Page 101 of Queen of Spades

This place is so old, it absolutely has to be on the National Registry.

Don’t these fuckers have any respect for history?

I aim for his chest and land a shot quickly, followed by another. Neither ends up exactly where I planned, but his body slumps forward.

“Was that Andretti?” Cas asks, sounding relieved.

“No.” My aim swivels sideways as I catch sight of Kane tackling someone to the ground.

What the fuck is that about?

This is supposed to be an execution, not up-close-and-personal warfare.

The bond is so chaotic that I can’t pick out any details or information on what’s guiding their actions.

My heart races as a whole different group of bodies in tactical gear approach from the second SUV.

Several are wearing masks, making it impossible to tell if Ezrah is one of them. My finger twitches as I hold it over the trigger.

There are a lot of them.

This isn’t the time to hesitate, Ranger taunts me in my head. It’s like you want to lose a member of your pack. You’re a Cavanaugh. Act like it.

Jesus Christ.

Why do traumatic moments always remind me of my family?

I think I need therapy.

Or Jesus.

I probably need both.

The sound of bullets firing from an unsilenced weapon makes me jolt. The first wave of their men were in stealth mode.

This is a nightmare.

I close my eyes for a half second and center myself. I open my aiming eye and come to terms with the fact I truly am exactly like my family.

“Good God,” Cassian says as I take the last fully accessible shot.

I scan as much of the side yard as I can, but I don’t pick up any movement.

Ward is nowhere to be seen, but Kane and Grady are in one piece as they approach the front porch.

“I’m pretty sure it was seven or eight that I took down, but Kane and Grady did the majority of the work.” I pull the rifle off the banister and set it on the ground.

A vicious thump rings out as I stand. Cassian slumps to the floor, dangerously close to falling into the rickety banister.

“Hello, Sparrow.” It’s an Andretti voice. That means it’s Ezrah Andretti that I spot when I turn to the doorway.

Goddammit.

I should have paid more attention to what they looked like when we were betrothed. He looks so much like Marco that an involuntary shiver runs down my spine.

That third vehicle. I got so caught up, I completely forgot to bring it up. It can’t have been five minutes since the first SUV drove through the gate.

Ezrah’s gun points directly at my skull.

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