Page 104 of Destroy (Deadly Hearts 2)

ChapterForty-Seven

Ruby

Imarch over to the back door of the club and yank it open. Stalking towards my office, I watch as David and Layton veer off to get in position.

I shove open my office door, startling The Banker. He looks up, hand reaching for his weapon, but when he sees it’s me and the other men, he relaxes.

“About fucking time,” he growls. “Where have you been?”

“I got waylaid,” I snarl with a sidelong glance to the asshole who detained me in the first instance.

“We’re here now,” Declan snaps back, more agitated than I’ve seen him, ever. That has everything to do with his uncle as opposed to the fact that we are on a murder mission. “You got eyes on him?”

The Banker nods and shoves his iPad over to us. I pick it up, dying to see this dickhead who has a bounty on my head, when I see something that definitely should not be in the frame.

“What the actual fuck?” I hiss, shoving the iPad back at him. “How long has he been here?”

The Banker looks down and then frowns, taking it back from me. “Jesus,” he says. “The casino is packed.”

“We need to get down there,” I say and turn towards the door. “David!” I yell. “Come here right now!”

He rushes around the corner from the small hallway, his face panicked. I’m glad to see Layton held his position.

“Set that fucking alarm off now,” I growl. “Maverick is downstairs holding the head of the Irish mob at gunpoint in front of witnesses. Get them the fuck out of here!”

“On it,” he says and off he goes to do his thing.

“This has gone to shit. New plan, we go in hot,” I say and race to the door that leads down the steps to the casino with the rest of the men hot on my heels.

“Ruby, we…”

“Forget it,” I interrupt Cillian. “Roll with it or get out.”

“Rolling,” he mutters and stands back as I open up the steel door with the biometric scanner.

I take a couple of steps forward out onto the platform above the casino to assess the situation as quickly as possible. Connor is seated at the bar, all four of his guys have shown themselves with the threat to their boss by Maverick, who is fuming, and four of his men. It’s a Mexican standoff, which is about to blow up. Big time.

I run down the stairs, hand on my gun and before they even know I’m there, the fire alarm blares, deafening us and getting most people to move their asses outside, helped along nicely by Ramsey and Layton, who are literally steamrolling them out of the door. The casino is emptied within seconds with the alarm still blaring.

“Maverick,” I say. “Put the gun down.”

“Not a chance. This arsehole needs to die,” he growls.

“Put the gun down and get out,” I state, seeing Layton and Ramsey move into position to take out as many of these pricks as they can. How dare they jump on my mission.

“This is personal,” Maverick snarls. “Don’t get in the middle of it.”

“Oh, it’s personal for me too,” I say and nod my head at Declan, who is more than happy to take out as many guys who end up in his line of fire.

With the supposed bodyguards of the two men currently occupied by my bodyguards, in a brawl that is getting larger the longer we stand here chatting – I’m not even sure anyone knows who is who anymore. Chairs are flying, fists pummeling flesh. It’s an all-out fistfight which just seems to amuse Connor. I shift my gaze to him, and he smirks at me. I can see the family resemblance. It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The alarm ceases but the ringing in my ears remains.

“This is my turf,” I say to Maverick in terms he will understand. “Get out.”

Maverick’s jaw clenches but he lowers his gun. “If he walks out of here alive, I’m shooting him in the head and I don’t care if he lands on your doorstep, Ruby. We clear?”

“He won’t,” I say darkly and turn from Maverick to aim my gun at Connor. “Not a popular man, are you?” I ask.

“Goes with the business,” he retorts and stands up, hands half raised. “I expected you to come alone. I guess my intel got you figured out all wrong.”

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