Page 38 of Dollhouse

“Focus, brother, keep your head clear,” I say, only loud enough for him to hear, and he nods.

Forty minutes later, the car comes to a stop at the abandoned warehouse on the border of the Triad’s city and the Westside Disciples’ city, the location we agreed on to meet. From what I can see, we are the first ones here.

Instantly, my guard is up, and I keep watch outside the windows, as do the others. I don’t like this one bit. It’s dark, vacant, and right now, we’re sitting ducks.

Where the fuck are the Disciples?

As if they can hear my question, a car pulls into the parking lot a few feet away from us and skids to a stop. I recognize the car and nod toward the guys.

Rowen and I get out first, same time as Malakai.

I turn to Tate. “Stay put,” I warn.

“Nico, sit with her,” I say, just as King’s big ass struggles to get out of the tiny third row in our SUV.

Nico replaces my seat in the back and Vlad stays behind the wheel.

“Where’s the girl?” Malakai stands in front of his car with his arms crossed over his chest and Marco beside him.

“I’d love to give her to you, but I have a few questions first.” I stand in the middle as always, King to my left and Rowen to my right.

Malakai scoffs. “I don’t have to answer a god damn thing. We made a deal, now hand her over.”

“You see, what’s interesting to me is that there’s no connection between you two. What reason could you possibly have for wanting her?” I’ve been looking into it for a few days. Trying to find any possible connection between the two, but there was absolutely nothing.

Whoever wants her doesn’t know what she looks like now or what name she goes by. I know for a fact that Malakai isn’t aware of her current appearance and name change.

They’ve seen one photo of her. I’m not sure how old the photo is, but she looks completely fucking different, like a damn plastic Barbie doll. The woman they were expecting and the woman sitting in my SUV right now are two completely different people.

A night and day difference.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

It happened so fast. One second, all five of us are standing and talking, the next second we’re all ducking for cover and have our guns drawn that we always have on us.

The sound of bullets hitting metal followed by yells can be heard. Nico and Vlad are at our sides, and while I don’t appreciate the fact they left Tate alone, I do appreciate that they are quick to jump to our aid to assist us when shit’s going sideways.

“It’s a fucking ambush!” King roars, jumping up from the side of the SUV where we had taken cover and begin popping off shots of his own. I, too, jump up to cover him and that’s when I see Malakai and Marco both laying on the ground with a bullet between their eyes. Holy shit.

What the fuck?!

We are shooting blindly, not knowing who or where the bullets are coming from, only knowing that they keep coming.

Nico goes down with a thud and a groan.

“Cover me!” I yell, running from my spot over toward Nico who’s holding his chest as blood oozes out of his wound and covers his hand. I rip my jacket off and apply pressure against his chest.

We all make it out alive, that’s the deal. Nico has a family, he is family, and he’s not dying on my watch.

The bullets are continuing to fly around me. I watch my back while also trying to stop the bleeding from Nico’s chest. My sole attention is on him when I hear a scream pierce the air, my head instantly snapping up and going to find the source and cause of the scream.

My eyes land on Rowen—at the blood staining his white shirt and Tate’s wide frightened eyes.

“Rowen!”

The next seconds go by in slow motion.

Vlad runs toward me to take over caring for Nico, urging me to go to Rowen.

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