Page 3 of Burn the World Down

I stared at myself in the mirror. My brown hair was a little overlong and I probably needed to shave. Bastian’s words echoed in my head. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my wallet. The old, brown leather was worn.

It had been a gift when I was twenty-one from the prettiest girl I’d ever known. I flicked it open and saw the photo.

Georgiana Linden.

My chest rose and fell harshly. My best friend’s little sister. I rubbed a finger gently along her smiling face.

Elliot and I had been best friends since we were ten. Back in our small town of Elk Falls in Idaho, we’d been thick as thieves. We’d ridden our bikes all over town, played baseball together, and one time, even stolen a pack of cigarettes and smoked them until we’d been sick. Georgie had been Elliot’s sister. I’d never paid her much attention, but hadn’t minded the few times she’d tagged along with us. She’d just been Georgie, with her stained jeans and messy hair.

I’m not sure when that had changed, but one day, I’d noticed that the gangly girl had turned into a pretty, young woman. That her jeans hugged gentle curves and her pale-blonde hair looked like starlight. It had been like getting hit by a bolt of lightning.

In the photo, she wore a white sundress, her hair spilling around her shoulders. It wasn’t honey colored, but almost white-blonde. It wasn’t curly, but wasn’t straight, either, but hung in gentle waves. She was smiling at the camera. You couldn’t see her freckles in the picture, but I knew they’d be there, sprinkling over her nose. She looked like she should be running along the beach, about to dive into aqua-blue waters.

Elliot and I had joined the Navy together. We’d gone home to visit, not too long after his mom had died. I’d turned twenty-one while we’d been home.

Georgie had given me the wallet as a gift.

And I’d kissed her.

It had been the best kiss in the world.

I rubbed my temple. Then over the next two years, I’d been recruited into a black ops program and Elliot had been killed.

I’d never gone back to Idaho.

My parents had died, and there’d been no reason for me to go back.

Except pretty Georgiana Linden. But by then, I was an assassin gaining a name for myself. And she deserved the best. Georgie deserved a good life in the sunshine.

I couldn’t give her that. By then, I’d already had one foot in the darkness, cloaked in gray.

I knew she’d be living the good life. She’d been smart. I knew she’d gone to college because Elliot had told me. I knew she’d have a good job by now, be married to some steady guy. My gut cramped. She’d have a baby on her hip.

Yeah, living the beautiful life.

I closed my wallet. I’d never looked her up. I knew if I saw her, I wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation.

Suddenly, several muffled thumps echoed through the wall. My head jerked up.

I knew that sound all too well.

Gunshots.

I shoved out of the restroom.

Cole and Bastian were on their feet, both tense. Bastian had a cellphone to his ear.

“How many?” His voice cut like a blade. “They blacked out the security cameras?” He emitted a low growl and met my gaze. “No, I’ll take care of it. Don’t call the police. It’ll be dealt with. No one fucks with my casino.”

He ended the call. “Three men in the High Rollers Suite next door pulled weapons.” He tapped his phone screen and pulled up video feed. “They spray-painted the security cameras.” A cold smile curled his lips. “But they can’t cover the secret ones they can’t see.”

Cole and I leaned forward.

“How did they get weapons through security?” Cole frowned as he studied the three guys.

The attackers wore black balaclavas. I saw one guy gesturing at the uniformed dealer and the players in the room. The players were all scared, holding their hands in the air. My gaze zeroed in on the weapon the guy was holding.

“The weapons are plastic,” I murmured. “Probably 3D-printed.”