Lib Novel Page 7
“Vacant?” I whispered.
He inhaled hard, dragging his fingers through his hair. Carven’s lip curled into a sneer before he turned and strode away, melting into the darkness. He just left…like that.
“What the hell?” I started.
It was like he knew. Like…Hale had fucking known.
Of course he had…he’s been planning this for weeks.
He knew London would react. He was planning on it, wasn’t he? Leaving him to be the cold-blooded assassin he truly was.
A roar came from outside. One filled with agony before a grunt followed as Carven dragged one of the guards he’d shot through the open front door and into the house. London scowled, then strode forward.
Carven threw the guard to the floor, then lifted his gun, pressing the muzzle to his forehead. “Where the fuck is he? Where is Hale?”
The pale, shaking guy shook his head. “I d-don’t know.”
But the Son didn’t believe him, leaning down. “Answer me or I’ll pull this goddamn trigger and splatter your fucking brains across this floor.”
The guard’s eyes widened. Still, he carefully shook his head. “I—”
“Tell us what you fucking know!” London barked, making me jump.
“N-nothing,” he stuttered. “I know nothing! I was hired last fucking week, told I was to guard the place in case of looters. I don’t even know who lives here, for fuck’s sake!”
Carven glanced at London.
“Jesus fucking Christ.” London met his son’s stare.
The guard shook his head and unleashed a low, thick sob. “I don’t even know who lives here.”
They had no idea what they were involved in. No idea the kind of man who employed them—
BANG!
I jumped as his head flew backwards and he slumped to the floor. Shock filled me, an endless vacuum that squeezed my stomach until I tasted acid in the back of my mouth. But I didn’t wretch at the brutality of Carven, and I didn’t turn away. He looked down with an unflinching stare, then turned away.
He walked out, leaving both of us to stare at the mess he’d left behind.
“Vivienne—” London started.
“I’m not leaving.” I gripped the gun and met his stare. “I’m in this now. There is no backing out, no leaving me behind. Let me fight for you, London. Let me do whatever needs to be done.”
His brow creased. There was a tortured look that tore across his gaze. “I wanted to protect you from this. I wanted—”
“They will never allow that, not while they exist.”
He knew that.
I knew that.
Maybe more clearly at that moment than I ever had. London wasn’t going to be predictable…not anymore…
This was personal.
“You stay close to me,” he added. “You hear me? You. Stay. Close.”
I gave a nod as he turned. We left the busted door to Hale’s house open as we climbed back into the Audi.