Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
No kinks, no hindrance. With the show starting, there’s only a single waiter in the hall, and he doesn’t see me as he heads to the kitchen. Apart from him, the hall is vacant. I turn the corner, knowing the meet is to take place by the garage. As I glance at my watch, movement ahead catches my attention.
Heat dances along the back of my neck as I spot Kam, slipping out of a side exit and into the side yard of the estate. He’s not a member of The Firm and with the secrets he’s kept, I don’t know if I can trust him.
Moving quickly, I catch up with Kam. I track him to a staircase that winds up the corner of the event space. He’s just moving out of view when I begin to take the stairs behind him, keeping my footsteps as quiet as possible. I’m not sure how he’ll react when he realizes I’m following him.
He’s not supposed to be at the meet so I don’t know what the fuck he’s doing. Glancing at my watch again, it’s nearly 9:30, the time of the drop. My heart hammers as another door opens and then closes with a creak. I rush to catch the heavy door before it shuts completely. If he hears it, he’ll know someone’s behind him.
Then again, it doesn’t really matter. Kam’s reaction isn’t as important as what he knows.
He exits the stairs at the third floor and moves down the hall with long, confident strides. He knows exactly where he’s going. This estate is a winding maze, but I’m certain he’s been here a hundred times before or more. After all, Ella said the group of them have always been close and it’s Kelly’s home. Kam doesn’t even look back as he approaches a door near the end of the hall, opens it, and goes inside.
Immediately, voices rise. I can’t tell what they’re saying but they aren’t friendly tones.
Swallowing thickly, I steel myself and move slowly toward the door taking each step carefully, my hand on the butt of my gun. The door stands open and I position myself so that I can see inside.
I peer in through the threshold. It’s a large office, one with an anteroom containing a silver bar cart holding bottles of wine and whiskey. The dark liquids are illuminated by the single light from a standing lamp. The small chamber leads to a bigger room with a heavy wooden desk and behind it, shelving with books and antiques. Judging by the stacks of boxes and rolled-up rug in the corner, I can’t imagine anyone uses this office for any purpose other than storage. Shadows move about the room as the voice tells Kam he shouldn’t have interfered.
Fuck. A dull click can be heard and it’s then that I pull out my gun. Fuck, fuck, fuck. We need the team here.
What the hell is Kam thinking? Adrenaline races as I text Cade 911 and the intense situation escalates further with a round going off and the voice not belonging to Kam yelling out, “Fuck, man.” The click is heard again and all I can gather is that Kam gave a warning shot before speaking clearly enough that there’s no doubt when he says, “I told you that you would regret it if you didn’t leave her alone.”
“I’m sorry. Kam. It was a mistake. I take it back.”
“You can’t take back threats like that,” Kam says although the words are muffled.
I ease in through the doorway, preparing for chaos. This wasn’t the plan and all I know is that I have to get back to Ella. This needs to end now.
It happens fast, the second I turn the corner.
Kam raises a pistol with a silencer attached. I can’t see his face, but I can tell from his posture that he’s not unfamiliar with firing a gun or upset at all about doing it.
I glance at his target as my pulse races, a man I recognize from the dossier. He shakes his head, hands up, staring at Kam. He’s dressed to impress as well in an expensive tux, and not much older than me. Kam says, “Once you’re a threat, you’re always a threat,” and fires.
The bang is nearly inaudible but the gut-wrenching heave from the suspect is telling. The man looks down to what was once a perfectly pressed white button-down, quickly soaking up blood right in the center of his chest.
The man looks up at Kam, wordlessly dropping to his knees, then down flat.
A moment passes and then another as I stand there in shock. Ella’s closest friend peers down at the body and waits a few beats before stalking to the body, checking to see if the man is alive.
Kam turns his head and looks right at me. “He’s dead. You need to find the safe. The video’s going to be in there and it needs to be destroyed.” He holsters his gun. “The backup safety net’s already been secured.”