by A. V. Asher
Mercedes ignored them. She only needed another minute, and she’d be ready to leave. She’d walk to a bus before she’d stay another night in this house.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Alec’s heartbeat thundered in his ears as he flung Mariah’s door closed and turned away. She revved the engine as she pulled off, but he was already striding back to the house.
He was going to fucking kill Declan. That arsehole knew damn well what he was doing. Between Mariah’s unexpected appearance, the look on Mercedes’s face, and seeing Declan’s mouth on hers, his temper was at an end. He hurled the door shut behind him and locked the deadbolt.
Declan came through the hall, and he let it out. He grabbed Declan by the collar. “What the fuck were you doing?” Alec’s voice shook with rage.
Declan was quick, bringing his hands through Alec’s hold and giving him a shove. “Me? What the fuck were you doing, ya wanker? Mariah? You didn’t think it’d be a bad idea to have her pop by? Smart.”
“I didn’t invite her here,” Alec said through his teeth. “She knew we had the safehouse, so I told her we had a family party. None of that excuses what you were doing.”
“Oh, please. Like kissing my sister, and you know it. But you’ve got bigger problems than me kissing her. She’s in there packing.”
This landed like a punch to his gut. “What? Why?”
Declan looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “You’re kidding, right? I believe her exact words were, ‘He invited his fucking booty call to my safehouse.’”
“Shit.” Alec pushed past him and stopped outside her bedroom, his anger waning. She had every right to be pissed, but she needed to know it hadn’t been intentional.
Alec pushed open her door. She was shoving clothes into the backpack so hard he thought she might tear the seams.
“Sadie . . .”
She stopped and glared at him. Alec was taken aback by the fury blazing in her eyes.
“Thank you for getting me out of the hospital and letting me rest.” She went back to packing, her words laced with fire. “I very much appreciate it.”
“Wait! I didn’t ask her to come here. Nor did I want anything to do with why she was here.”
“No? Well, you know what? That’s none of my business. I mean, really, it’s not. You’re free to fuck whoever you want.”
Alec flinched, his heart pounding in his ears. “I didn’t sleep with her. Well, I mean I did . . . I dated her a while ago, but . . .” Her eyes flashed at him, so he stopped and tried again. “I only went to dinner with her. As colleagues, nothing else. Afterwards, she kissed me and—”
“I don’t need to hear this,” Mercedes interrupted.
“But I told her no, that was it. I went home. Alone.”
“Cool. My problem is you brought your little bed buddy to the one place I felt safe—the one place where I was supposed to recover and get myself back together. And just like that, it’s compromised. No doubt he’s already on his way.” She struggled with the bag’s zipper, mashing the pile of clothes down.
Alec cocked his head at her. “Who? Jason?”
Mercedes scoffed and rolled her eyes but didn’t answer. She kept trying to close the zipper, but her trembling fingers were slipping off the pull.
Alec longed to comfort her, to ease her mind. “We’ll go somewhere else if you don’t feel safe, but I will protect you, Sadie.”
She finally wrenched the bag closed and slung it over her shoulder.
“No, you won’t. It’s over.”
Alec’s heart wrenched at the words. This can’t be how it ends.
Mercedes tried to walk past him, but he put an arm out to stop her. Her nostrils flared, the heat of her anger radiating to him.
“Sadie, it’s not over. I promised you I’d help you. I intend to see that promise through.”
“Are you going to hold me against my will then?” she challenged him.
“No.” Alec flinched at the implication.
“Then you have no say.” Mercedes tried to push past him again, but he stood before her for one more try.
“Where will you go? You have no money, no way to get out of here. I know you’re upset at me, and I can see why you are, but you have to be reasonable here. It’s nearly dark outside and starting to rain. You’ll not get far.”
“That’s a very ‘Jason’ thing to say,” she spat.
The words knocked him back, stealing his breath. “That was low.”
Mercedes winced but quickly covered it. “I’ve asked Declan to take me to the American embassy tonight.” She lifted her chin. “I’m leaving. Now.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but Declan cut him off from the other room. “Alec! You need to see this.”
Christ, what now? “Wait. Just wait, okay?”
Mercedes glowered at him as he left.
Declan was in the kitchen, compact device in his hand.
“What?” Alec barked, impatient to get back.
Declan looked up at Alec and turned the device so he could see the red beacon flashing. Alec’s heart dropped out from under him. He walked to the table. Bending low, he peeled the tiny listening device from the lip.
How the mother fucking hell did this happen?
Mercedes had followed him into the kitchen. She leaned against the wall, her head back, fear and resignation in her eyes. “I told you he’d find me.”
Alec’s blood ran cold. He had failed her.
He locked eyes with Declan. “Two minutes. Go.”
Declan grabbed Mercedes’s bag and violin case from her hands and disappeared down the hall. Alec pulled a kitchen knife from the drawer. Using the sharp edge, he broke the listening device in half.
He and Declan worked silently to break down the site. Computers and weapons were the priority. The rest could be managed later. Pulling his weapons bag out of the closet, he strapped his drop leg holster to his thigh, adding his back-up .9mm and extra magazines to the dock.
He could feel Mercedes’s eyes following him as he moved. She’d wrapped her arms around herself. The spark in her eyes had gone out.
Fuck.
Alec took a step toward her, but a sound stopped him. He drew his sidearm, listening.
Someone was in the front yard.
They had to go. Now.
Alec held his hand out to Mercedes. She hesitated. For a beat, he thought she was going to gut him with a refusal. Relief washed over him when she stepped to him and took it.
The crack of a breaking window cut through the silence. Then all hell broke loose.
Chapter Twenty-Three
A volley of gunfire erupted. All the windows in the living room shattered. Alec spun Mercedes into the kitchen, taking cover behind the arched wooden frame.
Bullets tore through the walls, reaching the ceiling. Broken glass and plaster skittered across the floor.
“Hold on to me. Move when I do!” Alec shouted to Mercedes. She clutched the back of his shirt.
Declan had sought cover behind the kitchen wall opposite of the arch from Alec. They needed to retreat, but Declan was stuck. He couldn’t move across the archway.
A pause in the gunfire left nothing but the sound of his heart pulsing in his ears. Alec peered around the corner. The acrid smell of gunpowder permeated the air. The blown-in windows remained dark.
Where were they?
Gunfire erupted again, and he pulled back. The shots remained high up. Plaster rained on their heads. They were not aiming to kill. They were doing something else.
A god damn distraction. “Fuck!” he growled.
It was too late. The footsteps were already approaching from behind.
Alec shoved Mercedes away, bracing for impact. Jason Marsh’s weight crashed into him, throwing him against the wall. His gun flew from his hand, skidding under the table. Jason’s blow to the ribs stole his breath. Alec blocked the next hits and returned them with matching speed.
Jason didn’t move like a computer programmer. He moved like a soldier.
/> Kicking off the wall, he pushed Jason away and landed two hits into the man’s gut. His fist bounced off.
The bastard was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Jason locked his hands around Alec’s neck, spinning him into the kitchen counter. Hip bone met tile, and Alec grunted. Kicking out, he dug his heel into Jason’s knee. It gave way. Jason let out a cry and stumbled back. He caught his balance and glared at Alec.
Then Jason pulled a long knife from his belt.
When he charged, Alec caught him by the wrist, the blade centimeters from his chest. Eye to eye, they pressed together, Alec’s muscles straining. Jason had better footing, bringing all his weight onto the knife.
The tip of the blade tore into Alec’s flesh, a burning agony.
The bastard smiled and twisted the knife. “I knew you’d be a pussy.”
“Fuck you,” Alec growled and drove his knee up into Jason’s thigh. He faltered enough for Alec to shove him off.
Alec scanned for a weapon and grabbed a metal tea kettle off the counter, and swung, striking Jason across his face with a crack. He stumbled backward, blinking, blade in hand.
Jason swung the knife blindly. Alec moved, capturing Jason’s wrist and elbow. He twisted Jason around and pinned his arm behind his back. Then Alec gave a sharp thrust, and the joint came free with a thunk.
Jason yelled and let go of the knife. It clattered to the ground. Alec kicked it away.
Grabbing a fistful of hair, Alec slammed the fucker’s face into the corner of the counter with a satisfying crunch.
“Fuck!” Jason yelled, dropping to the floor. Blood poured from his nose.
Alec pulled his .9mm, ready to end it, when a scraping sound caught his attention.
Declan.
He turned his gaze to the living room.
A figure in black straddled his cousin. As he watched, the man grabbed Declan’s weapon from the ground next to them, turning its aim on Declan.
Alec pulled the trigger on the swing up. Double tap to the chest. Head shot.
All three bullets hit their targets. The man’s body convulsed and slumped to the side. Declan scrambled to his feet, snatching up his gun as he dove to cover again. Rapid fire of his gun rang out. Someone was still shooting from the outside.
A shattering of glass and a scream brought his attention back to Jason.
He was holding Mercedes in front of him, using her as a shield, his large hand wrapped around her throat.
Jason sneered at Alec as his fingers squeezed, knuckles white with tension. Mercedes gagged and fell silent. She dug her fingernails into his hand, trying desperately to peel his fingers away, her mouth opening and closing in mute screams.
“If you care about her at all, you’ll put your gun down and let me take her,” Jason said, “because if you don’t, you’re gonna watch her die. Right now.”
“I thought you said you loved her?”
Jason’s lips pulled up even further. “I’d rather see her dead than fucking you.”
Bolts of energy pulsed through Alec’s veins. He slowed his breathing and moved his aim down her body. He could graze her thigh. Once she fell, he’d have a clear shot at this fucker’s head.
A shimmer of metal caught his eye. He stopped.
Mercedes had Jason’s knife. It was clenched against her side. Her fingers trembled. She didn’t have much time left. If she didn’t act, he’d have to shoot her.
Alec met her eyes. “Do it,” he said through gritted teeth.
She brought the blade up and back into Jason’s thigh, sinking it into his muscle a good two or three inches. He cried out and dropped her, doubling over in pain.
Mercedes lunged at Alec. He caught her but lost his shot at Jason as he spun them both toward the hall. Mercedes clung to him, gasping for air. She staggered.
Oxygen deprivation. If Jason had damaged her trachea, she’d need immediate care. “Talk to me,” he demanded, listening to her breath through the commotion.
“I’m okay,” she rasped through the coughing.
“Dec! Fall back.”
Declan was poised at the window, holding off the men outside. At Alec’s call, he hustled toward them, covering their escape toward the garage. Declan met them at the garage door.
“Clear it,” Alec said. “We’ll be right behind you.”
As Declan moved past them, Jason popped his head around the corner, and Alec took a shot. The bastard ducked, and the plaster on the wall behind him exploded.
“Clear!” Declan called.
Alec pulled Mercedes into the garage, securing the door behind him.
He guided her to the front passenger seat of the SUV and ran around to the driver’s side. Declan climbed into the back seat, his gun trained on the door to the house.
Alec started the engine, slammed the car into reverse, and floored the gas pedal. The SUV crashed through the garage door, the metal screeching over the roof.
Jason and the other man were running across the lawn outside. Alec grabbed Mercedes and pulled her head into his lap. Not a second later, a bullet hole cracked the windshield open as the SUV screeched onto the street. Alec threw it into drive, the tires squealing.
Alec watched the rearview mirror. The lights of Jason’s car swung into view.
“There they are.” Alec’s foot pressed down on the gas pedal. “You got the rifle?”
“Aye.” Declan switched his weapons, now aiming a long-barreled gun on the advancing car.
Mercedes’s head was still in Alec’s lap. He pressed his hand on her exposed ear, muffling the sound. When the shot came, she jumped. Shattered glass cascaded down the back window. Declan loaded the next shot into the chamber with a click. Alec put pressure on Mercedes’s ear again as the next shot reverberated through the car. In the rearview mirror, the car behind them pitched one way and then the other, crashing into a parked car.
Alec pulled the wheel to the right, drifting around the corner, and took another sharp turn onto the main avenue.
A minute passed with no sign they were followed. He rubbed Mercedes’s shoulders, and she sat up.
“Either of you hurt?” Alec’s heart was hammering. It would be another minute before his own injuries made themselves known.
“Oh aye, gonna feel like I got kicked by a horse tomorrow. But I think I’ll manage,” Declan said.
Mercedes didn’t respond. She stared at her hands, her mouth open.
“Sadie, say something,” he demanded.
She blinked. “I— I think I have a couple of cuts from glass but not too bad.”
Relief washed over him when she took in a full breath. No damage.
She ran a hand through her hair. “Oh. My head is bleeding.”
Alec turned on the overhead light. Her shaking hand was wet with blood. The back of her head was a sticky tangle, drops of red falling onto her shirt.
“Christ! Dec!” Alec cried. “Can you see how bad?” Had a bullet struck her?
Declan shot forward, scanning the top of her head by the light of his cell phone.
“Do I need to pull over?” When Alec didn’t get an answer, he yelled, “Declan!”
“Aye, I hear you!” Declan shouted back. “Give me a second.”
Mercedes whimpered, and Declan pulled back, a bloodied shard of glass held between his fingers.
“How the hell did you get this?” Declan asked.
“Jason threw me into the china cabinet,” she whispered. “I don’t feel good.” She leaned forward, breathing in shallow pants.
“Breathe, Sadie,” Alec ordered, rubbing her back.
“She’s bleeding a lot, but head wounds do that,” Declan said. “She might need stitches. I need a rag or something.”
“Here.” Alec ripped at his shirt, ignoring the buttons popping off. “Use this.”
Declan got Mercedes to sit back, the shirt pressed to her head to stem the bleeding. “Did you stab that fucker with a knife?”
Alec let out a breath. “Aye, she did.”
“I didn’t think I could do that.” Her voice was hollow, but her lips turned up in a smile.
Alec’s chest throbbed. His fingers felt where the knife had entered his chest. It was seeping blood. Adrenaline was fading along with the mental chaos it brought.
What was their next move? Nothing was secure. The other safehouses were useless. Mariah had access to most of their internal protocols. Most, but not all.
Shit. “We have no choice, do we?”
“Nope.”
“Fuck!”
Alec pulled his phone out and dialed.
It rang twice and clicked. Cressida’s voice came on the line. “Artemis here.”
“Artemis, this is Renegade. We’ve been compromised.”
A brief pause. “Go.”
“Safehouse was breached. All members accounted for. All sustained minor injuries. At least one deceased assailant. All priority gear stripped, secondary items left. All communication forms are unusable. We will be moving to November. Confirm.” Mercedes’s eyes were on him, but he didn’t have time to explain.
“Moving to November. Affirmative. Other instructions?”
“Strip everything from Mariah Costa immediately. She’s a mole and should be treated as hostile. Under no circumstances is she to gain access to any part of our system. Any avenue she has been a part of has been compromised.”
“I want one of the twins,” Declan said. “Something I need to look into.”
“Take them both. And tell Matrix as well,” Alec said, using the code name for Mason. “Everyone goes dark until further notice.” He didn’t want any loose ends until they regrouped.
After everything was repeated and affirmed with Cressida. She promised to update him when she knew more.
Mercedes was looking out the cracked window. He wanted to talk to her, to reassure himself she was all right. He wanted her to let him apologize for not keeping her safe.
He knew better. Mercedes wanted nothing to do with him at the moment, and he didn’t blame her. Still, she was breathing. She was alive. If there was anything to be grateful for, it was that.
Chapter Twenty-Four