chapter TWENTY-FOUR

Nix

“You’re a go, Nix. Four subjects entered through the front. Approach with caution. Park on the side, and enter through the back.” Drake’s calm voice comes through my earpiece.

“Moving,” I reply.

“You good, bro?” Nate asks calmly. But his eyes are busy scanning our surroundings.

“Just can’t wait for this to end.”

“If we execute your plan on point, we should be good.”

“Keep it clean. Head shots only.”

Nate snickers. “A head shot? You call that clean?”

“I mean, one shot, one kill.”

“You got it.”

Ten minutes later, we arrive at our destination with Nate jumping out as soon as I park the van. A magnetized logo of a fake service company is displayed on both sides to keep up with appearances. Nate slams the back door of the van, holding what looks like tool bags to unsuspecting eyes. I grab one before entering the back gate with Nate a few steps ahead of me. We walk straight to the stairwell, gear up, hide the bags, and then haul ass to the fifth floor.

“Tyler is in position with Grace. We have six eyes on her until you clear the fifth floor and the rooftop. Thermal imaging picks up two suspects on the fifth floor and two on the rooftop. First person on the fifth floor is positioned right by the door. The other is right in front of the middle window. You’ll have a blind spot when you step inside, so be careful, Nate. The one on the rooftop is positioned at twelve o’clock. The other at your three o’clock mark. You won’t miss them, Nix. They’ll be in your view as soon as you open the door.”

“All right. One floor away.” I keep my breathing steady, focusing on one job and one job only. That is to be the first one to pull the trigger. My blood is pumping a mile a second as adrenaline flows through my veins.

Nate gives me the hand signal to stop. We adjust our sniper rifles, knock our knuckles together, and then set our watches in sync with each other.

“Give me fifteen seconds’ delay, all right?” I instruct.

He nods.

With my Glock at the ready, I make my way up the stairs, meticulously slow. Once I reach the door, I stop and take a cleansing deep breath. “Ready?”

“In position. Ready on your mark,” Nate answers softly.

“On three. One…two…three. Go, go, go.” I burst through the door, firing my Glock.

I hit my twelve o’clock guy on the head, and he goes down. I take two lateral steps while the fucker on my right attempts to pull his side arm. I hit him in the eye, and down he goes.

“Clear,” I report.

Seconds later, Nate’s voice rings in my ear. “Clear. Moving to your location. Now.”

I approach the wall, sliding my sniper rifle off my shoulder. My head turns toward the door when it squeaks, my trigger finger in place. When Nate’s face comes into view, I breathe a sigh of relief. Without wasting time, we take our positions. I take in a calming breath, slowly blowing it out.

Steady, I adjust my scope, and Grace’s brown hair comes into view. “Subject’s in sight.”

“Where is he?”

I almost squeeze the trigger, hearing Nero’s voice.

“I’m here; that’s all you need to know.”

“Besides her, I want two million dollars.”

Through my scope, I see Tyler shake his head. One signal down.

“You’re only gonna get the girl. You want her? She’s here. This isn’t a ransom play, fucker.”

Suddenly, three men surround Tyler and Grace.

“This is supposed to be a peaceful handover, scumbag. I’m giving you ten seconds to tell your men to fucking move.” There is no way to miss the stench of death in Tyler’s tone.

“Or else, what?” Nero sneers, leaning forward. “You’re going to kill me?”

“Killing you would be too easy, asshole.”

“Hand her to me! Now!”

My finger itches to squeeze the trigger when I hear Nero’s command.

“Easy, Nix. Not yet,” Nate warns.

“Tell Moe, Curly, and fucking Larry to give their backs to me before I hand her over. You get that?”

“Ima sugu mawaru!”

“I guess that means, turn around,” Nate whispers next to me.

“It’s done. Tell her to move.” It is not hard to miss the evil and hunger in Nero’s voice, even with the loud pounding of my heart.

Tyler slowly raises his hands and then says, “Grace…”

I take a slow breath in, waiting for his final word.

“Take a step toward him.”

Slowly, I exhale.

“I’ll see you in hell, fucker.”

I smirk, hearing the word.

It’s time. Time to unleash hell.

In a split second, Tyler leans forward then slams the back of his head in full force to the guy behind him and then drops on the ground, taking Grace with him. Nate and I methodically and swiftly take down Takahashi’s men, one by one. They drop like flies, each with a single shot to the head. Before Nero can even reach for his gun, I press the trigger, hitting him right between the eyes. Greg’s men swarm the middle of the plaza with their weapons drawn while I frantically try to zero in on Grace.

I can’t see her.

I can’t fucking see her.

“Talk to me, Ty.”

Nate grabs my rifle, mouthing, Go.

I waste no time and make a mad dash down the stairs.

“She’s in shock, Nix. There’s blood everywhere. Get your ass here before she loses it!”

I run down the stairs, taking two steps at a time, while begging God to help Grace forgive me for what I did. I scan the area as soon as I hit air. It only takes me a few heartbeats to find her. I run to her like the hounds of hell are chasing me. Tyler turns around with Grace in his arms at the exact time I skid to a stop near them.

“I’ve got you, baby. I’m right here.” I carry her and sprint toward Drake’s Tahoe with Tyler behind me.

The enclosed space of the Tahoe only amplifies her soft whimpers. She’s shaking in my arms. Her tears are no match against the thick glob of blood covering half of her face and chest.

“I need your shirt, Ty.”

Without hesitation, he hands it to me. I wipe her face clean of Nero’s blood while my guilt tears me in half.

She’s in this state because of me. I did this to her.

“I love you, Grace.” The three words I’ve been wanting to tell her spills out of my lips like a prayer full of remorse for what I did.

How I wish we were in a different time, in a special place, with our hearts open and free, with your eyes shining brightly and your smile blinding me. But we aren’t because of my hands…because of the man I am and always will be. I’ve destroyed us.

With each gentle stroke of my thumb along the apple of her cheek and my lips resting on her forehead, I repeat the three words over and over like an endless promise. A sacred vow. She stays still in my arms. Her eyes tightly shut. Her whimpers of fear are a constant reminder of my sins.

“Get out of your head, Nix. You did what needed to be done.”

Drake’s words barely register in my head.

“Pops saved her, and I put her there again. I did this to her. I did this to us.”

I fucking did it.