Page 132 of Mask and the Magnolia
Yeah, I bet he was.
More like he wanted to make sure a few convicts and their doctor weren’t going to just try to stroll right in.
While I’m glad he feels like that’s option, that there’s a snowball’s chance in hell that we’d break out and come straight here like any other guest, this guys is fucking ridiculous. Assuming something like that was going to happen makes me question his IQ, but why else would he be so adamant about making sure anyone who showed up was on a list? And why the hell would he leave Eve off of it?
“Maggie made me promise not to come.”
I shift around and look at our girl’s best friend as the van starts moving again.
“Assuming you want to know why I wasn’t on the list,” Eve says with a sad smile. “She made me promise, and I told my father I wasn’t coming because I didn’t support what they’re doing to Magnolia. It’s true, I don’t, but I was going to be here to support my best friend. Unfortunately, I haven’t been allowed to see her all week and I have a feeling it’s because Camden hasn’t let her out of his sight.”
In other words, Eve thinks her fuckhead brother has had our girl on a leash and most likely is keeping it short because Maggie is still paying for bonding with us.
“I don’t know if I can keep my cool,” Calix, of all people, says as he starts scratching at his wrist. “If I go in and see Maggie all banged up. If he’s been hurting her this entire time?—“
“That’s why we’re going in, sweetheart,” Des says as he reaches across and pats his knee. “We’re going in to stop him and everyone else who’s done nothing but hurt our girl her entire life.”
“No one’s ever going to hurt Magnolia again,” Isaak says, an edge to his tone as he turns over the mask in his hands, his eyes fixed on the movement.
That’s the first thing he’s said in a while, and while we all feel that way, hearing him say it in that tone has me watching our omega a little closer.
I’m not worried about me and Des.
We’ve gotten our hands dirty plenty of times, in a lot of different ways.
When Des went on his spree, he primarily used a sawed off shotgun but also has experience with a number of other firearms, and my alpha is solid with hand to hand on top of that.
I’ve mostly just used my hands, done some sort of damage that way or with a weapon that was still along the same lines.When I was in high school, I knew a kid who owned a gun range and got to go out there quite a bit and even though it’s been a while, I know my way around a gun.
Our beta? For some reason, I think Calix is going to be fine. He won’t think twice to get his hands dirty. He’s never fired a gun in his life, he’s barely ever fought back in most scenarios but something is telling me he’ll be a natural. I think we could put any weapon in his hand and Calix would not only figure out how to use it in the most effective way, he’d be better than the rest of us in no time flat.
Isaak is the wild card.
Not because he’s suddenly unhinged and unpredictable. Not because I think he’s going to back down or change his mind about going in literally guns blazing. Our omega has never killed anyone before. I don’t know if Isaak has ever been in anything you could even consider an altercation. He’s just as fired up, just as angry and hurt, his concern for Maggie is strong, all of that matches ours and we’ve tried prepping him for what can possibly happen tonight.
What is inevitably going to happen tonight.
Thinking about taking a life and actually doing it are two different things, and I’m worried about what it’s going to do to Isaak when he witnesses it, or is put in the situation to do it himself.
This isn’t some peaceful infiltration, we’re not going in all hellbent onnothurting anyone.
I have every intention of killing Camden Blackhurst tonight. Him, and both of Maggie’s worthless parents if I can, but anyone who tries to stop us is going to have a target right between their eyes.
I won’t think twice about eliminating any kind of threat posed to my pack, and I won’t have an ounce of hesitation or guilt when I do.
I’m worried about what it’ll do to Isaak long term if he has to kill someone tonight, or when he watches us in our natural element.
After a few minutes of driving around what I can now clearly see is a fucking country club, we stop between a gate withEntrance to Golf Courseon it and another that saysReynolds Hall.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I grunt. An entire goddamn hall named after them? In this stupid country club?Wow.
Maisie and Eve turn to face us, the two females looking us over closely as they refresh us on the plan.
“Maddox left this door open before he and Drix cleared your path. Cameras are covered, emergency exits are deactivated.” Eve holds up a rough map, hand drawn in pink ink. “We are on the complete opposite side from where the party is being held so it should be pretty dead until you get closer. The hallways are long, they echo, and most have rows of floor to ceiling windows on one side of them. You’ll have to memorize it but if you follow the map, you should be able to get to Maggie just before the obligatory toasts.”
Maisie looks at me and rolls her eyes before she smirks. “The masks have comms in them. You’ll be able to hear us, we can hear you, you can hear each other. It’s a constant stream of communication so it really should be used as needed so the line isn’t jumbled. If you want to talk to someone outside of the mask, there is a button on the bracelet strapped to your utility belts.”
I look down at the row of ammunition and other small weapons around my waist, my eyes zeroing in on the item she’s talking about. It’s little more like a glove than a bracelet with a piece that spreads across the palm and attaches at a piece forthe pinky and thumb. It also seems more like it’s a double tap instead of a button but I get the idea.
