Page 120 of Obsession

I want to kick myself. Goddammit, I couldn’t pull the trigger and Cain had to come and clean up my mess. I want to cry.

Instead, I make up for my hesitation in the only way I know how. I swivel, propel myself forward, and grab his wrists to secure him in place. Cain comes up beside me and ties him down.

“That’s my girl there, buddy,” he warns in a tone that’s anything but friendly. “You fucking try to hurt her and you’re dead.” The guy stares at Cain like he just saw the devil himself. Cain has that effect on people.

“You were saying, Gray?”

Gray shakes his head, crying, but when Cain reaches for his chair, he screams like someone’s bitten him. Cain drops the chair to the floor. Blood spurts from Gray’s temple.

He’s shot. Someone shot him.

Adrenaline courses through me while I look for who could’ve possibly killed him. Cain looks to me, then immediately dismisses me. I stare at my own gun as if it shot him without my permission.

It makes no logical sense and takes half a minute to really register with me.

Someone shot Gray.

That someone was not me, and it was not Cain, nor was it any of the bodyguards we have restrained here.

Someone shot him because he was about to reveal a truth they didn’t want known.

Cain curses and pulls out his phone.

“Get down for cover, Violet,” he grates, as tires squeal. Whoever killed Gray just took off. I fall to the floor and lay flat as Cain makes a phone call.

“Team Alpha,” he says with resignation. His clean-up crew will have to come and clean this shit up.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Cain

I pridemyself on knowing what’s happening and when, of being one step ahead of any of my enemies. But today… today, someone pulled a fucking fast one on me.

I thought everyone was secured. Never fucking dawned on me a sniper would off the one witness I need. I’d interrogate the rest of his staff, but I need to get Violet the hell out of here before she’s hurt.

Team Alpha shadows me only minutes away during a detail, and today is no exception. They sweep in with the ease and practice of a well-oiled machine, while I secure Violet.

“Do exactly what I tell you. Keep your head down. Follow me. Don’t respond to any bait, and if I tell you to shoot, you fucking shoot.”

Could be one sniper, could be a goddamn team, there’s no telling, but I don’t want her here for another second longer.

We got some information, but not enough. We’ll have to keep digging, but I’ll have my team get cracking on that.

Violet’s my priority. And I know she’s here to find the people that killed her parents, but none of that matters if she’s dead.

I leave my team with strict instructions to find whatever they can from who’s left. Henri, Claude, and Joe are the ones I trust with my life. Today will be no exception.

We walk straight to the front door, my reasoning being that no one who’s actually going to attack us would be so bold as to attack us here, though I’ve honestly been wrong before and don’t take any chances. I cautiously open the door and tuck her against me, using my body as a human shield.

“I can cover myself, Cain,” she says, glaring at me, but I know she’s really mad we have to cut this shorter than we hoped.

“I know you can but do not try me now, woman.” She’d better not fight me on this.

Violet’s a force to be reckoned with, but so am I.

We walk out the front door where a ride’s waiting for us, brought here by my team. Someone watches in the distance. This whole operation’s gone to shit. I peer over the hood of the car to see who it is, but only see a flash of green before that’s gone. Jesus.

We get into the car and head back to my place, but it isn’t safe anymore.

---