Page 69 of Ruthless Commander
“You want to spend time discussing my arrival or kill those who mean you harm?”
He was just so matter of fact. A stone-cold killer…one born in the cells of Ispeli’s prison.
I shoved up from the ground, my knees trying to buckle until he lunged forward, grabbed me around the waist, then looked down. "You’ve been hit."
"It’s nothing.” I forced my knees to lock and take my weight. “I need to get to her…she's in danger."
"If you haven't guessed already, brother, you’reallin danger." My brother motioned his head toward the building. "Go, find her, then we leave.”
I took a step toward the building, then stopped. “Why?"
He shook his head and glared at me with a look of exasperation. “Why can’t you just once do what I ask!”
He lifted his rifle and squeezed off a shot over my shoulder. I glanced back as another gunman fell. “Go,” the clipped tone of my brother grew impatient. “Find your female, then come. I'll be waiting."
My knees trembled as I took a step. But the protective crack of gunfire came and one by one men fell.
It was a different time and a different place. Still, echoes of the past rippled through my mind. I was back there, striding through the towering gates of that hellish prison with my brother’s brutalized body in my arms.
Mine…
The word resounded.
It was more than blood…more than loyalty. I lifted my gun again, taking aim as I caught a blur of black rushing toward the automatic doors of my building. I squeezed the trigger as the doors opened, catching the bastard in the chest. But he'd been sloppy, no vest to protect him, and not even a spare magazine. He looked like a cheap hired asshole who was in way over his head. He went to his knees hard as I neared and ended him with a single shot.
I’d leave no one alive behind me, not when it came to war.
My knees grew steadier and the agony in my side faded away, leaving me to stride through the doors and across the foyer of my building like I’d never been hit at all. Gone was the man…the one Xael knew, at least. Now there was only the monster, the one I'd never wanted her to see.
Boom!
Outside, something exploded. I was guessing it was the boats. That’s what I’d do if I wanted to wipe out an entire island of Mafia offspring, cut off any hope of escape and flood the island with as many gunmen as possible. They’d run like rats…which is exactly what we were doing.
The door to the spare apartment flew open and the real Evan Valachi stumbled out, her eyes wide and haunted as she lifted her gun toward me until she realized who I was. "What the hell is going on?"
“We’re under attack,” I snapped. “Get back into the apartment, Evan, and lay low, for Christ’s sake. Do not come out until I give the all clear."
But she just looked toward the foyer. “Bruno.”
“Forget him…” I strode past, yanked my card from my pocket, and slammed it against the scanner. “You need to think about yourself.”
Guilt wrapped around me. They were just kids, just kids on a goddamn battlefield because of the blood they carried. There was nothing I could do for them, not with just the men I had. “Shoot to kill, Evan. That’s the only way you’re going to stay alive.”
I shoved my way inside my apartment. “Xael!” My voice resounded.“Xael!”
I tore through the apartment, searching the bedroom and the bathroom. But the place was empty.For fuck's sake…where the hell was she?
I sucked in hard breaths and yanked my phone free, pulling up the list of cameras on the island.
No connection.
“What the fuck?” I closed the application and reopened the icon, waiting for the cameras to load.
No connection.
“Christ, I don’t need this shit!” I roared, and strode toward the foyer. There was only one option. I needed to go to the command center and search for her there.
I yanked open the door to the apartment and took two steps before the hairs on my arms rose on end. Something was happening…something was…
