Page 85 of Erik's Salvation
“I’m kind of obsessed with him.”
Okay, there was no “kind of” about it. She was one hundred percent, forget-everything-else, fixated on the guy. Maybe even falling in love. But that was a secret she wasn’t ready to say aloud yet.
Brigid’s eyes softened. “I’m really happy for you.”
“My Tinder date didn’t work out, if anyone cares.”
Hannah and Brigid looked up at Henry.
“I thought it was going great?” Hannah said.
“Me too, until he hinted at wanting a key to my town house on the third date. Then the hourly texts started coming in, asking where I was and what I was doing.”
Hannah cringed. “That’s a bit much.”
“Uh, yeah. So I’m ready to eat my feelings and finish it with ice cream andFifty Shades of Grey.”
Hannah perked up. “Ice cream?”
“Chocolate chip. I put it in the freezer.”
Well, her night just got a whole lot better.
* * *
Erik kepthis steps silent as he moved down the dark street. It was late. Too late for anyone else to be around.
Three guns were strapped into holsters, and two knives—one around his thigh, the other his ankle—were in sheaths. If everything went to plan, this job would be an easy in and out…but nothing was ever guaranteed. Things had gone to shit before, so he needed to be ready.
He stopped at the entrance of the apartment building.
“I’ve seized control of the cameras,” Chandler said through the earpiece. “Code is four-eight-two-zero.”
Erik typed in the numbers with a gloved finger. There was a clicking sound, then he pulled the door open and slipped inside. Instead of taking the elevator, he used the stairs. The apartment building was large, and there was another set of stairs at the back. Those were the stairs Marco would be using.
Erik ground his teeth at the mere fucking thought of the guy. At the reminder that he was completing this job under duress.
His steps were quick but quiet as he moved up. Even though he was in the middle of a dangerous op that required all his attention, he couldn’t get his mother’s words out of his head. They’d been on replay since Saturday night.
Sit on the edge of life and death too long, you eventually lose more than you’re willing to pay.
The thing was, he fucking knew that. He felt it. When you spent too much time in the darker corners of the world, that darkness started to become a part of you.
He wouldn’t do this forever, and now that he’d met Hannah, he was starting to realize how much he didn’t need to. He could heal. He could live without needing the rush of danger. The satisfaction of knowing he was eliminating assholes.
The thought of telling her what he did, though…fuck, it made a sharp blade of fear slice across his flesh.
Would she understand?
When he’d almost reached the top floor, Chandler’s voice sounded in the earpiece again. “One armed man guarding the top of the stairs.”
Erik forced his mind to still as he stopped and pulled out a gun and silencer. He let the deadly calm settle inside him, one that only grew from years of training and missions. Only when he knew his entire focus was on the job did he move, weapon raised.
The second the guy came into view, Erik fired, not giving the man time to react. One kill shot between the eyes. He raced up the final flight of stairs and caught the guy before he hit the floor. He laid him down quietly, not feeling a flicker of remorse for the kill. He’d done extensive research over the last two days and knew the guy was part of a group responsible for drug money laundering. It was also whispered they had a hand in trafficking women. They all deserved to die. Every single one of them. In fact, a bullet to the head was too kind.
“When you step out onto the roof, you’ll be hidden by an alcove around the entrance to the stairs,” Chandler said. “The men won’t be able to see you, and if you go quietly, they won’t be able to hear you. Marco’s already up there, hiding behind the alcove to the set of stairs across the roof. You’ll be able to see him.”
“Got it.”
