Page 41 of Killer Love

I study his face. He’s as young as I am but scarred and weary with experience. “What’s the catch?” I ask.

“Well, obviously, it won’t be simple to crack into. You’ll need a hacker.”

“We’ve got one.”

“A good one?”

I raise a brow. “Is that all?”

Fox grabs my gun from his belt and grips it by the barrel before holding it back out to me. “Yes.”

I reach out and squeeze the gun’s grip, ignoring the protesting look in Yuri’s eyes as I take it back.

“What I’m offering you is worth way more than what I’m asking for it,” Fox says.

I smirk. “And while you run off into the sunset, an underground organization of assassins comes knocking on our door looking for you.”

“I wouldn’t have come to you if you couldn’t handle it.” He slips his toe beneath his rifle and flips it up to grab it off the floor.

I take another hard look at him. He’s a killer, I can see it in his eyes, but there’s a softness buried deep behind the duty and the pain.

It reminds me of Sofia. She wouldn’t hurt a fly, of course, but she’s made some tough choices.

“Okay,” I tell him. “I’ll get you home.”

Yuri grabs my arm. “Luka…” He pulls me away, forcing me to turn my back on Fox. “What are you doing? Pops would never—”

“We can find out who killed our grandfather, Yuri,” I argue. “I’m sure he’d think twice before wasting that.”

He leans in closer so only I can hear him. “We should just kill him and take it.”

I lay a hand on his shoulder and pat him twice. “I love you, brother, but I know our limits.”

“What’s that mean?”

“I mean…” I glance over at Fox. He’s still on full alert — eyes wide and ears open. “We should already be dead.”

Yuri furrows his brow at me, not believing a word of it. I’m sure he’s disappointed in my weakness, but it’s quite the opposite. Looking out for him is my job and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep my big brother alive. Hearing what Fox Fitzpatrick has to say is the easiest way to survive at the moment.

I turn to Fox and extend my hand again. “We can work together,” I say, “but I would prefer to be armed. You understand.”

Fox keeps his grip on his sniper rifle, but he tosses my ammo clip back to me.

I catch it and slide it back into my pistol, listening to that metallic sound echo throughout the empty warehouse as it clicks into place.

“You say Snake Eyes will come looking for you?” I ask.

“Yes.” He nods.

“Then, we better leave them something to find.”

Blood leaves a trail.

If his people come and find nothing, they’ll keep searching. If they find blood instead, then they’ll surely think twice about sending another bastard to take me out.

Fox stares at me for a moment before nodding in silent understanding.

I slide a bullet into the chamber of my gun. “Hold still,” I tell him.

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