Enzo will call me back in literally one minute. Moments like this are all about speed. I need to know who, where, when, why, and I need to know it all right now.
I zoom in on the men shooting at us. There is nothing special about their clothes, their equipment, nothing that tells me who they work for.
My phone buzzes.
“And?” I answer.
“We don’t think they’re after us. I’ll keep finding out any info I can and leave a message for you. Do you need backup?” Enzo says with a bit of teasing in his voice. He knows I’m more than capable of handling this myself, and it would take him hours to get here. Even if I did need his help, we’d all be dead by then.
Unfortunately, these men are most likely after us because of Liesel’s money. Any leak of a treasure and it brings out all sorts of crazies to try and find it. I don’t know how anyone knows when we have taken zero steps to go after the inheritance, but that’s a question for a different day.
“Nope, I’m good, brother.” I end the call and then look back at the screen. It’s going to take these guys hours to get through the perimeter. I don’t have hours. I want this over with now.
Then I can go back to Phoenix and show her I’m still alive.
Then I can go hunt Liesel.
I cock my gun and climb out of the car, ready to put an end to this bullshit they call an attack.
I walk down my driveway.
“What are you doing, boss?” Seth says.
“Ending this. Everyone, hold your positions. Don’t interfere unless I tell you to.”
I click a button on my phone that stops the minefield from going off so I can meet the men head-on. As I scan the area, I realize they didn’t even bring any heavy artillery. The only bombs going off are our own.
I aim my gun through the haze and shoot five men dead.
Then I step through the fog.
I’m an easy target. Any one of the remaining seven men could kill me, but I need a moment to look them all in the eyes to figure out who is most likely to rat out their boss. That man gets to live.
I only need a second to scan. They are all terrified. Any one of them would spill the truth.
I roll my eyes.
Why do men try to attack me like this?
They are so unprepared there is no way they are going to be able to defeat me. It’s like they don’t care about their men at all.
I don’t have a choice but to kill them all. There is no way I’ll let any of these men hurt my team or the others I’m protecting. Plus, I don’t really need any of them alive to find answers.
Almost bored, I shoot them all one by one. A few get a couple of bullets off, but the closest to hitting me barely grazes my arm. It’s not even close enough to break skin, just to rip my T-shirt.
“Did I miss anyone?” I ask to my team.
“You got them all, boss,” Seth answers. Apparently, he’s the only one brave enough to answer me after what I did to Joel and Amelia.
I walk over to the closest dead combatant and dig through his clothes until I find his wallet and phone.
“Get to work cleaning up this mess,” I tell my team as I take the wallet and phone back to the house.
I pull my earpiece out and pocket my gun, now that the danger has been squashed.
I consider letting Phoenix know that it’s safe to come out. Do I really know it’s safe until I find out who’s behind the attack and deal with them?
Plus, I really want to be alone right now.
I run up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
I head to my dresser and find the finger scanner below the top drawer, revealing another hidden gun and a laptop.
I pull out the laptop and bring it to my bed, ignoring the images of Liesel that flash in my head like perfect snapshots.
Stitching up her shoulder.
Holding her in bed.
Her tied up.
I shake my head like a magic eight ball, like I can just shake away my thoughts.
I start typing the name on the driver’s license into the computer while I scroll through the phone, finding his most called numbers.
The first number is labeled ‘Mom,’ so I ignore it.
But the second number has no name associated with it.
This is going to be too easy. I really could use a challenge someday. Maybe that’s half the reason I decided to go after Liesel’s inheritance.
My head falls back in frustration against the headboard.
I only wish I were just looking for a challenge, and that’s why I need Liesel’s money. Then I could step away whenever I wanted.
I take a deep breath and then open my eyes. The top search of Edgar Jacobs lists him as a car salesman. Clearly, he’s not. It’s a front. Just like the bars Enzo and Kai own are fronts for their business. Places that look like normal businesses, but are really the offices of a criminal organization if you look closely.
I’m ninety-nine percent sure that I’ve found the location of the man who ordered the attack.
I hit call on the nameless number in Edgar’s phone.
“Is it done?” a man answers.
Jesus, this is too easy.
“Yep, I killed every single one of your pathetic men.”
Silence.
I think he might have hung up, but apparently, this idiot really thought he had a chance to bring me down.
“Now that I have your attention…” I brush the dirt off my nails, barely even thinking about this conversation. My voice holds enough of a threat to let this man know that I’m serious. “…you will not attack me again.
“I now have men monitoring your every movement. If you do anything out of the ordinary, if I suspect in any way that you are going to attack and come after me again, then I will have you killed. Along with everyone who works for you, everyone you love, everyone you’ve ever met. Do you understand, Mr. Tirkel?” I say as I pull up the name associated with his number on my computer.
He’s speechless, but his breathing is heavy and nasally, so I know he’s still on the line.
“Mr. Tirkel? I need confirmation that you heard me.”
“I—uh—I heard you.”
“This is your only warning. And you should know that I don’t give warnings often. The only reason you are getting one is because I don’t want to bother with sending someone to kill you. That’s how little you mean to me. But make one wrong step and I will.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Good. And oh, Mr. Tirkel? Next time you try to take down a stronger man than yourself, don’t send your men in to fight for you. Grow some balls, man up and fight yourself. If you’re not capable of doing that, then you shouldn’t order the attack in the first place.”
I hang up the phone, putting no more thought to Mr. Tirkel.
He’s an idiot with no skills and no money. He won’t be attacking again. His attempt smelt of desperation. He needed money for his organization so badly that he was willing to try me.
I lean my head back again. The sun has begun to set.
I have a choice to make. Stay here with Phoenix and hope that Liesel obeys me by coming back tomorrow, or go out and search for Liesel myself before she slips through my fingers.
I’m pretty sure Liesel isn’t coming back. She may want answers, but she’s too stubborn to listen to anything I say. I should have told her to never come back, and then she might show up on my front door tomorrow.