Page 115 of Heartless Sinner

Scarlett hasn't even been alone for an hour and this happened. But of course, it would. When you're looking for an opening, you take whatever you can get, no matter how small.

And her brother is helping... When she told me he was a piece of shit, I believed her, but I've gotten to see the truth for myself now. He'll pay just as much as the others. Rage burns hot in my gut, a familiar friend I have to keep contained.

How did they get inside the house?

Fuck, that doesn't matter now. What matters is how I'll get them out without hurting Scarlett or her father. My jaw clenches so tightly I can hear my teeth grind.

A plan forms in my mind when I turn the corner and walk on the paved path, fallen leaves crunching beneath my feet like brittle bones.

Anton and Johnny would have had to use the secret passage to get inside the house. Jenson, too, because I only authorized the guards from the Creed to minimize the risks. My skin prickles with awareness as I piece it together. They also would have needed one of those guards to get past the security panel because it would have alerted me if anyone else used it.

I'lltake the secret passage. That's my best option now. It will get me in the room with them. Once I'm there, I'll know what to do next. The certainty of violence ahead makes my fingers twitch with anticipation.

With that reasoning, I move faster and slip through the door at the back of the house leading to the passage.

The musty air hits my nostrils as I enter. All members of the Creed have secret passages installed in their homes for emergency escapes. They lead off the property so you can either go underground to a safe house or into the woods.

I take the stone steps carefully and quietly, making my way to the second floor, where the bedroom is. Voices greet me once I'm halfway up, echoing off the damp walls.

The distinct Russian accent must be Anton. He's telling Scarlett to get the blueprints from the vault.

That motherfucker Jenson must have put this plan together, much to Anton's satisfaction. I'm pissed at myself for not picking up sooner that it was him all along.

Jenson probably looked into the security I set up for the blueprints and saw that I changed it so no one would be alerted if Scarlett or I opened the vault.

It's the perfect win-win plan.

I reach the top of the stairs and walk down the path that leads to the bedroom entrance where the walk-in closet is. The air grows warmer here, stirring with movement from the room beyond.

I manage to push the door open slightly so I can see who's inside the room. The hinges whisper against my touch.

When I see Kazimir—the Creed guard—captive, I realize I was right. They used him to get in. The sight of him bound and bloody makes my stomach clench. But if I play my cards right, I can use him, too.

Anton grabs Scarlett by the throat and she screams. The sound rips through me like shattered glass. I want to run in guns blazing and end him, but I hold back. My God, do I hold back, every muscle in my body straining against the need to move.

Keeping focus, I access the security notification app on my phone then fire off a message to all the guards, with the exception of Jenson and Kazimir. If their alerts go off, it’s game over. Sweat beads on my forehead as I wait.

I receive a response from my men within seconds. My pulse quickens as I direct them to watch the bedroom window and take down either Jenson or Johnny the first chance they get. I also instruct them to leave Anton for me.

Then I wait and watch. But not for too long.

Jenson drops to the floor when a bullet flies through the window and lodges smack in his forehead. The crack of glass and thud of his body hitting the floor send adrenaline surging through my system.

The sight of Jenson’s body on the ground alerts Anton and Johnny that shit is going down. Then, just like I hoped, Kazimir flips into action and throws Johnny to the ground. Leaving Anton to me.

Before Anton can do anything, I burst into the room with my guns, a twin set of Berettas. The familiar weight steadies my hands. I fire both, hitting him in the chest and stomach. He fires his gun at me, too, but misses.

Scarlett screams and runs behind the bed to shield herself. The sound tears at my heart, but now that she's out of the way, I can focus on Anton.

"Micah Delarosa, we meet at last," Anton roars, his voice thick with pain and rage.

"And I'll be the last face you see in this life." My words come out as a growl.

"We'll see about that." He's covered in blood from the wounds I gave him but still comes at me.

Good. That was the idea. I don't want to kill him just yet. I want to teach him a lesson and beat his ass first.

"I should have known that bitch would tell you she's in trouble," he snarls when he reaches me.

---