Page 101 of Rook

“How about a flashbang?” she asked, pulling out a stun grenade. “If they’re in a trailer, getting in without a gunfight seems unlikely. And some of those walls are thin as fuck. Anyone walking outside could get hit.”

That was fair.

And there were a lot of kids in this neighborhood.

“Yeah,” I said, pocketing that.

“And I always recommend a solid knife for close combat,” she said, handing me a lethal-looking knife with a slightly curved blade and a handle you slipped your hand inside. “So you don’t drop it when your hand is slick with blood,” she explained.

I took a knife and a few magazines before rushing back to the car.

“Tell the guys to make it on foot,” I called back to her.

“Yep,” she called back, already reaching for her phone.

I took my own advice, parking the car far enough away from the trailer that was mostly hidden by a row of old trees.

“Ready?” I asked, glancing over at Coach as he climbed out of his side of the car.

If I hadn’t looked over right then, I might have missed the transformation.

He went from his usual calm, peaceful self to something tight and rigid and, to be frank, pretty fucking terrifying.

“Yup.”

There was no time to stop and wonder what kind of demons Coach was hiding under all hisKumbayasand pranayama and shit.

Tessa needed me.

My hand tightened on my gun.

I’d never really been a violent man.

But when it came to protecting those I loved, there was no step too far for me.

I’d carve out someone’s intestines and wrap them around their throats if I needed to.

And make no mistake about it, I loved Tessa.

I planned to get her safe.

Then tell her that.

But first…

I reached for the flashbang as I crept up the front steps.

Inside, metal music was blaring from some speaker somewhere, making it easier to reach up and grab the door without someone hearing.

I pulled the pin.

Then, as I pushed my arm in the door, I ran my thumb over the safety lever just before tossing the grenade into the trailer.

My own ears popped at thebang, even from outside the trailer.

But there was no time to worry about that.

I charged inside, Coach at my six.

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