Page 51 of Toxic Vengeance

She would be proud to become the wife of such an incredible man. But not yet.

Before she could make that final commitment to him, she had faceless enemies to eliminate…and personal demons to conquer.

Chapter Thirteen

The most frustrating part of conducting an op was the waiting.

Glenn walked through the back exit of the condo building and headed for the staircase, reining himself in. He hated waiting. Always had, even back when he’d been a Paramilitary Operations Officer with the Agency.

Killing Trinity Durant was a risky enough venture, but trying to target her when her HRT sniper boyfriend was there too? Suicide.

Much as it annoyed him, he’d just have to wait for an easier opportunity. He’d planted an undetectable tracker on her vehicle. He’d follow her progress via his phone, then do some recon at different times to find out when she was at her most vulnerable. When that chance came, he’d strike.

The hallway was deserted save for one cleaning person entering another room with her cart and vacuum cleaner when he walked past. This place was expensive and exclusive, affording him total privacy. He’d checked in under an alias as a precaution. No one knew he was here, or why.

He paused at the door to his room to ensure it hadn’t been tampered with in the short time he’d been gone. The little slip of paper he’d wedged between the top of the door and the jamb was still in place.

Stepping inside, he glanced around. The side table lamp was on as he’d left it, and the bathroom door was still a few inches open. He locked the door and removed his concealed holster from the small of his back, a wave of relief and fatigue hitting him.

He’d served his country for his entire adult life. The Valkyrie Program had been his proudest contribution to the security of it. He was a patriot, full stop. Oftentimes that meant operating in shades of gray as far as legalities went. When he’d helped the fledgling Valkyrie Program come into existence, he’d seen the beauty of it. Female assassins could go places men couldn’t. Were often overlooked until it was too late. The whole thing had been a stunning success.

Glenn had never thought of the women as his “creations” the way the Architect did, but he was proud of what they’d accomplished together. Having to kill the operatives he’d helped produce was a last resort, yet a necessary one.

He tossed his jacket on the back of the chair and began unbuttoning his shirt as he headed to the bathroom for a shower. Stepping inside, he flipped on the light switch.

He barely caught the flash of movement out the corner of his eye, then an elbow slammed into the side of his head an instant before he could block it. Pain exploded through his skull. He grunted as lights exploded before his eyes, raised an arm to deflect the next blow and spun to face his attacker.

A fist caught him in the kidney. He struck out, a snarl of rage and agony bursting free, and landed a punch to the assailant’s ribs. The attacker let out a muffled groan and danced back, giving him a second to regroup and get his first good look. Slightly built, dressed in dark clothes, a mask covering the face.

“Who the fuck are you?” he snarled and lunged forward to throw another punch.

The attacker dodged it, caught his fist and used his momentum to throw him over their hip. He slammed into the side of the tub with a loud thud.

Ignoring the pain and his hazy vision, he shot to his feet.

An arm locked around his throat from behind, applying strong pressure.

Blood hold.He had seconds to break it before he lost consciousness.

He tried to shove a hand between his head and the forearm. A blur of movement flashed in his peripheral vision, just enough for his bulging, painful eyes to see the knife coming at him.

The military-style blade slashed across his throat, a deep line of burning fire. He clutched at the wound as blood spurted everywhere. His shoulder hit the wall, his eyes darting to the mirror to catch sight of his killer.

A pair of familiar green eyes stared back at him for a moment, burning with triumph and hatred.

Shock detonated inside him.No…

His knees thudded against the floor. He toppled over, his frantically racing heart only speeding up his death.

He lay there gasping for air he couldn’t suck through his severed windpipe while his blood spurted and pooled on the bathroom floor.

Rough fingers pried his jaw open. A searing hot pain flashed through his brain. More blood sprayed.

The light went out. His killer stepped over him, leaving him to die alone in the darkness.

A silent scream reverberated in his head.Valkyrie…

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