Page 66 of Ruthless Commander

No doubt there were many more bullshit calls to contend with…unless the damn cyclone took us all out.

Twelve hours ago, that might’ve been appealing.

But not now…I turned my focus to Xael and turned for the doorway.

No, now I had one very good reason to live for…and fight for, as well.

27

Xael

I made it back to Mateo’s apartment without being seen or killed. My panic was screaming in my head even louder than the wind as I slipped inside the building. As I made my way along the hallway and into the apartment, I could hear soft snores still coming from the sofa in the living room,

The moment I stepped into the kitchen, Rhys cracked open his eyes. “Where are you going?”

“The refrigerator,” I lied, my voice shaking.

He just closed his eyes again, mumbling something about getting some sleep. I grabbed a bottle of water and closed the refrigerator door before retreating to Mateo’s room. Once I eased the door closed behind me, I let out a hard breath.Jesus…I grabbed my charger and tossed it onto the bed, watching it bounce and come to rest on its side, and as it did, the memory of the wide, unhinged gaze of the woman I'd shared an apartment with returned. That wasn’t the real Evan Valachi. If I'd been unsure before, I sure as hell wasn’t now.

Sophie…

That’s what the name on the bottle said.

I sat down on the side of the bed. First Baldeon, then Kat, and now Evan…and the damn cyclone. This island was a fucking death trap. I lifted my gaze to the closed door as a shudder of desperation ripped through me. “Please let us make it out of this alive.”

Thethudof the closing door made my heart leap. I moved to the doorway as Mateo’s growl echoed out, then opened it and stepped into the living room.

He gripped the edge of the kitchen counter and bowed his head. I’d never seen him like that, never sounraveled.Rhys slowly pushed up from the sofa, the look of concern on his face saying he thought the same thing.

“It’s not who I thought it was.” Mateo lifted his gaze to mine.

His dark eyes shimmered with fear, which only made me more frightened.

“And who did you think it was?” Rhys asked as he slowly climbed to his feet.

Something moved behind Mateo’s eyes, something that made me catch my breath. He was dangerous in that moment, cold, savage…not the man I saw when he was with me. No, this man was dangerous. Heat moved through me, and excitement followed. I should be terrified of that look in his eyes, but I wasn’t…if anything, it made him fucking hot.

“Besnik,” he answered, and straightened, realizing he’d spoken the word out loud…to us. “I thought it was the Besniks.”

“I don’t know them.” Rhys moved toward the counter as Mateo grabbed two glasses, then glanced my way. I shook my head, leaving him to place them on the counter before pouring Scotch.

“You won’t. No one really does, but I killed some of their best men years ago, and they didn’t like it.”

I swallowed at the chilling words. The way he said it was like it was no big deal, kill a few guys, they'd come back for revenge. Just a normal day kind of drama. Only it wasn’t, was it?

“Sounds fair.” Rhys grabbed a glass and drank.

The guy looked like hell, gaunt and wired, even after his nap on the sofa. He took another swallow.

“But it’s not them.” Mateo raised his glass to his lips before finishing. “So now I’m back to square one.”

“Does it matter who it is?” Rhys asked carefully with a shrug. “The way I see it, it doesn’t.”

Mateo narrowed that dangerous stare on him. “Continue.”

So formal.

So cold.