Page 86 of Hell Breaks Loose

“I may sleep in. So feel free to have a few tonight with the guys. Just make sure the watch is set.”

“Affirmative.” He salutes casually, hiding a smile.

Perks and favors.

Seasoned with a firm hand.

Changes everything. Guys that I was absolutely terrified of just a few weeks ago are in my court.

Turns out, even hardened badasses aren’t immune to someone taking an interest in their lives. Just have to be careful not to give anyone the wrong idea.

Wording is everything.

Like the phrase, “I promise not to sneak out the bathroom window,” for example.

Very specific.

Very accurate.

Or, it can be very ambiguous, like “I may sleep in.”

I have no intention of doing either.

Before first light, I’m dressed and crouched outside my bedroom window on the strip of roof that runs around this wing of the house above the larger lower floor. It’s very conveniently the only spot you can get to the ivy coated trellis running down the side of the building.

Which gives me a way down.

The tricky part is the timing.

Fortunately, I have eyes in the sky, so to speak.

A faint glimmer in the dark off toward the south-west corner of the grounds tells me to make my move.

Cautiously, carefully, I let myself down, finding foot and handholds before lowering to the next rung. Halfway down, I hear two distinctly timed hoots.

Freeze.

Press myself against the wall.

Be. The. Ivy.

Germain passes right under me, less than a yard away.

Turns the corner.

No signal needed this time.

I hit the ground as softly as I can and rush toward the bushes lining the walk. Ten paces. Hold.

Enrique pauses at the fountain, cursing as he loses the cherry on his cigarette. He sets down his gun, fumbling in his pocket for a lighter.

Come on… hurry the fuck up!

Maybe I’m getting too lax on them…

Making a snap decision, I scurry to my left, tensing my whole body.

The leap over the hedge would make Evan so damned proud. It’s a perfect roll, landing without a sound, and I’m dashing on all fours for the cover of the tree-lined wall.

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