Page 68 of Retribution

My mind is reeling, and I feel a little lightheaded as I get into my car without a second thought. Glancing behind me at the baby, I see that she’s beginning to nod off.

Maybe driving will help her get the rest of the way there. Putting the car into reverse, I watch as the men give me a wide berth. My phone buzzes in my hand, and I glance down at it before dropping it into the cup holder and pulling my bag up and over my head to stash next to me.

Devon just paid me way more than he was supposed to. Directing the SUV to drive through the gates, I drop my head back and release a sigh. My first instinct was to take the baby with me.

What does that mean? Everything inside of me screams that she’s mine now as I check the rear view mirror to find that she’s fast asleep.

Pulling off my mask, I hide it away and put on giant sunglasses as the world is flooded with sunlight. While I’ve been here, the sun has been steadily ascending into the sky.

I make sure to drive past the clubhouse by using a street adjacent to it and see that there are firetrucks attempting to geta handle on the burning building. Slowing down, I watch as the firemen shake their heads and step back to stare at it.

I know it’s not a natural fire, but one made by my hand. It’s not going to go out any time soon. They’re better off waiting until it dies down on its own from lack of wood since nothing is around it.

Thanks Toad for using your asshole to the detriment of the Reaping Marauders. Snorting a laugh, I cover my mouth and drive the three hours back to Bargersville.

Chapter Sixteen

Alesso

“Ithink Isolde changed her license plate,” Oliver complains as he glares at his computer.

Grant and Lucas went to Indianapolis a few hours after Isolde left, and Oliver has been twitchy ever since. I don’t blame him, because I took three new short-term clients to be able to kill time. They’re people who need their books cooked but don’t need much beyond that.

I’m good with money, bookkeeping, and money laundering, which makes me invaluable to clients. Typically, the short term clients are people trying to cover up a major fuck up or who are going to be audited soon. I can make things appear to all be above board in a believable way.

My finger bounces to music only I can hear as I work, while Oliver attempts to find Isolde.

“Why don’t you look for some type of disaster?” I suggest. “An explosion, mass murder, maybe some fire.”

Oliver makes a noise that doesn’t sound very polite as I chuckle under my breath and continue working. It’s almost noon and while Isolde hasn’t checked in, I didn’t think she would yet.

She’s on a job, and I would prefer that it have her full attention.

“I just got a hit on the news,” Oliver says. “There’s a fire in Illinois. It’s in the middle of nowhere so it doesn’t look like it’ll spread, they say.”

“How many dead?” I ask drolly. That’ll really help me know if this is my omega’s work or not.

“They can’t tell but there were bikers shot in the yard and naked women crying when the firefighters arrived. Now, the police are saying they aren’t sure what’s going on, but they’re investigating,” Oliver says.

“I doubt that Isolde would allow this to be pinned?—”

“Shit, I see her,” he interrupts.

“At the fire?” I ask, closing out my programs and shutting my computer. It doesn’t sound like her to be at the scene of the crime.

That’s just not smart.

“At the gate,” he says, hitting a key to turn off his computer and standing in one smooth motion.

“Oh!” I explain, setting my computer next to his on the table and following him to the front door. He opens the gate with his phone, and we walk out to meet her as she rolls up the drive.

“Did something go wrong?” I muse, watching as she puts the SUV into park and shuts off the car.

Not only is she back early, she also jumps out the driver side door as if her hair is on fire.

“Kitten?” Oliver asks, coming closer.

And then we hear it….a tiny person is screaming.