Page 54 of Fire Meets Fire

Or she faints.I swallow fast.

Ogre contemplates her for a moment. “Okay. Assuming I’ll buy that you’re really wearing a death trap and are prepared to set it off—” His tone is sneering as if he still doesn’t believe she’d commit suicide.

“She’s got nothing to fuckin’ lose,” I interrupt with a shout, wanting him to know she’s serious.

He turns momentarily to spare me a scornful look, then starts speaking again. “Right. So what would make you take that fuckin’ bomb off?”

“Chaz set free for a start.” Her eyes rise in challenge.

Ogre snorts. “You came here to rescue him?”

Helo shakes her head. “I came here to find out who put the contract out on me.” She gives me a cold glance. “Him being here has nothing to do with me. If the bomb explodes, he’s collateral damage.”

It’s only because I know her so well that I know she’s lying through her teeth. Helo might not give a fuck about her life, but she cares about me. As long as she stays upright, I’ve got a chance to get out of this unscathed. Slugger? Well, I’m already planning his painful death after sending her in, knowing the risks.

Helo widens her stance. “Who posted the contract?”

“You don’t know?” Ogre’s eyes open wide. “You destroy a family and don’t know who they are?”

Hatchett gives her a sneer of his own. “Probably fucked up too many lives to remember one in particular. Bitch.” The last word he sneers, accompanied by a splat of his spittle hitting the ground.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

HELO

My teeth grind together. Of course I didn’t fucking know. If I did, maybe I could have done something about it. An enemy you can identify and track down is far less dangerous than the unknown. My hands fist and as my eyes catch Chaz’s, I see he’s looking at me with concern.

Could dealing with assholes be one of my triggers? Fuck knows. I’m starting to hope Slugger gets a move on with the rest of his plan as there’s a strong possibility I’ll be unintentionally blowing us all to hell. That thought makes me check I’ve a firm hold on the trigger.

“I haven’t destroyed anyone’s lives,” I point out as calmly as I can once I’ve regained control.

Ogre snorts. “So you didn’t unemotionally sit by watching others lose their lives while protecting your own?”

“What else was she to fuckin’ do?” Chaz growls, thrashing against his bonds.

The sight of him struggling reminds me of my number one goal. “Untie him.” I punctuate my demand while raising my hand, bringing the detonator into full sight.

Ogre glares. “You wouldn’t fuckin’ dare.”

“Try me.”

It’s a standoff, but Ogre’s not willing to take the chance. He gestures to Hatchett who swears loudly, then goes to untie my man. Once his hands are freed, I deign to explain myself.

“I was pointedly told if I raised one finger or said one word in an attempt to save any man, then they’d kill another as well.”

Ogre raises a disbelieving brow while Chaz, who’s now freed, comes to stand by my side.

“She hid how much they were hurting her,” Chaz starts to defend me. “That the men believed she was helping the insurgents meant they didn’t make things harder for themselves trying to protect her.” He gives me a glance full of despair. “She was literally taking it for the team.”

“She was probably taking it alright.” Leers and jeers come from Ogre’s team.

“Fuckin’ assholes!” Chaz yells. “Shut the fuck up. You have no fuckin’ idea what she went through.”

Ogre’s loud voice joins his, “And you’ve no fuckin’ right to give orders in my clubhouse!”

I’ve lost control of the situation, but I’m still holding all the cards. All I have to do is remind them of the threat that I am. I try to move forward, putting myself between the two prezes who are eyeing each other, just one step away from coming to blows.

“Stop!” But my commander’s voice seems weak.

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