Page 179 of Stand: Part One

My eyes shot over to Romero, who met my gaze with the same concern I was already feeling. How much more information was this guy really withholding?

“What other fail-safes?” I asked.

“Darren has multiple unguarded safehouses hidden all over the country. Each safehouse contains an underground vault with at least ten million dollars in cash. It might be humorous to have him continue funding his own demise.”

I cocked a brow at the new information. “That sounds like a huge operation. We’d have to attack several at once to avoid detection before he ups the security for the others.”

Rainer nodded. “Agreed. Which is why the cash will be an incentive to hire more mercenaries to assist you. Your ability to recruit has been impressive, but your little boy band isn’t enough. You need to build an army. Obtaining this cash will do it.”

I exhaled a short breath as I mulled over his suggestions. The thought alone was exhausting, but if it brought me closer to Jaden, then I’d fucking do it a hundred times over.

I just hoped my team’s need to take Davis down was as strong as my need to get Jaden the fuck away from him. But after everything we’d done already, I couldn’t doubt them.

“Fine. Let’s plan this out,” I said.

For the next several hours, we formulated our strategies based on Rainer’s intel. I didn’t want to trust the fucker, but what choice did I have? We still had the one thing incentivizing him, so it would be foolish for him to waste his efforts.

With plans now in motion once again, we left the warehouse under the cover of dark, our black SUV parked securely next to a shipping container. But Rainer’s annoying voice was calling my name before I made it even three steps outside.

“Jason, aren’t you forgetting something?” he called, his tone taunting.

I glanced up at the night sky, gathering strength and the will not to beat him to death, and grabbed my wallet from my back pocket.

“You know, I’m not so sure you deserve it, considering your end of the last deal had been a complete fucking disaster.”

A low growl emanated from his chest. “I don’t care. This part of the agreement still stands. Now hand it over.”

Shaking my head, I opened my wallet and handed him the single folded picture of the pretty little blonde, the grimace on my face impossible to conceal.

Rainer’s eyes softened as he reveled over the photo, his lips forming into a half smile when he saw Kayla had held up her middle finger for the camera this time.

After our first meeting, we refused to allow him another second in her presence, no matter how much he tried to bargain for it. But giving him little glimpses of her at each meeting was usually an effective way of keeping him in line. Usually.

This little transaction also allowed Kayla to safely express herself to him without having to worry about retaliation. She could be impressively creative when she wanted to be.

The fucking fool craved her pictures like a goddamn junkie, and as long as we kept giving them to him, he’d leave her alone. But I wasn’t a moron. I knew as soon as all of this was over, he’d be gunning straight for her again. And I’ll be damned if I let that happen.

His grin still in place, Rainer pocketed the picture and met my glare.

“Always a pleasure, Jason,” he sneered, then turned to leave, heading for his own ride out of here.

Watching his figure disappear into the darkness, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that man would not survive this war.

I’d fucking make sure of it.

44

Snuffed

I was a fool. A goddamn fucking fool. A stupid little girl with zero perception of the world around her. Who held on to stupid dreams that were pathetically lost to her wildest imagination. Who trusted monsters that fed on lies and misery.

Katherine’s hand was cold in my own, the steady beeping of the heart monitor next to her bed bringing me some relief that she was stable and recovering. But you wouldn’t know that just by looking at her.

Angry second-degree burns marred the side of her face, extending to patches on her chest, arms, and legs. She had bruising and deep lacerations just about everywhere while her broken wrist was wrapped in a cast, resting at her side.

Katherine’s bodyguards stared at me uncomfortably from their chairs against the wall, their stiff statures and hard expressions making me feel incredibly unwanted. And Camaro could feel it as she sat by my feet, her watchful eyes tracking every movement they made.

If they moved too quickly, she would rise to a stand and groan with disdain at them. The guards would roll their eyes and go back to their business. But they could go fuck themselves. My heart was too busy breaking just looking at the state of Katherine.