Page 53 of Queen of Spades

I scoff.

Perhaps I can use his unstable mental health as an excuse when I inform Annika that I had to kill her alpha. He reminds me a little too much of Ranger for any of our good.

“Listen,” he says conversationally. “I imagine you’re still holding a grudge about me leaving you down there.”

I instantly know he means Ranger’s basement.

“You made a fucking promise,” I growl, whipping us around the corner a little too fast. I let off the gas, and my hand falls to downshift, but this car is automatic.

“Are you honestly going to lie and pretend you would have come back for me?” he accuses.

He’s probably right.

I don’t think I would have risked getting trapped back down there a second time. It’s sad to say the only thing that kept me sane the first time was Grady. Without having him to talk to, I probably would have lost my shit. It’s impossible to comprehend how slowly time passes when you’re chained to a wall with no bed and no blankets.

I sigh, shaking my head. “We’ll never know. Will we?”

“I can apologize if you’d like, but I think it’s best we focus on the future. You’re still loyal to Ranger on some level, but do you really think he’s going to let you live if you fuck his little sister?” Grady twists to face me. “I might not like it. I even thought you were delusional when you told me the two of you are compatible, but if I know one thing in life, it’s Annika.”

I growl.

Who knows why? It could be a combination of imagining them together the last couple years. Or it might be that I know he’s right. He’s been the one closest to her since she ran.

“I said it earlier, and I’ll say it again. There’s chemistry there,” Grady says, focusing his gaze out the windshield. “I won’t stand in the way of that. Although, if you want my advice, things will go a lot more smoothly for you if you start giving her a little more credit?—”

“I didn’t ask for your bullshit two cents on the situation,” I growl.

“Yeah, but you can’t treat her like she’s breakable, or she’s not going to want anything to do with you.” He has the audacity to shrug. “I figure it’s better for us to be allies. You really think Ranger is going to let you keep her once you get her back to Virginia? I know you’re hoping you can cut me out and keep her for yourself, but we need to have each other’s backs, or it’s gonna get ugly.”

My teeth grind together so violently, I’m afraid I might crack a filling. I really fucking hate that he’s right. I may have tried to delusionally convince myself that Ranger won’t care, but it’s likely to get bloodier before it gets better.

I slam the asshole to the ground, and I don’t mean Grady.

Dropping my empty Glock, I grab the knife from my boot as I pin the dick to the ground with my forearm on his windpipe. The man struggles, but that only lasts until my blade severs his throat. I pull back to avoid the spray, clean the knife on his shirt, shove it away, and grab my gun.

“You seriously underestimated how many dicks were in this house,” I growl to Merrick.

“It’s a two-bedroom house. How many guys could possibly be in there? You’re overexaggerating again,” Merrick says distractedly.

“This fucker is number twenty-three.”

“Jesus,” he mutters. “That’s more of a spray and pray situation.”

He’s not wrong, but eight of those were handled in the backyard before we ever made entry. I breached the front while Grady took the back door.

The whooshing thump of a silenced gunshot makes me jolt as I move to push to my feet.

My head swivels to see Grady’s arm still extended.

I keep twisting until I spot the guy, slumping to the floor.

Fuck me.

I thought the one I just took down was the last of them.

Grady just saved my fucking life.

I climb off the corpse, shaking my head at my own stupidity. “Thank you.”

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