Page 39 of Dark Things (Payback Duet #1)

Rebelle

T he club is silent when Rook drives the van through the parking lot of Haven. I sit in the passenger seat, kitted out with all my delicious weapons and a couple of cool toys, my favorite being the nifty hand grenade I’m about to throw through the front window.

I turn around in the passenger seat of the van and address the rest of the team, a group of men that Rook handpicked.

I don’t know some of them, but Knox and Vail are from Kentucky.

Twin brothers I’ve worked with many times.

They aren’t as loyal as Rook, but they do know how to secure a scene and they’ve been on our side for a long time.

I can trust they’ll get this done. All I need is for them to be a distraction while I slip in and get Haunt.

“Remember, this is a rescue mission. I sent you photos of the three men I need alive besides Ghost. Capture and detain if you need, but they will be alive once this ends or you’re going to answer to me, and my patience is really being fucking tested today.

Leave the rest to me. Understood?” I say, looking each of them in the eye.

“Yes, ma’am,” echoes from all of them. I nod once and get out of the van, drawing my weapon.

I shoot a bullet through the front window, watching as it shatters under the force.

I pull the pin and chuck the grenade through the now broken window.

I turn my back, hold my ears, and crouch down, waiting for the blast to hit.

A hole is blown into the wall, and we fan out into the club. There’s no one on this floor, but that doesn’t mean that others won’t be here soon. I made an epic entrance, so I’m expecting company.

I make my way over to the curtain, hiding just in front of it and off to the side.

A bunch of guards come to investigate, but my team engages, and I’m free to slip away unnoticed.

There are two guys in the small hall, guns in hand.

Before they can get a shot off, I shoot both of them in the forehead, and they go down.

I swipe the keycard and open the door, slowly moving beyond into the dimly lit corridor.

More guards try to rush me, but I manage to get two before a third gets a shot off. I duck and spin, shooting him in the shoulder. His gun clatters to the ground. I walk over and kick him to the ground, gun trained on his face .

“Where the fuck is he?” I say, my voice even and controlled.

“Fuck you, you fucking cunt!” he yells.

I stomp my foot on his bullet wound. “Want to say that again?” I ask, grinding my boot further into his shoulder.

He screams so loud that I’m sure everyone in the fucking club heard him, including the guys in the shootout going on behind the door.

“Tell. Me. Where. He. Is.”

“Back room to the left. Now get off me!”

“Nope,” I say, before putting a bullet in his head. Brains and a bit of bones splatter on my pants. I shake it off and move further down the corridor.

I move silently toward a light shining from the open door at the far end, but I hear shouts coming from inside another room. I follow the trail, keeping my gun trained ahead of me.

Gino’s voice filters through, and I know I have the right place when I hear Haunt laughing. He sounds hurt, and that makes my blood boil. Nothing is standing in my way.

“Who the fuck was that!” a man’s voice yells from inside.

“That was your reckoning, padrino ,” Haunt says, amusement in his voice. He’s enjoying himself too much for someone who’s been tortured for more than twelve hours. But he’s talking, and that’s the important part .

I hear a slap and then a moan. Oh, he just did not hit him while I’m out here. This cocksucker is going to fucking die.

I slip into the doorway and immediately take in the scene. Haunt is on a meat hook in the middle of the room, his face and body covered in blood.

“You’re going to pay for that,” I growl, shooting Gino in the head before turning back to Mario. His hands are held up in front of him. I see movement off to the side, and when they step out of the shadows I let out an exhale. They’re alive and whole. No one gets to kill them besides me.

“Ah, the infamous Pitch. I didn’t think you’d get through the guards so quickly. They do speak the truth about you,” Mario says, lowering his hands but keeping them in front of his body.

“Get him off the fucking hook,” I say, walking further into the room.

Mario glances at the guys on the side of the room, eyebrows raised. “Are you going to take care of this?”

“Nah, but we’d never turn down a good show. Make it hurt, Pitch,” Colter smirks.

Mario’s disappointment is all over his face. When he turns back to me, he must know his end is near. I will cut this asshole everywhere Haunt is hurt. I will make him bleed for days for what he did to my love. No one touches what’s mine.

“We can come to a compromise. You must want to get out of Stan’s control. Maybe get your brother back?” Mario says.

“Motherfucker, do not fucking talk about him!” I scream.

“Tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you.

Your old life back, your brother…I’ll make you a very rich woman.

..again. You could take them and leave. Or you can work for me and get rid of everyone who’s ever hurt you.

” He turns his head to the guys, and I know he’s about to say something I don’t want said. I need to put his attention back on me.

“No deal. Get him down or I’m going to gut you from throat to dick and then I’m going to pull your intestines out, tie them around your neck, and hang you from that fucking hook!”

“Bloodthirsty. We can make a good team, Pitch…or do you prefer to go by your birth name? You know I was there that night. In the room when it all went down. I watched you from the shadows. Saw what he did to you. I’m glad he’s dead.

No one should have to endure what you went through at such a young age.

He was a pig, your uncle. A waste of a man who should have been put down sooner than he was. ”

I shake my head, my teeth clenched so hard, I’m going to snap my jaw. “And you did nothing. You let him hurt me!”

A tear slips from my face, but I don’t allow any more to fall. If I had wanted to kill Mario before, I want to annihilate him now. Every part of his business, his men, his life.

“Sometimes we have to take one for the team or so they say, right, Colter?” Mario says.

I don’t look, but Haunt extends his leg, rubbing up against my calf.

“No more fucking talking. Get on your fucking knees, and I’ll make this quick. Or don’t, and I’ll have my fun before the night is over.”

His whole face turns beet red, and his lips curl. “You know I’m not the end game. He’ll never let you go. I’m your best chance at getting what you want, Be…”

I don’t let him finish his sentence. I squeeze the trigger twice, one for each knee.

He crumples to the ground. I leer over him, pushing the gun to his forehead.

“My name is Pitch. That other girl died a long time ago, and I will never be her again. You took that from me when you watched him destroy me. This is your reckoning.”

I’m too far gone to pay attention to anything else besides my fury. Once I’m done, Mario is going to look like I gave Dozer love taps.

Haunt picks up his head, shaking it for a moment before he smiles at me. “ Gioia mia .” His voice cracks and another tear leaks down my cheek.

I switch my gun to the other hand and pull out my knife. My hand strikes out and I stab Mario in the stomach with my blade. He bellows and throws a punch, making contact with my shin. It hurts like a bitch, but I only slightly stumble back.

“BK, get him off the fucking hook!” I yell before turning back to Mario.

But the second it took to look in Brooks’ direction cost me.

Mario’s gun is in his hand, and the shot rings out.

I feel it hit, lightning coursing through me.

I drop down and pull my gun up. I shoot blind before falling to my back.

My breaths come harder, and warmth pools over my chest. I don’t know where I’ve been hit, but it’s bad.

“Haunt,” I whisper, my arm outstretched to him.

“Reb!” he bellows, dropping down next to me after Brooks cuts him from the chain. He looks like a bloody angel.

I lift my hand to his face and cup his cheek. “I love you,” I say. It’s getting harder to breathe. If this is the last thing I do, it was worth it. Haunt is free.

“No!” someone shouts. I feel hands come up to my chest and put pressure on it. Someone is screaming, and I realize the sound is coming from me.

“Call a fucking ambulance!” another voice bellows.

All I can focus on is Haunt’s eyes. The blue seems more aqua in the light. Even with all of the blood and bruises, he’s so beautiful.

“Don’t you fucking die on me. We have a lifetime together. You are my everything, my soul, my heart,” Haunt says, tears dripping down the cuts on his face.

“Save Magnus. Get him out. Promise me,” I slur. It won’t be long now.

“No, we’re going to get him together. I’ll fix this. Just hang on, please Reb. I can’t do this without you,” he says, cupping my face in his hands. “ Ti amo, gioia mia. Ti amo .”

“The ambulance will be here in five minutes. Hang on, trouble,” Staff says, his face coming into view and his hands hovering over me. I grasp one and bring it to my belly.

“Double trouble,” I garble.

Yelling comes from somewhere behind me, and I try to focus on the two guys in front of me, but it’s getting so hard.

Black dots crowd my vision and my hand falls from Haunt’s face.

I can’t keep my eyes open. I blink and try to push more words out.

I need to tell them. I try to get the words out, but nothing comes.

Darkness sweeps over me, and I close my eyes.

Haunt is safe; he’ll get Magnus and the guys have each other. I can sleep now.