Page 19 of Lethal Vengeance
Unfortunately for him, I make it to him first. Big hands grab for the knife, making it hard to get too close. So, I yank his head up, and stab straight down into his neck, then rip it out. Blood streams from the gaping hole, silently flowing down his neck, like a black river in the near dark.
I let him fall, then check to make sure his buddy is dead too.
“Hurry up,” I call out softly, turning my phone on. There is half a dozen missed calls from Zane… and seven texts. I flash the light across the ground to locate our stuff. There. I slide my backpack on and search for the rest. Sterling’s pack is a couple feet away. Beside it is my headband with the light, and I slip it on.
Footsteps pound to my left. I draw my gun. Screw the noise. If that bastard defeated Sterling, I’m going to be pissed.
Sterling’s broad smile gleams in the light.
Relieved, I slide my gun back in its holster and take a deep breath.
He strides forward, immediately wrapping his long arms tightly around me. “Quinn.” His chest is heaving from the fight. The adrenaline is pumping so hard, it takes several deep breaths for him to settle.
After moving the headband out of the way, I grip him tightly, spreading my hands across his hard back to hold him to me. My head drops to his broad chest. Blood and sweat fill my nostrils, but I can’t tell if it’s from him or me, and honestly, I don’t care. It’s been a long time since someone gave me comfort, especially after a fight.
“Zane is blowing up my phone,” I murmur, loath to break the moment but knowing we need to leave.
He pulls my head back and swipes a piece of hair off my face. “You’re one hell of a fighter to have at one’s back, beautiful.”
The air is still and quiet. I study him closely. A myriad of emotions crosses his face, but it’s the admiration in his eyes that finally pierces my walls. Rising on my tiptoes, I stretch up and clasp the back of his neck. He bends to meet me halfway, and my lips capture his.
Long and slow, I stroke my tongue along his, tasting everything he is and isn’t. Breathing in the same air as him. I take my time, languishing in the heat of the kiss for several minutes. He understands this is my kiss. Not once does he push for more or take over.
He shifts, pulling me in closer. Taller by almost a foot, he wraps his body around mine, holding me safe from the world around us.
The thought sobers me, forcing my lips from his. With my heart thundering in my chest and ears, I stand in his embrace for a second or two more, savoring this moment.Damn.
My tongue swipes along my lips for one last taste. I could kiss this man for days. Easy as breathing, it is, but twice as hard to stop. And we must stop. It isn’t fair to him.
He doesn’t know me. Or what I’ve done. The girls I transported the other day. The men I’ve tortured and killed, and the ones still on my list. The vow of vengeance I made to hunt them all down.
I pull out of his arms and answer my phone. “Hi, Zane. Yes, we ran into some trouble, but we’re heading back now. Fifteen or twenty minutes.”
When I hang up, I toe the nearest body. “We should hide them.”
He exhales. “I stashed the other one in an alcove a few feet back. We can add these guys to the pile.”
In only a couple of minutes, we’ve hidden the rest of the bodies.
Sterling guides me to the entrance. When we emerge, the cooler air swipes across my wet jacket, making me grimace. Who knows how much blood is on it? But I can’t take it off. At least with the dark clothing, the gruesome splatters aren’t visible.
Sterling took a few hard hits, and a couple of the cuts on his face are still bleeding. I motion for him to bend down. Peeling back the cuff of my jacket, I use my t-shirt sleeve to wipe off the blood. With a quick tug, I pull his hat down low on his face to hide the rest.
Green eyes study me for a second. With a nod of thanks, he turns. Keeping a fast pace on the way back, he says nothing, but he’s thinking hard. So hard I can almost hear his thoughts.
Before we enter the side door, he pulls me to a halt. Tense, I stare up at him, waiting.
He leans over. “That was one hell of a kiss, beautiful. Next time, it’s my turn.” The door opens, and he motions me forward.
9
ZANE
“Local gang jumped us in the tunnels on the way back. It sounds like they’re being paid to patrol,” Sterling bites out, his face full of exhaustion and a hint of pain. He drops the backpack on the table, then peels off his hat and jacket. Blond hair, drenched in sweat and dirt, springs free from its confinement.
Besides the damage to his face, his knuckles are swollen and red. I’m sure there’s a few hidden wounds, too. With a grunt, I reach for the first aid kit and slide it across to him.
Turning my attention to her, I assess her petite frame. No red splotches on her jeans. Upper body took most of the hits. Right wrist is a dark, mottled red. Surprisingly, they spared her face. My eyes catch on the angry ring around her neck, where the red is slowly becoming a defined handprint. My fist clenches, but I walk away before she sees my response. Too many members of my team are already interested in her. Someone needs to keep a clear head. Striding to the freezer, I pull out a couple of gel ice packs and hand them to her.
