Page 150 of Dangerous Contract: Part 2

He took a deep breath and released it slowly, mentally preparing himself for what would be the last time he and his father saw each other. It would be the last time he and his father spoke.

They’d never shake hands again. They’d never hug again. His father would never smile at him again. Raz swallowed, tryingto get a grip on his emotions. When the time came, he couldn’t hesitate. Hewouldn’thesitate.

Letting his father live would lead to more innocent people being killed. He refused to have that on his conscience. As they walked, he kept looking behind him, ensuring the coast was clear in that direction.

When they reached the next landing, shouting and the unmistakable sound of crying echoed down the stairwell. Raz froze, his ears straining to make sense of the voices. Who the hell was crying? Leo immediately moved to the far wall, motioning for Raz and Monique to do the same.

Raz followed Leo’s lead, pressing his back against the cold wall and pulling Monique with him. The sounds from above were getting louder and more frantic. The shouting grew more insistent, but the crying was what gnawed at him.

It didn’t make sense. He couldn’t place it. Did his father have a hostage? Monique stood between Raz and Leo, her back against the wall, her breaths even, her body tense. Raz’s eyes never left her, and his need to protect her outweighed everything else at the moment.

Instinct kicked in. Without thinking, he moved in front of her, his body shielding hers from whatever was about to come through that door. She didn’t protest. Instead, she pressed a kiss to his back and waited for what was to come.

Leo turned slightly, his back now angled toward them both, his hand ready on his weapon. He was protecting them, too, shielding them. Together, he and Leo boxed Monique in as they awaited the inevitable.

The cries grew closer. Raz’s hands tightened around his guns, every nerve in his body on alert. He hated this, hated waiting, hated the uncertainty of who would come through that door first.

The doorknob rattled, shaking as someone on the other side prepared to open it. The crying became clearer, sharper. It was a child’s voice. Raz shot a glance at Leo, who looked back at him.

“They have a kid with them,” Leo whispered.

Raz whispered back, “Aim high when you shoot.”

Leo nodded. Why the hell did his father have a child with him? Raz sure as hell hoped his father hadn’t stooped to using a child as a human shield. Monique’s hand grazed Raz’s back lightly, a small touch to let him know she was there.

It grounded him, even as his thoughts churned and his heart raced. He breathed out slowly, releasing the tension in his muscles and relaxing his shoulders. He was ready. Then, suddenly, the door opened with a sharp creak.

Benny stepped out, gun raised. He turned in Raz’s direction. Benny’s eyes widened when he saw them in the stairwell. The betrayer was about to pull the trigger. Leo shot first, the sound echoing through the stairwell, sounding like an explosion.

Benny’s head jerked back, hitting the door as his weapon slipped from his hands. Raz had let a round off, too, ripping Benny’s throat open. The bastard hadn’t stood a chance. Raz heard his father curse.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the stairwell as his dad retreated. His father barked orders, the desperation in his voice betraying his usual calm and controlled demeanor.

“You, go out there and kill whoever the fuck that is,” his dad yelled from the other side of the door. “You two, cover me. Hurry the fuck up!”

It sounded like there were three guards with his father. Raz could handle that.

“He’s making a run for it,” Raz whispered to Leo and Monique. He turned to his Rose, his eyes locking with hers. “Stay with Leo while I finish this,” he instructed.

“Be careful,” Monique whispered just as the stairwell door flew open again.

Raz wasted no time turning and firing, striking the guard in the shoulder. The man’s body jerked. He began to fall backward with his gun still aimed at Raz. The bitch was going to try to shoot again.

Before Raz could get off another shot, a second gunshot rang out, the sound ringing in his ears. The man collapsed to the ground, crimson spreading across his chest, painting his white shirt red.

Raz turned, expecting to see Leo with his gun raised. Instead, he found Monique standing there, her gun still raised, while Leo was moving toward Benny, pulling the communication devices from his ears.

“Go,” Monique ordered Raz. “Hurry before they get away. Leo and I will make sure no one gets past us.”

Lady Boss had given him an order. Raz had to obey. Her words and actions erased any doubt he had about her ability to handle this. She was built for this. She was built for a don. And he couldn’t wait to show her how fucking much he appreciated her.

Chapter Forty-Six

ORAZIO

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It was time for him to face his father for the last time. Raz turned away from his Rose and strode forward, stepping over Benny’s body and the other guard as he reached for the stairwell door. Before he could grab it, the door was shoved open, slamming into Raz and causing him to drop one of his guns.

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