Page 20 of Lash

I laugh. "You came to rescue me, and now I rescue you. I believe you call this irony." My laughter dies. "Why, Solomon? What is going on?"

"Mercado has Inez."

My blood runs cold. "How?"

"That's a long story," Sol answers. "Short version is, Inez knows him. He's from her past. We have to get the whole crew together and go get her."

I sigh. "Mercado is bloodthirsty and merciless. I do not like her chances of survival if that monster has her."

Sol snorts. “Her chances are better than you think—he wants to play with her. Punish her."

I suppress a shudder. "Even worse. I know what his notion of play entails, Solomon."

Sol frowns at me. "We need to get out of this compound. How the fuck you got in here undetected, I don't know, but they're bound to notice sooner rather than later."

I nod. "Indeed." I extend my hand to the other man. "Lash."

He shakes my hand. "Lorenzo."

"Who are you?" I ask.

"I am Sophia's…." He frowns, shrugging. "I am Sophia's."

“Who is this Sophia?" I ask.

"Inez's real name,” Solomon answers. “Apparently.”

I absorb this. "Interesting. Clearly, there is much I must be caught up on. For now, however, we must go. You are correct, Solomon—I have kicked the bees’ nest, and it is only a matter of time before they swarm. Stjepan is not my enemy, so I will not kill anyone if I don't have to."

I wince, realizing too late my gaffe.

Solomon catches it. “You won’t kill anyone…if you don’t have to? What about your vow?"

I shake my head. "No time for that explanation, Sol. What I will say, however, is that my vow, unlike yours, does not include the injunction against killing."

Sol frowns. "You're a Broken Arrow."

"I am. Heart and soul."

"But then—"

"Later, Solomon. Later. Tatiana is waiting."

"Tatiana?"

I ignore the question and lead the way to the stairwell. Up to the ground floor, through a hallway past several locked doors, and to the foyer. Three guards huddle together, laughing at something on a phone.

They see us, but too late—I gave Lorenzo and Scarlett the handguns, since like me they have no restriction against killing. Solomon was unhappy to be weaponless but accepted it with only a few muttered curses.

"To the floor," I order in Croatian. "We won't kill you if you cooperate."

"Stjepan knows you are here," one of them says. “He is on his way."

I shrug. "Good. Now he knows the flaws in his security, which are many. Remain still while we leave and you will be unharmed."

Solomon chuckles. "Right out the front door, huh?"

I nod. “It was the closest exit."