Page 136 of Bride By Coronation

We don't speak the rest of the way. Sean pulls into an alley and parks. He announces, "It's the house on the corner." He turns off the SUV and cuts the headlights.

My heart pounds faster. I reach for my Glock, and Sean pulls out his.

He hands me a silencer and then picks up his phone, asking the person on the end, "How many are inside?"

I put the silencer on my gun and wait.

"You sure?" he asks.

My chest tightens.

He states, "Good." He hangs up and says, "It's only Gavin. He's a skinny motherfucker, so it shouldn't be hard."

I feel a flicker of relief but there's also disappointment. I wish whoever ordered this hit were present, but that isn't reality, and I know it. So I open my door and get out, putting on a pair of black gloves.

We creep down the street, staying in the shadows. Once we're close to the corner, Sean points toward the back, and we split.

He moves toward the front, and I slip deeper into the darkness. When I get to the run-down back door, I slowly turn the knob.

It's locked, so I assess the door and point my gun at the lock, then shoot.

A crack fills the air. I push through the door, step into the dark room, and turn toward the sound of scuffling.

A soft, green glow radiates in the next room. I spot the tail end of a shadow and race toward it, lunging my body over Gavin.

An incoherent yelp flies out of him, and he falls to the floor.

Sean bursts through the front door.

I pin my body over Gavin's small frame, putting him in a choke hold.

He writhes under me, but he's no match for my strength.

"Motherfucker," I bark out as visions of my new worst nightmare flare in my mind.

All I see is a helpless Fiona, and it turns me into a crazed man. Any ounce of control I have disappears.

I squeeze his neck harder until he's barely able to fight.

"You're going to kill him!" Sean roars next to me.

I should stop so I can spend hours torturing him and assess if he does know who ordered the hit, but reason and reality are two different things.

"Kirill!" Sean warns, but his voice sounds like it's coming from a tunnel.

The green glow swirls with darkness, and the air turns thick with myrage. In Russian, I curse Gavin for everything he planned on doing to my wife.

It's only when Sean tears me off him, barking, "It's over," that I realize what's happened.

Gavin lies on the floor, his face purple, his eyes wide and lifeless.

"You weren't supposed to kill him yet," Sean reminds me.

I spit on the man who planned to do horrible things to my wife with the sickest of men watching, and order, "Call in the cleanup crew. And get hacking."

Sean crosses his arms, staring at me with a narrow gaze.

I leave, embracing the cold air, wanting nothing more than to get back to my wife and ensure she's safe.

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