Page 68 of Wrath

I’d already gathered my thingsand Garrett ’s laptopand was headed for the door when Hadley called. She needed me to resend the pictures I’d taken of Willow. I would’ve waited and sent them when I got home, but she sounded absolutely frantic. There was some issue with the invitations, and she had to get them reprinted. I hated to put her off, so I rushed back to my office and sent her the files.

It only took a second.

A second too long.

Someone was there. No doubt about it. I got up from my desk and tiptoed around front to see who it was. That’s when I saw him—the man dressed all in black who was working diligently to get inside.

I was about to tell Wrath what I had seen when I realized our call had dropped. I was about to try and call him back when the shadowy figure started to fumble with the lock of the office door.

He seemed determined, his hands moving swiftly and urgently. I could hear the faint sound of tools scraping against the door, heightening my anxiety. With every failed attempt, the intruder's frustration grew, evident in his agitated movements and muttered curses.

I knew it was only a matter of time before he got inside, so I turned and started towards the back entrance. I hadn’t gotten far when I heard a loud thud followed by an even louder thud. I hesitated for a moment, listening to see if he’d made his way inside, and that’s when I heard a knock followed by, “Mia! It’s me! Open up!”

I stepped back around the corner, and relief washed over me when I saw Riley standing there and the man in black on the ground at his feet. I rushed over and unlocked the door, letting him inside. “We’ve gotta go.”

“Who was that?”

“No clue, but there’s more where he came from.” Riley stepped over the man’s body, then came inside and locked the door behind him. “Two more just pulled up in a van. We gotta move.”

“Where? How?”

“Go around back. I told Cody to meet you there.” He glanced back at the door to see if anyone was coming. “I’ll keep watch here until you’re both in the clear.”

I didn’t question him. I simply rushed back to my office, grabbed my things, and darted down the hall. When I reached the back door, I stopped and took a couple of deep breaths.

My heart was pounding.

My palms were sweating. I would’ve given anything to go back in time and stop myself from ever looking on Garrett’s stupid laptop, but it was too late for that. Someone had to have known that I’d found the images, and they had come for me.

I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I eased the back door open and checked to see if anyone was there. The sun had set and it was already starting to get pretty dark, but I could still make out the back lot. There was an alley to the left and a road to the right, and neither seemed to have anyone around.

With great hesitation, I stepped outside and whispered, “Cody?”

The office door had just closed behind me when I heard a commotion to my left. Terrified, I quickly turned to look down the alley, and my heart stopped the second I spotted Cody stumbling into view. His eyes were wide with horror, and he was clutching his chest in a panic. Clearly in agony, he dropped to his knees.

I was about to rush over to him when his head reared back, and his lifeless body collapsed to the ground. And just like that, Cody was dead. I was absolutely stunned. All I could do was stand there and watch as the blood pooled around his body. I looked around, praying for someone to be there to help—possibly a car driving by or someone walking down the street, but there was no one.

And as far as I knew, no one was coming.

The men had used silencers, so no one had heard them kill Cody, and no one would hear them kill me. Like it or not, I was alone.

I could hear the two men talking around the bend. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but I could tell they were close. Too close. It was only a matter of time before they figured out where I was, and that was a thought that had the hairs on the back of my neck prickling against my skin.

I had to get out of there, but I had nowhere to go.

They had me cornered. My only choice was to run to the parking lot, but there was no way for me to get there without them seeing me. I was trying to figure out another option when I spotted Riley near the main road. He was motioning for me to come to him. Out of pure fear, I hesitated, and in that brief second of hesitation, gunshots rang out again, this time aimed at Riley. He took a hit to the shoulder, but that didn’t stop him from firing back.

Several rounds were exchanged, and at first, it looked like Riley was holding his own. But things quickly took a turn when Riley was shot a second time. He inched back, shielding himself behind one of the adjoining buildings while I was left in the open.

I had no choice but to stand there and fearfully await my fate.

I could see one of the men charging in my direction. He was coming for me, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop him. I’d lost all hope when I saw Wrath’s SUV whip around the corner. It came to a screeching halt, and seconds later, the doors flew open.

Then, as if emerging from a dream, he appeared. His eyes, usually so calm and gentle, now blazed with a fiery resolve and were fixed on me with an intensity that made my breath catch in my throat. Time seemed to stand still as he aimed his weapon at the man and fired, killing him instantly.

His shots were not silenced.

There was no doubt that someone had heard it.

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