“Take this.” He hands me a gun, and I slip it into the back of my tailored wide-leg pants. “We need to be prepared for the worst. We haven’t heard from Romeo, and he said he would let us know when he was on his way back to us.” He pulls a couple of Kevlar suits from the shelf as well, handing one to me as he strips his shirt off.
As he dresses himself, I slip further into the room, taking a combat knife and slipping it into the other side of my pants,grateful Orlando gave Onyx the combination of his weapons room.
I feel Reef’s hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, Sloane, we won’t let anything happen to you,” Reef tries to reassure me, but he’s not masking the hint of fear in his eyes. When I haven’t moved, he takes the vest from me, as I’m still holding it. “Let me help you. Take off your top.”
“It’s hardly the time.” I smirk at him, and he gives a little cheeky chuckle back. But I do as he says, slipping off my top so he can help me get the vest on. He slips it on over my shoulders, securing it in place for me.
Onyx hands me a button-up shirt and a bomber jacket for me to chuck on over the top, then places a hurried kiss on my lips. “Do what I say, no questions, okay, trouble?” His dark eyes bore right into mine, and I know he’s deadly serious.
I nod, having no intention of fucking around today. I know the risks.
Pleased with my response, he’s gone, heading out the door and toward the front of the house in a rush to beat the boat.
Reef fixes his own vest in place, and I tag along behind him once he’s done. He slips his hand in mine and gives it a reassuring squeeze.
I start walking out of the house alongside them, but Onyx’s arm stops me. “Stay here.” His eyes plead with me to comply. “If shit goes down, lock yourself in. They can’t get through the bulletproof glass. You’re safe in this place.”
I stare back at him. What the hell does he think is about to happen? “Okay,” I agree, my voice shakier than I want it to be. “But what about you?”
Reef places a kiss on my cheek, and the two of them turn without answering me and stride down the sandstone steps toward the jetty where the boat is fast approaching.
“Be careful,” I call to them, a knot forming in my stomach. Reef turns back and offers me a cheeky smile that warms my heart. They don’t want me down there with them to greet whoever this is, but at least they have trusted me with a weapon. I’m going to take the small win.
As the yacht pulls into the jetty, they stand side by side waiting, and I can see by the way Onyx’s fists are clenched that he’s ready for a fight. Reef is already holding his gun at his side, not taking any chances.
The first person who appears on the gangplank is Romeo, but already I can tell this isn’t going to be a pleasant homecoming. His head is dropped, and he looks like he’s been through hell. There are visible bruises on his face and a slight limp as he walks. Behind him appears Syd with a gun clearly held in his hand. My skin prickles all over like someone has just dropped a bucket of ice water over my head. Fuck. Syd found them.
Suddenly, it’s as if the air is sucked from my lungs, and I can’t breathe. He’s here for me.
Romeo and Syd keep walking down onto the jetty. Then I see Orlando, and my heart kicks up a beat. He’s back, even if he looks as terrible as his brother, all beat-up and bruised. What the fuck happened to them while they were away? Behind him is an older man who has to be Emilio. He is their spitting image, just with graying hair and aged skin. He also has a gun held in his hand, leaving no room for error—Syd and Emilio are clearly in charge here. Behind him are two more men in suits; they must be as tall as Onyx and just as built.
I start to pace the front entry, not sure what to do. I should go down there and help them, but I know Onyx will kill me if I disobey his orders. But this, this is worse than any of us could have ever imagined.
“Drop your weapons,” I hear Onyx call to the men as he holds his own high and clearly visible for them to see. It’s going to be a fucking bloodbath.
The stupid grin on Syd’s face broadens. “Fat fucking chance, guard dog. Where’s my girl?” he spits at him, not at all affected by the gun pointing in his direction.
“She’s not here, we sent her back to the mainland,” Reef lies, his voice filled with venom.
Syd’s eye twitches, making him look even more psycho. A bitter laugh escapes his lips, and it chills me to the core, haunting me in a way I never knew it could. It brings back memories, ones I had locked up tight. Things I saw as a young girl that I never should have seen. I hate that man with every fiber of my being. “How thick do you think I am? Get her now, or I’ll shoot him.” He digs the gun into Romeo’s back.
My hands fly to my lips to stop the scream of terror that threatens to rip from them.
Reef takes a staggered step back, the gun in his hand pointed directly at Syd’s head.
Romeo glances their way. “Lower your guns, they just want to talk to her,” Romeo gets out, but it’s through strained breaths. He looks exhausted, broken, and my heart aches even more. What the fuck happened to him?
I go all cold and clammy. What the hell should I do? Onyx won’t give me up for anything, neither will Reef. But I can’t let the slimy fucker Syd shoot Romeo. I won’t. Not when it’s me he really wants.
“No one is going to get hurt here today, boys, this is all just a simple family negotiation,” announces their papa. “Bring the girl down here or I’m going up to the house to talk with her.”
I see Orlando glance up at the house then back to the boys. Is he looking for me? “Onyx, lower your gun, you have my wordSloane is safe. They don’t want her dead. She’s more valuable alive.”
Onyx looks confused but doesn’t lower his gun.
Syd’s finger tightens around the trigger, and I know I’m out of time. He’s about to start shooting at anything that fucking moves. He looks twitchy, like a rat sniffing out its next meal. I know it’s only a matter of time before he pulls the trigger.
Fuck! “I’m sorry Onyx,” I say into the empty room, knowing he’s going to kill me for this, but I have to try and stop anything from happening to any of them. It’s me they want.
