Page 35 of No Mercy
I grip his shoulders, grounding him as I meet his gaze. “You know what to do,” I say firmly. Ant nods without hesitation, his jaw tightening in determination. He takes the phone and disappears into his room, no doubt preparing to uncover whoever is behind this.
I turn back to Flynn, crouching down in front of him so we’re at eye level. “Hey,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “We’ve got this. We’ll figure out who sent it.”
He nods faintly but doesn’t look up, his hands covering his face.
I push to my feet, pulling out my phone as I head for the kitchen. Scrolling through my contacts, I find Carter’s name and hit dial. It rings three times before he picks up, his voice slightlybreathless. “Hey, Ax, I’m kinda busy right now. Can I call you back later?”
In the background, I hear a faint female voice, and I pinch the bridge of my nose. “We have a situation,” I say curtly. “How fast can you and Gunnar get here?” The line goes silent for a beat before Carter speaks again, his tone serious. “What happened?”
I glance toward Flynn, weighing my words. “Better to explain in person,” I reply. “Trust me, we’re going to need everyone for this.”
Carter exhales, the sound heavy with tension. “Alright. We’re on our way. What should I tell Gunnar?”
“Nothing yet,” I say, my voice low. “But it’s time we bring him up to speed on the family business.”
I hang up, sliding my phone into my pocket as I make my way to Ant’s room. The door is slightly ajar, a strip of light spilling into the hallway. Pushing it open, I find Ant sitting on his bed, his laptop open and headphones on. He glances up as I enter, pulling off his headphones. His expression is calm but focused, his body language rigid as he senses the weight of my presence.
“Hey, Ant,” I start, keeping my voice even.
He raises an eyebrow, his sharp gaze assessing me. He knows something big is coming, and for a moment, I feel the full weight of the role I never wanted pressing down on me. Leader. Protector.
I take a step closer, holding his gaze. “We need to kidnap Mandy.”
Ant freezes, his mouth opening slightly as he stares at me in disbelief. For a moment, there’s silence—then his laptop crashes to the floor as he surges to his feet, charging toward me. “Okay, yeah, that definitely sounded better in my head,” I mutter, bracing myself for whatever is coming next.
CHAPTER 19
EVA
I wakeup to the shrill sound of my alarm blaring beside me. “No, just five more minutes,” I groan, rolling over and smacking the snooze button. Silence falls over the room, and I let out a sigh of relief.
Something cold presses against my face as I roll back. Cracking one eye open, I see the belt from last night. For a fleeting moment, I almost convince myself it was all just an intense dream. But the ache in my muscles and the belt in front of me confirm it—every wild, heart-stopping second was real. My hands fly up to cover my face as flashes of last night replay in my mind. Heat floods my cheeks. I can’t believe it happened.How the hell did I let it happen?
I groan, slamming my hands against the mattress before glancing toward the balcony door where the masked intruder had stood. The image of him leaning casually against the frame with that mask and those broad shoulders sends a shiver down my spine.
Damn it, why was that so hot?
Who knew a mask would do it for me? Maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong—spending all this time looking at people’sfaces when clearly, I should’ve been paying attention to… other things.
A glance at the clock sends my stomach plummeting.9:30 a.m.“Shit!” Panic surges as I fling the covers off and grab the blanket from the foot of the bed, wrapping it around myself. I bolt toward the hallway, the cold air biting at my skin.
“Please be here, please be safe,” I whisper, repeating the words like a mantra as I race down the hallway. Every step stretches the distance, and my heart pounds harder with each one. I skid to a stop in front of her door. My hand trembles as it hovers over the handle, dread twisting in my gut.What if she’s not there?
Taking a deep breath, I push the door open just enough to slip through. Relief crashes over me when I see Mandy sound asleep, her face serene, oblivious to the chaos in my chest. My shoulders sag as a rush of air fills my lungs. Quietly, I slip out of her room, closing the door behind me.
Downstairs, the cold marble floor sends shivers up my legs as I head for the kitchen. The house echoes with the sound of my footsteps, its size making me feel small. It’s beautiful, sure, but way too big for just the two of us. It’s the kind of place you’d see in aPlayboyspread, but instead, it’s just Mandy and me rattling around in it.
I flip on the coffee machine and lean against the counter, glaring at the pot as if that will make it brew faster. The blanket wrapped around me does little to ward off the chill. I close my eyes and tilt my head back, inhaling deeply as the rich aroma of coffee fills the room. “Mmm, so fucking good,” I mutter as the machine finally dings.
I pour myself a mug and take a long, glorious sip. Warmth spreads through me, replacing the cold. For a moment, I let myself relax, listening to the silence.
It’s unsettling. Back in Boston, mornings were a scene from the movies of car horns, shouting, and the hum of life. Here, it’s too quiet, like the world is holding its breath.
Movement outside the window catches my eye. My pulse quickens as I move closer, peering out. The reflection of my face in the glass is distorted, faintly illuminated by the morning light. I lean in, squinting. Suddenly, a flash of black streaks past, and I jump back with a yelp.
“Fucking hell.” I press a hand to my chest, my heart hammering as I realize it was only a flock of birds.
I sigh, half-relieved, half-disappointed. Part of me had hoped… what? That it was him?
