Page 68 of Celestial Combat

My fingers curled into fists at my sides as I strode toward the armory, my pulse a slow, deadly drumbeat. The warehouse air felt thicker, heavier. It clung to my skin like smoke, pressing against the rising inferno in my chest.

Tao.

I should’ve seen it. Should’ve sniffed out the rat long before he got this far. I’d spent years weeding out traitors, eliminating weak links before they ever became a threat. But this one had slipped through. And now, he thought he could put his hands on her?

A sharp, cold rage settled into my bones. The kind that didn’t burn out. The kind that only ended in blood.

I moved faster. The weight of my gun was familiar in my hand, but it wasn’t enough. I needed more.

I needed to tear through every single bastard who had a hand in this.

Tao wanted fifty million in an hour.

He wasn’t getting a single fucking cent.

What he was getting was a bullet between the eyes, and the last thing he’d see before he died would be my face.

My grip tightened around the gun as I reached the weapons vault.

They had one hour.

And then, I was bringing hell with me.

The back room smelled like cigarette smoke and cheap cologne. My wrists ached where the rope bit into my skin, rubbing raw against flesh. Blood thrummed in my ears, but I kept my breathing steady. I couldn’t let them see fear.

Tao stood across from me, his arms crossed over his chest like he had all the time in the world. Three men flanked him, their postures relaxed, but not careless. The type of men who’d done this before.

I shifted slightly, testing the tightness of my restraints. My fingers twitched, cataloging every sensation, every weak point. The metal pole behind me was cool against my back, grounding. If I could just–

The door creaked open. A man stepped inside, shoulders tense, expression tight. “They’re here.”

Tao straightened. “Alone?”

The man shook his head. “Trevor brought a soldier and the Moretti girl.”

Natalia.

No.

Tao tsked under his breath, a slow smirk curling his lips. “Two birds, one stone.”

He turned his gaze back to me, stepping closer, slow and deliberate. My skin prickled.

“Your knights in shining armor,” His voice low, mocking. “Always running to save the little princess.” His fingers ghosted over my jaw, and I forced myself not to flinch. “But this time?” His voice darkened. “They’re all going to pay.”

Tao leaned in, breath hot against my ear.

“All the powerful families are going to crumble. One by one. There is a new reign coming.”

Then he pulled back, giving me one last look before turning on his heel and striding toward the door. The other man followed, leaving me alone with the three guards.

The moment the door clicked shut, I felt the shift in the room.

A different kind of tension seeped into the air, thick and suffocating. One of the men chuckled under his breath, stepping forward. The way he looked at me made my stomach churn.

“Y’know,” He mused, cracking his knuckles, “We got some time to kill before Tao comes back.”

Another man leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “Bet she’d be a lot more fun with her hands free.”

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