Page 185 of Retribution

“You’re going to be very late for your appointment,” Lucas murmurs as he watches Callum take his place.

“Oops?” I say unrepentantly. “I know I have to go, but I’m also worried about what they’ll find.”

“We’ll face it together,” he says, watching as Callum misses entirely. “You make very interesting friends, darlin’.”

“You started it,” I shrug. “I’m just feeding into the alpha male need to one up each other. Plus, she never knows when her card will be punched. This makes it more fun for me.”

“I can’t even begin to argue with that,” he murmurs. “If I was a betting man, I would say that Kane is going to win.”

“Fuck!” Duncan groans. “I swear this is rigged.”

“Hush, that’s my fishing pole, and I lost too,” Shaw chuckles.

“Can I show you all how this is done?” Kane asks.

“You’re going to make us all look so bad,” Duncan sighs, handing it over.

True to form, he has a black wrap around his body, his baby doll on his back.

“I’m going to be bugging you for a tutorial on back wrapping,” I tell Kane. “My kid only wants to be held.”

“Since I know that your pack won’t kill me on sight for touching you, I’m down,” Kane says, dramatically stretching.

“Are you trying to tell me that the secret to this is stretches?” Shaw asks.

“Maybe. Let’s see if this works,” he mutters.

Lucas looks very amused as he watches. “There’s a delay before this thing explodes, right?”

“Yep,” Kane says, chewing on his bottom lip. “It’s about three to five seconds. You ready for me, Morris?”

“Mmhm,” Morris says, watching as Kane casts his line. The hook lands on her chest, and he begins to slowly reel it in. “It’s not over till it’s over…”

The hook slides under the pin and Kane grins as he tugs on it.

“Now, for the real fun,” he says, yanking up on the pole. It takes several tries since he has to make sure the grenade doesn’t come with it, and we are all dumbfounded when the pin finally flies out.

“Morris!” I yell as I watch it.

“Fuck,” he grumbles, pushing the button to force the door shut. Kane has to sacrifice his hold on the fishing pole as the door slams on the translucent fishing wire, but at least we won’t have to wear Ophelia this way.

It’s just enough time for me to watch as Ophelia’s chest explodes, but still keeps us from being splattered with her remains.

“Ding, dong, the bitch is dead,” I whisper.

We all stand in disbelief that it’s finally done, and I feel lighter.

“That’s the look of someone who slayed a few demons tonight,” Corbin whispers near me, and I nod as I watch Quinn, Adira, and Wren hug their alphas.

We’re all a mess, me most of all, but Lucas still kisses my forehead.

“Let’s get cleaned up, and I’ll phone ahead and let the doctor and his nurses know that we’re running behind, huh?” he asks.

I just killed one of my fears, may as well keep my big girl panties on and make it two.

While Ophelia is dead, her torture still may have long reaching effects.

“I forgot to grab my bag,” Kane snorts. “I’ll hang around and make the grunts clean it.”