and bent down to look at him. “Yes, I am,” I said, closing the door and leaving him behind with his tools to run surveillance.

After coming home last night, Kai, Valentina, and I had met where they’d debriefed me on how we would infiltrate today’s ceremony so that I could claim what I was duly owed.

We’d been watching over the ballroom where the ceremony was taking place over the last few hours. The few guests invited were already seated and Mateo was dutifully standing at the altar, waiting for hisbride.

Not for long.

Kai and I had driven our own cars here—mine currently parked in the underground parking of the hotel—but we’d stationed in his since he had all the equipment installed in his car.

I attached my earpiece, turned it on, and headed toward the back entrance. Pausing at the door, I spoke to my sniper through the intercom. “Valentina, are you in place?”

“Am I not always?” she replied, her tone bored, while pointing the red dot at my heart.

Kai let out a soft laugh in the background.

“Just checking,” I said, shaking my head. “Now, could you please divert your aim before you accidentally shoot me?”

“Why would it be accidental?” she stated, no ounce of humor in her tone.

Kai and I both met Valentina a few years ago when she’d tried to hack into our system to infiltrate one of our clients’ files.

Although her hacking skills were—still are—remarkable, Kai’s were better the day he found a loophole in her iron-clad firewalls and tracked her location. Knowing she’d be an asset with her wide array of skills, we’d offered her two options when we showed up at her doorstep.

Come work with us or turn her in to the authorities.

She’d immediately accepted when we mentioned the word authorities.

Now, years later, she was part of the only people I trusted with my life.Literally. She’d take down anyone before the thought of harming us crossed their minds.

I kept my circle small because in this world, it was the only way to stay alive.

I walked inside the hotel and cleared the other rooms on the floor before I headed for the side door of the ballroom. I stepped inside just in time to hear the first “I do.” I leaned against the doorframe, gently closing the door behind me, and waited for the officiant to askherthe infamous question.

Unlike Mateo, she hesitated, which gave me the perfect opportunity to make my presence known.

“Well, well, well,” I started, punctuating each word with a clap of my hands. “Isn’t this lovely?”

“Who’s this?” Antoni and Omar asked simultaneously, shooting out of their seats.

The dim light of the exit sign flickered above me and I stepped out of the shadows. As I walked toward her, my breath strangely caught in my throat when I took her in.

I’d caught a glimpse of her earlier when she came out of the room she used to get ready, but it didn’t do justice to what was now in front of me.

Her simple off-white dress hugged her curves beautifully and fell to her feet. The neckline, although modest, molded and pushed her breasts in a way that had me salivating for more.

Her eyes found mine and a peculiar sensation slid up my spine.

Her brows furrowed and slowly, her eyes widened as she recognized me.

I stopped in the middle of the aisle and shoved my right hand into my pocket, letting the cool metal ground me. Then I flicked my gaze away from her and onto her father.

“Such a shame you don’t remember me, Antoni, especially after everything I’ve done for you.” I paused, the corner of my lips hiking up into a smirk. “I’m here to collect what’s mine.”

The temperature in the room plummeted.