Page 5 of Playing with the Devil

The dark grey sky rumbled and I glanced up for a second, smelling the rain approaching.

“The house belongs to a Valaria Valentino.” That’s her mother. I glanced back at the house.

“What else do you know?” I moved to the trunk of my car, pulling out my bulletproof vest.

“Based on the thermal scan of the house there are about fifteen people inside,” he explained as I adjusted my vest then reached over to ensure the magazine of my AK-47 was full. God, I loved this one. A part of me was itching for someone beyond that gate to pull their trigger first so that I could feel the rush of emptying out this clip.

“There are six entrances, and we have men at all of them.”

I nodded, attaching my gun to my chest. “Any movement?”

“None yet.” He gave his head a slight shake and I looked up at the large steel gate.

Adjusting my earpiece, I exhaled.

“No one makes a move without my permission, are we clear?” I asked, and their voices muffled as they collectively answered. “And nobody touches her. She’s mine.” I didn’t need to say her name. They knew exactly who I was referring to, and they also knew the consequences for disobeying a direct order.

Glancing over at Cesar I shot him a single nod before we walked toward the entrance.

The gate groaned under our weight as we hauled ourselves up.

Reaching the top I swung both legs over before landing on my feet with a thud. Cesar followed suit, and I gripped my gun with both hands, scanning the perimeter.

“Kiril?” I murmured into the earpiece and slight movement to my left caught my attention. I watched his tall figure appear behind a tree and I almost grinned. I gave him a short nod of approval before he disappeared again.

I could hear the rhythmic ticking of my wristwatch as I lifted my gun higher and the sudden violent thumping of my own pulse against my collarbone.

The faint sound of our footsteps against the muddy cobblestone was swallowed by the rumbling sky, followed by large raindrops.

The front door opened and I shoved Cesar behind the wall, our backs plastered against the cold, damp stone.

Two guards slipped to the back of the house, their heavy boots splashing through the mud and I pressed the air out of my lungs in a slow, controlled steam.

With a readying nod we continued, staying low as we hugged the perimeter of the courtyard.

A figure appeared to my left and my body shifted as I pulled the trigger, sending his body tumbling back with a thud. “Clear up,” I said into the earpiece and two of my men revealed themselves, running over to grab the body. They dragged his corpse away and disappeared. My men knew we always cleaned up our messes.

With agonising precision, I clutched my gun as Cesar and I hurried to the front door, guarding it on either side.

He shot me a quick nod before I reached over, twisting the doorknob and pushing it open.

My command was low. Clear. “Now.”

Cesar entered first and I followed suit, glancing around the empty foyer. My men filled up the ground floor within seconds, ushering everyone into the foyer from all directions at gun point.

Protests sounded from around me as I let go of my weapon, securing it to my chest.

I glanced around, beady eyes staring back at me. I ran a firm hand down my mouth, not seeing her, or her traitorous twin.

Turning left I approached one of the men wearing a pressed grey suit. “Where is she?”

His top lip twitched into a snarl and heat flooded my veins.

With a nod of understanding, I reached into the pocket of my slacks before sinking my blade into his protruding carotid artery.

Crimson sprayed directly onto the cowering woman beside him as his body convulsed and I watched her eyes widen with fear.

When I stepped closer to her, her body trembled, soft blue eyes swelling with tears.