by Mia Hoddell
“Just give it up Cora, you can’t possibly win. I promise I’ll make it quick.” Kirby’s tone was smarmy and it irritated Cora. He sounded like a teenager taunting his victim in the playground, not the adult he was.
Rising slowly, Cora stepped out of the shadows, her body separating from the darkness. Releasing its hold on her, she revealed herself. Intently the men watched her deliberate steps and gun aimed at them. Her face was blank of emotion, her eyes wide like a hunter as she controlled the situation.
“So what’s your plan? Kill me and then what? Rogan would have your head for that whether you’re his son or not and you know it. Getting rid of me doesn’t get rid of your problems, Kirby. Are you going to kill Nick too? And then everyone who stands in your way? You don’t have the guts to do that.” Her voice remained calm as she spoke, her words slapping Kirby in the face.
“You know?” he choked out. It was not the reaction Cora was expecting and although she was sure she knew what he was referring to, she wasn’t going to say it out loud.
“I know what?” Cora asked coyly. No matter how much she wanted to taunt him with the knowledge she had accumulated, she was saving that trick for when she needed it most.
“You know about Rogan?”
“What should I know about him? He wants me for my ability and you feel threatened by me. Does that sum it up or is there something else you would like to share?” she replied innocently, thankful it was too dark for him to see any flicker of emotion that might reveal she knew.
“Don’t mess with me, Cora.” He tried to lower his voice in warning but it didn’t come out right. Rather than sounding threatening, it appeared he was trying to convince himself that he was stronger than everyone thought he was.
“Why? You’re not going to shoot me.” Cora laughed, tormenting him.
“I will.”
“You’re lying.” The words rang with dishonesty in her ears as she called him on it. She knew why. Kirby had no intention of killing her, that’s why he had brought back up. It was their job to kill and then take the fall.
“Maybe.” As Kirby said it, he nodded his head slightly, a signal Cora didn’t miss.
A flash of movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention.
The barrel of his gun lifted, travelling towards her head with a swift movement.
If he reached it Cora knew he would fire. He had been ordered and no one disobeyed a Carvelli—even if it was Kirby.
Turning all attention back towards the man, she focused her eyes on him, locking the barrel on his chest.
She didn’t hesitate.
Pulling the trigger, the bullet launched out of the gun, burying itself in the man’s chest. It landed right where she had aimed. A perfect shot.
Shouting in agony, the man’s legs buckled as his muscles gave up and he crumpled to the floor. He had thought her attention was focused on Kirby. He had been told to get on with it. Now he felt cold.
Pressing his hand against his chest, he felt the warm, sticky blood flowing out and coating his fingers.
His hands were shaking.
His breaths were laboured and a cold sweat was forming on his forehead. A small whimper escaped his lips as he lay staring up at the ceiling but everyone ignored him as his eyes fluttered, the life leaving him.
“Still think I’m just messing around?” Cora challenged, her attention once again focused on Kirby.
He was quivering on the spot, running his sweaty palms against his trousers at the sight of what she had done. He looked at the weapon that was trained on him, the body on the floor and back to Cora. He wanted to be sick and he wanted to run but neither happened.
Her gun had him frozen, staring with fear as he watched her take a step towards him.
It was just her and Kirby, a thought that pleased her.
“Now, what are you going to do?” Cora’s voice was cold and unforgiving. She remained detached. She had to fight for her to command and see everything through. She couldn’t allow the effects of killing someone to sink in.
Kirby went to turn.
“Move any further and I’ll shoot.”
He stopped, paralysed by her words once more. “How many guns do you have on you?”
“O-one,” Kirby stuttered, his facade failing finally—not that it was ever convincing.
Happy he was telling the truth, Cora continued. “Place it on the floor gently and slide it over here.”
She watched the slight flicker of hesitation fill his eyes.
“Now,” she ordered, her voice low as she flicked her head to emphasise what she wanted.
Watching, Kirby crouched down slowly, his eyes never leaving Cora’s as he put the gun on the floor. Pushing it, he watched as it spun towards her, stopping half way between them both.
“How many men are waiting downstairs?”
Kirby shook his head, fear surging through his body and taking control of him and rendering his voice useless.
“Speak. I can’t tell whether you’re lying otherwise.”
“Only three and the two who had been watching you before,” he said in barely a whisper.
“Okay, here’s how this is going to work. You’re going to go down there and call off your lackeys from the front door. I will be following you and my gun will stay on you constantly. If you try anything, I will shoot. I don’t think Rogan will miss you much.”
He flinched at her words but she ignored it.
“Then we are going to take a trip to see your dad.”
She didn’t think it was possible but his eyes spiralled wider as the fear surged through him at the thought of having to face Rogan. Looking like a ‘dead man walking’, Cora had no remorse, for him or the corpse bleeding over her carpet. “Got it?”
Kirby nodded slowly and then realising his mistake spoke. “Yes.”
“Good. Now lead the way.”
As he turned, Cora used his moment of blindness to place her other gun onto one of the empty bookshelves. The other remained in hand as she moved towards Kirby, lightly grazing his back with the metal—a silent warning.
Walking down the stairs and towards the front door Cora remained behind Kirby, using him like a human shield. She waited in the corridor, making sure she was out of sight as Kirby gave the men their orders. He had tried to sound confident but as he called out, his voice wavered with nerves. A cold sweat had broken out on his forehead, a few beads trickling down his face as he tried to calm his pounding heart.
After waiting ten minutes, to give them a head start back to Rogan’s, Cora decided it was time to leave.
“Run and I shoot. Draw attention to us and I shoot. Do anything that will endanger me, I’ll shoot,” she murmured sinisterly as Cora pushed him out of the door roughly, causing him to stumble at the sudden impact. After slamming the door shut, Cora pressed the gun a little harder into his back, just to emphasise her words as they began walking down the street.
Cora didn’t have to worry about concealing her gun as in this decrepit new world people were used to weapons so it remained pressed in Kirby’s back the whole way to Rogan’s, a constant reminder as to who was in control.
Chapter 24
Cora didn’t wait for the usual procedure as she entered Rogan’s house. Who would have questioned her though? She was almost certain that everyone knew who she was and that she was first in line to take over, even if she had been kept in the dark. If they didn’t, then they definitely knew that she was important to Rogan and not to be harmed. If that wasn’t enough for the men to leave her alone, the fact that Kirby was in front of her made certain that nobody questioned them as Cora pushed him through the house and towards Rogan’s office.
They got a few curious and suspicious glances but no one interfered. Kirby may have been seen as the weak, incompetent member of the family but he was still a Carvelli and that gave him a certain amount of power and immunity. Well, immunity from everyone but Rogan.
The only thing that had changed between the two of them on the w
ay over was that as they drew up to the gates of the house, Cora had pulled Kirby in close, concealing the gun that was still pressed into his back. The solid metal stabbing his spine had Kirby on edge. He didn’t know what Cora had planned after delivering him to Rogan but the gun made him less than confident that there would be a good, painless outcome. He didn’t think she would shoot him but his belief in that statement had been diminishing rapidly after he saw the man lying dead, oozing blood on to her carpet. That was not an image that was going to leave his mind soon.
Cora wasn’t stupid though. For one, despite what people thought, she didn’t like hurting people. She hadn’t wanted to shoot the guy but it was her life or his and people should have known that when it came down to that choice, Cora would do everything to survive. She had no intention of shooting Kirby however, the gun was merely a precautionary device and his rigid frame proved it was working. The only reason she concealed the weapon was because, no matter who she was, people don’t go waving a gun around in Rogan’s house. Sure, all the men were armed but nobody drew their weapons and her walking in with one pressed obviously against Kirby’s back would not have been the wisest move. She wouldn’t have got anywhere near Rogan’s office if she had.
Cora had been to the office enough times to know her way around the mansion. She led Kirby down the series of corridors, not that he needed the guidance, but he had started to slow the pace and put up a little resistance as they got nearer. Obviously he was starting to regret his actions, Cora thought as she applied more pressure to his back to keep him moving in the right direction.
Angry didn’t even begin to cover how she felt at that time. She was furious at the assassination attempt but then to have to walk all the way over to Rogan’s on a bad leg, holding a guy at gun point had ruined her night. The last place she wanted to be was within Rogan’s grasp. She hadn’t cleared her head and she didn’t want to be trapped.
Approaching the office, a stunned looking bodyguard stood outside the door, his arms folded across his chest menacingly. He eyed them curiously as they drew near but Cora ignored him, rolling her eyes at his tough guy act. Moving past him she pulled Kirby to a stop in front of the door, making sure he was facing it. Before the bald bodyguard had a chance to stop them or utter a word, she pushed Kirby hard, sending him flying into it. With a loud crack as the wood splintered, the force threw the door wide open and Kirby stumbled through awkwardly. She caught the faint “you can’t go in...” from the guard but once again she ignored him, his warning was too late and he made no move to stop them.
As Kirby dragged himself up from where he was sprawled on the floor, Cora waltzed into the room full of confidence. She was tempted to kick him back onto the floor but Kirby was already brushing off his clothes and straightening them. Instead, Cora grabbed him by the back of the neck, forcing him to fall forward a few more steps.
Rogan had jumped up from his desk, pulling out a gun on instinct. When he saw who the intruders were he lowered the barrel quickly, his fists slamming against the desk with a thundering crash. Pure anger masked his face as he fumed, a dark shade of red bleeding into his usually pale complexion making it look like he was boiling alive. There were also three other men sat in front of his desk, their heads turned in her direction. Their eyes were wide from being startled but as they recovered their composure their gazes flicked between Rogan and Cora. Unsurprisingly, they all ignored Kirby’s weak presence as he cowered slightly under Rogan’s scrutiny.
“Cora, Kirby what the hell do you think you are doing?” Rogan shouted and Cora couldn’t help but think he sounded like he was a father telling off a couple of children—his children. She wasn’t about to let slip she knew his secret though.
Cora was about to let out a torrent of words that she had been practising all the way over when a voice interrupted them from behind.
“Sorry sir, I tried to stop them.”
Like hell had he tried to stop them Cora thought, rolling her eyes at the bodyguard’s false attempt at an apology. She could see from Rogan’s expression that he wasn’t buying it either but he dismissed the guard—partly because he knew how petulant Cora could be but also he didn’t want to deal with his incompetence right now. Besides, that would be easier than the debacle Cora had created in front of him. “What are you two doing in here? Can’t you see I’m in a meeting?” Rogan said, seething with anger and emphasising each word slowly. “And why have you got a gun in my home?” He gestured angrily at the weapon in Cora’s hand as it hung limp at her side. She made no move to dispose of it.
“I brought you a present,” she replied sarcastically while smiling grimly and pointing at Kirby.
“Cora...” Rogan warned, his voice low. He wasn’t in the mood for her games. “What are you doing here?”
She huffed in response. “You should ask your son that. He’s the one who’s going around trying to kill people who are happily minding their own business without having proper orders. You know he had the audacity to come to my home with four of your men and try to shoot me?”
“I had my reason, you—” Kirby’s words were cut off by a sharp smack to the back of his head which caused him to fall forward again. He turned to scowl at Cora, reaching up to rub the spot she had hit but she wasn’t looking at him, she was staring challengingly at Rogan. She wanted to know what he was going to do about the situation.
His face had turned an even deeper shade of red, his anger burning inside him as his gaze shifted between Kirby and Cora.
“You did what!?” he roared, and Kirby visibly shook as Rogan charged towards him with an uncontrollable madness in his eyes. Then as if catching himself and remembering who was with him he stopped all of a sudden. With one deep, composing sigh, Rogan exhaled and with it, the redness and anger left his body. Cora thought it was weird how much control he had over himself.
Plastering on a false, insincere smile that Cora assumed was his polite, business face, he turned back to the three men who were still watching the scene with interest. Their eyes were darting from each individual in the room curiously, wondering who was who and what the issue was. There was a slight hint of relish in their eyes, like they were watching a tense fight and they were waiting for someone to throw the first punch.
“I apologise for the inconvenience but I’m afraid we will have to reschedule this meeting until a better time. If you could see Liam on your way out, he will make sure you are taken care of. Once again I’m sorry for the inconvenience caused. All of this will be taken into consideration when we evaluate your applications,” Rogan said as he guided the men out of the door. His arms spreading wide, and the shuffling of the reluctant mens’ feet made Cora think that Rogan looked more like he was herding them like cattle.
Cora couldn’t help but think he was a better actor than she gave him credit for—not that she doubted his skill. Rogan was a master manipulator and in her eyes, the best there was. He sounded sincere with his apology, however, the words he spoke distorted in her head so she knew they were lies. He was not going to take anything into consideration and Cora already knew why. If the men were here for a job, they had already got it. Rogan never turned men away but he liked to make everything look official, at least until the contracts were signed. After that he couldn’t care less, he had them bound to him. And the apology? That was as false as they came. If they were looking for jobs, Rogan didn’t care whether they were inconvenienced—he knew people were desperate and that they’d come running to him despite his reputation.
Rogan tried to shut the door behind them but the splintered wood failed to line up and close properly. “Look at what you’ve done!”
Cora didn’t care and could not hold back her words and anger any longer.
“This asshole thought it would be a good idea to show up at my flat with four men to try and kill me. Thankfully, I spotted them while they were on the street and was able to prepare. However, I do not appreciate the situation. I do not expect to be threatened in my own home, especially now
I work for you. How did he even get out without you noticing?” Cora paced frantically up and down as she gestured furiously in Kirby’s direction.
Rogan was stood over Kirby threateningly as he switched his gaze back and forth between what he regarded as his pathetic son and Cora, allowing her to explain her frustration. He appeared to be calm but on the inside he was seething, there was also a small hint of fear. If Kirby had gone after Cora, it meant he may have known the truth about her. If that was the case, he wondered how many—besides the few he told—knew. Worry creased his forehead about whether or not Cora had found out.
“Anyway, he shows up, threatens me. Well, he gets the other guy to threaten and shoot me because he’s too much of a coward to even do that himself. He just stood in the doorway quivering at gun point.” She spat the words in his direction, hurling them like they could do physical damage. And by the look on Kirby’s face, every one of them had hit its mark perfectly.
“Oh, and I had to shoot your man by the way. It was either him or me. And because all of this is your fault I expect you to send someone to get rid of the body and clean up my flat. I’m not going home and having to deal with that.”
Finally she ran out of steam, collapsing in the nearest chair to her. “You’ve taken things too far this time, Kirby,” Rogan said, his voice controlled and threatening. “You know what she means to me and how important she is—” Rogan stopped himself, not wanting to accidentally reveal too much. He chose his next words carefully.
“Why did you want to kill her?”
“You know why. It belongs to me. I’m your first son, she is—”
“She is an important employee who happens to have a unique ability,” he said raising his voice, cutting off Kirby’s words as he held up a hand to silence him. He was sure Kirby was about to reveal his secret and he couldn’t have allowed that. “I have spent years trying to get her to sign on.”