Series: The Circle of Monsters Series by Sam Crescent
Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41985 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41985 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
She yanked the blankets up to her neck. “What’s going on? They found us already, didn’t they? Not even a week of peace.”
“No,” he said firmly. “No, Skye. Just stay here while I deal with this. It’s just an alarm, okay?”
She nodded but he knew she was already terrified. There weren’t many false alarms way out here, so he had to proceed with caution.
He slipped from the bed and pulled on his pants before grabbing a loaded handgun from his dresser drawer. There were weapons in just about every room of his safe house. Although there didn’t seem to be any safe place for them anymore.
After closing the door behind him, he kept his weapon in an outstretched arm as he slowly crept down the short hallway toward the staircase. Step by step, he made his way down to the main level. The alarm grated on his nerves, and he itched to shut it off. He wouldn’t even be able to hear a gun cock with all the noise. As he neared the bottom step, he had a bad, gut feeling.
This wasn’t going to be a stray cat. Someone had tripped his security.
He did a sweep of the area before moving to the kitchen at the back of the house. It faced the water and had a lot of oversized windows. That’s when he saw the asshole sitting at his breakfast island.
He lowered his weapon. Galen turned to the control panel to his right and turned off the alarm system.
Slash was eating some mixed nuts, looking quite relaxed despite the break-and-enter. The refrigerator door closed, revealing Kensington.
“You have nothing to eat,” he complained.
Galen scowled. “I haven’t been here in years. Those nuts have been sitting there this whole time.”
Slash shrugged, tossing a few more in his mouth.
“Am I going to have to kill both of you?”
These were Viko’s men, supposed brothers in the Circle of Monsters. But no man was truly loyal in this game. Why were they here exactly? To send a message? To kill Skye or maybe both of them? They could fucking try.
“Not yet,” said Slash. “In fact, we’re here to save your asses.”
“From what? The bogeyman?”
Kensington leaned over the island, watching the waves beyond the window. “You’re going to have company soon. Seems Viko doesn’t want his investment to bite the dust.”
“I’m an investment?”
Slash scoffed. “Not you, big boy. Your girl is collateral. As long as she’s breathing, Petrov has to play nice or Viko will use what’s in her pretty little head to set him straight.”
He was glad Viko saw more benefit in keeping Skye alive rather than killing her, but this new revelation didn’t keep her safe. If they stopped one attack, there would always be another waiting in the wings.
“When is this unwelcome visit supposed to happen? No one should know about this location,” Galen said.
Kensington paced the kitchen. “One of them put a tracker on your car at a restaurant. They followed you home. You were tailed here. You’re getting sloppy in your old age. Or is the pussy fucking with your head?”
He took an aggressive step forward but stopped himself. “Watch your fucking mouth, Ken.”
The other man whirled on him. “You’re never supposed to call me that,” he said.
“Well, don’t disrespect my woman and we won’t have a problem.”
Slash shifted in his seat. “Seriously though, Galen. A woman? You wouldn’t have to spend your life on the run. Women are the ultimate weakness. I’m pretty sure you preached the same thing last time we worked together.”
“Things change,” Galen said.
Slash shook his head. He could feel the disgust and disapproval from both men. Hell, he could hardly believe it himself. If someone told him he’d fall in love and do anything for a woman last year, he never would have believed it. He’d called men pussy-whipped for much less. Everything changed since that day. He was supposed to end her life and now she was all that mattered to him.
“Let’s not worry about my private life. What intel do you have?” Galen asked.
“Viko said it’s a three-man unit. They’re on the way.”
“I can handle three men.”
“They’re not like the last ones. Those were just suits he had on hand. The ones on their way are highly trained. Viko doesn’t want to risk his toy,” Slash said.
“What the fuck did you say?”
Slash rubbed a hand down his face. “I mean the girl. He doesn’t want anything happening to the girl.”
“You can’t babysit us forever. Tomorrow is another day. I really don’t like either of you for a long-term relationship.”
Galen had had enough. He could take care of Skye. In fact, he’d never enjoyed anything more. Sending two hit men to watch his back for a night was a drop in a barrel. It meant nothing because Petrov would never stop chasing. Galen needed to smoke the motherfucker. But if he went that route, he’d alienate the Circle of Monsters and Viko would have his head. He couldn’t win either way.