Page 81 of Cold Cruel Hearts (London Mafia Kings)

“Does that mean we can go?” I asked. I was keen to get back to Kaja.

Jay nodded. “Yeah, okay. We can go. But this isn’t over.”

No, it wasn’t. I wondered if it ever would be, or if we’d all just keeping fighting until we were all dead.

Chapter Thirty

Kaja

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THE CRASH AND TINKLEof glass breaking woke me with a start.

For a moment, I couldn’t figure out where I was, then I remembered what had happened. I was at Tam and Hallie’s house, and I’d fallen asleep on the sofa.

More crashes came, and I sucked in a breath and sat up. Had they come home? Maybe things had gone wrong and now Tam or one of the others was taking their anger out on a window? I’d grown up in a house where things were thrown and fists were put through walls and doors on a regular basis, so that reaction wouldn’t have been new to me.

But the way my heart tapped against the inside of my rib cage made me think something else was going on.

I threw the blanket to one side. I strained my ears, listening hard. Should I call out? Find out who was there? But instinct told me to stay quiet. I slipped off the sofa and rose to my feet. This house was big, and I wasn’t sure where I should go or what I should do. I didn’t even have a phone so I could call Leo to try and find out what was happening.

I caught a glimpse out of the large bay window that gave a view onto the front of the property.

The gate stood open.

Had they left it open when they’d driven off? I didn’t think so. I was sure it had slid shut behind them.

Someone else was definitely here, and I got the feeling they weren’t supposed to be.

Hide. I should hide.

Yes, that seemed like the most sensible option. I might be about to face the elusive Gilligans if they’d come here to finish off the job. I looked around, trying to figure out where to go. I didn’t know this house at all and had no idea about the whole layout. But it was big, and I guessed I’d find a bed to crawl under or a wardrobe to climb into.

I slipped out of the lounge, checking the hallway carefully for any sign of intruders. The wide staircase leading up to the first floor was to my left. The noises had come from the rear of the house, so I didn’t want to go that way, but if I went upstairs, I would lose any escape route. If I was able to hide down here, at least if they went upstairs searching for people, I might be able to slip out of the house and make a run for it.

In the large entrance hall was a door that I assumed led onto a built-in coat closet or maybe a small cloakroom. I didn’t know for sure, however, and if I opened the door, I might risk opening it onto whoever was in the house with me. I had to act fast. I needed to make a decision.

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