“Your family always had a rivalry with the Richardson family, and when your father had a debt to Callum Richardson that he couldn’t pay.” He pauses, his eyes darting from mine down to his slacks, where he brushes his hand over the material. “Callum Richardson killed your family, and he would have killed you, too, if it weren’t for me getting there in time to get you. He tried to hire our company to take out your family, but we refused. Still, I just had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen, and it did. Your family were killed, but that didn’t kill the contracts out on you all entirely. For that to happen, you would need to die too, which is why it’s imperative that we can keep you hidden until we can find a way to deal with the Richardsons.”
“I…” I start but trail off. I have no freaking idea what to say right now. My mind is blank, and my entire body feels numb.
“That’s not all,” he says hesitantly, and I nod at him to continue. “You’re eighteen now, which means you’re entitled to your inheritance from your birth family. I’ve managed to keep you hidden all of these years, but I just got word from a lawyer, who somehow managed to find you, that we need to set up a meeting so you can receive what’s rightfully yours. Callum may be able to track the money, and since the lawyer has already reached out, there’s no doubt in my mind that Callum is already sniffing around, trying to find out where you are. Him, and every mercenary out there that’s chomping at the bit to fulfil one of the existing contracts and have themselves a nice pay day.”
I take a deep breath. “So, what does that mean?”
“It means you’re in danger, A. But I’m not going to lethim get to you. I’ve kept you safe for this long, and I’ll continue to do so until I take my last breath.”
Iblink back to the present and stare at the mansion in front of me. The drive here was long, but it didn’t diminish the determination I have to get this done.
I do feel bad about drugging Cole, but in my defense, he did it to me first.
Just for a very different reason.
I’ve spent the last two years learning everything I could about the Richardson family, so I know Callum Richardson and his three sons will be at the home, as well as a tight security system and an army of bodyguards.
His sons are between the ages of twenty and twenty-five, and from my time looking into them, I know they’re into the exact same shit as their father.
They like to come across as a well-respected, wealthy family. But behind the scenes, they’re nothing but scum. They buy and sell women, and nearly all of their money comes from illegal means.
Callum Richardson is the reason my entire family is dead, and I’m going to repay the favor.
I approach the fence surrounding the house, knowing that as soon as I start to climb it, the armed guards will appear, and the fight will be on.
Though, I don’t let that stop me. I’ve always known coming here would lead to a bloodbath, I just have to survive long enough for some of that blood to be of the Richardson variety.
I throw my bag filled with everything I could need onto my back and start climbing the fence. It’s an old, heavy metalfence that really should be updated, especially since the winding patterns in the metal make it easy as hell to climb up on. There’s barbed wire covering the top, which I just hop right over, and I land in a crouch, listening to the silence surround me and waiting for what’s to come.
It doesn’t take long for me to hear distinct shouts before multiple footsteps approach me. I pull the handgun from my leg holster and take aim. Bullets fly towards me, but I manage to duck and dodge each one, returning fire on those who shot.
I shoot three guys in the head, another one in the shoulder, disarming him momentarily, and another one in the chest. I shoot towards another guy approaching me, but he’s moving too fast for me get him. He dodges the bullets, pointing his gun towards me before he… throws it?
What the hell?
“Quickly, this way,” he says, and grabs hold of my arm.
Momentarily stunned, I blink at him in surprise before shrugging out of his hold and going to throw a punch. He catches my fist before it can make contact and growls under his breath, “If you’re here to take care of the piece of shit, then let me help you.”
I debate it for a moment before realizing I really have nothing to lose. It could be a trap, and I’d get the audience I came for anyway.
“Fine,” I mutter before following him along the edge of the fence.
“They sent team one to come out and stop you. I took down my team—team two—and put the security tape on a loop so that if team three checks, they won’t be able to see you. For now, anyways.”
“Why are you helping me?”
He chuckles. “You’re Alana, right? I used to work foryour dad. I’ve been on this damn estate for the last seven years, keeping an eye on Callum and trying to intervene when I can. Unfortunately, after Riko died and the company was taken over, I’ve had no one to report to other than random check-ins with Dare, so I’ve been trying to stop what I can from the inside, but it’s difficult trying to work alone when there are so many other guards.”
That sounds like something my dad would do, always the paranoid protector, though it turns out his paranoia has saved my life on multiple occasions now.
“What’s your name?” I ask.
“Reed,” he says and grabs my arm again, pulling me towards a side entrance.
“You know we’re gonna die, right?”
He snorts and shakes his head. “This is the most exciting thing to happen to me in seven years. A little death ain’t gonna change that.”
