Page 13

ATLAS

I opened the door to the vacant apartment and deadbolted it behind me.

No one lived here—it was rented through a false name by NorTac. We had it just in case a situation like this ever came up with Kaelin—North always tried to be prepared. I shoved the kitchen table in front of the window, pulled the curtains almost all the way shut and readied my rifle.

From the backpack I carried, I pulled a few monitors and hooked them up on the floor tilted up so I could see them, then brought up the Phox security feeds West had forwarded to me. All was business as usual.

I pushed the comms unit into my ear. “Report in.”

I laid down on my stomach on the table and trained my sights on Kaelin’s office building. On top of surveillance of Kaelin’s building, I was in charge of the architect job, and the team was getting into position now. This time I wasn’t one of the snipers delivering a kill shot but I was okay with that. We were lucky that two of the architects were local. I’d sent Knox and Tex to deal with those while Sakari and Lach were abroad in London.

“Getting into position now,”

Knox’s voice crackled in my ear.

“This bastard is either doing blow or taking a really long shit,”

Tex grumbled. “I’m in position though.”

I chuckled and dialed in my own settings, scanning the street and entrance of the all glass atrium that made up the two-story lobby of Phox corporate.

“Target locked in,”

Sakari said.

“All dialed,”

Lach drawled.

I looked at the time on my phone.

“Fire when ready,”

I ordered.

As I waited for them to report the job done, I thought about the message Vetticus had sent—both the recording and the bloody heart. It had been jarring to hear his voice again after so long and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bring back the nightmares of being in that place. I’d nearly lost my mind when I heard him mention Nyx’s call sign and what he planned to do to him—to us—if he ever got his hands on us again. I didn’t care about myself, I cared about Nyx and subjecting him to all of that—again.

The three of us had almost not made it out and now part of me worried at how opening up old wounds would impact us. I was ready to end it all. I was tired of looking over my shoulder, always expecting Vetticus to come jumping out of the shadows, but I wanted to end it for North and Nyx too. I wanted North to stop feeling like the responsibility always rested solely on his shoulders. He’d carried the weight of it in captivity and during the games, and I’d seen the toll it took on him. I was looking forward to the day he didn’t have to carry it anymore.

“Target eliminated,”

Sakari chirped.

One down.

I saw Kaelin on the video feed talking to her receptionist. She’d been a surprise addition to our lives in the best way, even if it was the worst timing. I wanted North to be happy with her and Graham and I knew he wouldn’t be able to do that until the threat of Vetticus was gone and until he’d found—

My thoughts were interrupted by Lachlan in my ear.

“Confirmed,”

he said. “Headed back to the jet.”

Two down.

My phone went off with a text from Nyx:

Nyx: Status?

Me: Hi to you too

I was teasing, but we also had spent very little time together the last few weeks as we readied everything and put our plans in motion. To say I missed him would be putting it lightly.

Nyx: Hello to the love of my life

Nyx: Soulmate—my great love….

He followed the message with a shit ton of emojis I didn’t bother looking at.

I chuckled and dialed his number, putting the call on speaker.

“Shit head,”

he grumbled as he answered on the first ring.

I laughed. “I should tease you more often—I like when you lay it on thick.”

“That’s what she said—or he said,”

Nyx quipped. “Now come on, update me. North is hovering.”

I heard a scoff from the background and smiled, picturing North’s irritation.

“Sakari and Lach are confirmed,”

I said. “Wait—”

Nyx stayed silent as I heard Tex report in. “Confirmed—asshole made me wait long enough—and just in case you were curious, he was doing blow.”

“Yes, we were all waiting with bated breath,”

Lach laughed.

“Confirmed—only Tex would be this invested in his target’s bathroom habits,”

Knox said, coming over the line and the last to confirm his kill.

I laughed. “Copy that—text when you all are en route. Over and out.”

“What’s so funny?”

Nyx asked.

“Tex just being Tex,”

I said. “All kills confirmed.”

“Perfect,”

Nyx said. “Graham is coming to take Kaelin to dinner tonight so once he shows up, come back to Alpha One. We’ll meet you there.”

“Copy that,”

I said. “See you then—soulmate.”

“Too much?”

Nyx said, his voice dripping with amusement. I could practically see his smirk on the other end of the call.

“Never—I love you.”

Nyx laughed softly. “Love you too.”