Page 111 of Arranged Devotion
“And I’m not risking anyone else. I’ll be fine. Meet me back at the cars in ten.”
“We’re not leaving without you.” He says it fiercely and moves to push me back, but I leap over the wall. “Get your ass back here, damn it!”
“Cover me if you have to, but don’t wait long! Ten minutes tops!”
“Liam! Wait!”
I ignore my closest friend, my boss, the guy who probably saved my life, and storm toward the backdoor, toward a raging nightmare inferno, toward a high chance of death, all because I have to make sure we get those documents, or else the war will rage, more people will die, and Regan will never feel safe.
CHAPTER 33
REGAN
Ah, crap.
I’ve never had so many guns aimed at me before.
Honestly?
Not a fan.
One twitch, one wrong move, and bam—I’m done.
Too many chances to die.
At least Cormac positions himself in front of me. The bag man doesn’t seem bothered by all the hot metal pointed his way. If anything, he’s vibrating with excitement.
Vera doesn’t seem pleased. “What’s with the smile, Whelan? You’re finished. We’re taking this city.”
“It’s always like this, you know.” Cormac steps closer.
The guns bristle.
“Always like what?” Vera seems uncertain for the first time. She scans the clearing. “You’re outnumbered, outgunned, outmatched. You’re finished. Why are you smiling?!”
“It’s always like this,” Cormac repeats, taking another step. “They come, they always come. Men and women with guns. They come with brute force, with plans, with subterfuge, with lies and spying and games. They come and it’s always like this.”
“Stop fucking saying that,” Vera snaps, rattled. She grabs a gun from the man standing to her left and aims it at Cormac’s head. “Take another step. Go ahead, one more step, and I’ll shoot you myself. Stop smiling!”
Cormac laughs, head thrown back. “It’s always like this!” His shoulders tense as he spreads his arms wide. “But look upon my works and tremble.”
A strange red haze fills the air. Long rays of red, streams of them moving through the night. I look back and there are eyes in the trees, glowing red, bloody and ugly eyes watching with a sick and hungry horror. Cormac’s laughter sends a terrified chill straight into my bones as I turn back.
Vera looks down at herself. “What the fuck?” She turns to the soldier next to her, but there’s a red dot on his chest. “What the fuck is happening?” He doesn’t answer, only mutely faces forward, sweating. He lowers his gun. “What the fuck is happening?!” Around her, more men begin putting their weapons on the ground, each of them covered by red dots, four or five per person, including Vera herself.
“Laser sights, miss,” the soldier says gruffly. “We’re outnumbered, I’d guess, at least five to one.”
“No! We swept the woods!” Vera screams it, raising her gun. More dots appear on her, including one in the center of her forehead. “It’s a trick!”
“Miss Vera, I don’t think it is,” the soldier says uncertainly.
“It’s always like this when they come!” Cormac shouts with laughter. “They think we’re weak. They think we’re stupid! But time and again, they look upon me, and they tremble, they cry out for their parents, for protection, for their god, and find nothing but the cold emptiness of a gun waiting at the other end.” Cormac levels a finger at Vera. “Lay down your guns and be spared. Last warning.”
Vera snarls. I have to admit, she’s terrifying and very pretty. Her hair’s in a perfect blond braid down her back and her cheekbones are fantastic. Maybe in another life, we could’ve been friends. I’d love to know where she got those jeans. They look functional and surprisingly attractive, flattering her good figure.
She raises her gun. “Fuck that.”
“No! Don’t!”
