The man was our biggest threat.
Trained to kill.
The same as my oldest brother.
My heart stampeded as I went to jump over the table to get to Jarek who’d let his arm drop to his side, his gun dangling limply at his thigh, too fucking caught up on watching the stone clatter to the floor to notice what was coming for him.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Oz step forward, and dread thrashed through my system.
Fear for Trent.
But I had to focus.
Focus on getting the gun from Jarek.
Only Oz swung around to the side, and he didn’t have his gun pointed at me or Trent.
Rather, it was pointed at Haille.
In confusion, I stumbled a step, and his frosty eyes met mine in clear implication as he dug into the inside of his jacket with his free hand.
When he pulled it out, he tossed a handgun in my direction.
“It seems you forgot something, Sir.”
Shock slammed me as I caught it. I stared at it for a beat, my whole being contorted in a giantwhat the fuck?
Everything flash-fired from there. The motion set from slow to triple speed.
Haille went for the gun at his side that he’d thought himself too untouchable to require, blustering, “What do you think you’re doing? Get the stone, you fucking idiot.”
“I am no longer indebted to you, you sick bastard,” Oz gritted.
Oz pulled the trigger. The gunshot rang out through the room.
Disorienting.
High-pitched confusion that banged against the walls.
Haille slumped over in his chair, blood pouring onto his shirt from the hole in his chest.
Holy fuck.
Aster screamed.
I whirled toward Jarek.
Jud started to move faster, and Jarek felt him coming, and he swung the barrel at him. He fired off two erratic shots.
Jud had already anticipated it and ducked and rolled behind a piece of furniture at the wall.
Adrenaline pumped.
Sweat across my skin.
Desperation in my bones.
Jarek turned, yanked the chain, and dragged Aster back across the floor.