Hers (Blood Ties Book 2)

“Go over it again,” Nick demanded as he tended to the damn dog.

I stared at its shaved body and its sad eyes as it sat on Nick’s lap, looking at him lovingly.

“We went over this already,” I protested. “I think I’m good.”

“Then we go over it again.” Tobias strode from the kitchen carrying two bottles of electrolytes. I lifted my hand, reaching for mine…but it never came. There was just a savage stare from my youngest brother as he handed Nick one bottle, then cracked the top open on his own.

The tension between us was brutal. After last night, it was going to take a miracle for them to trust me again—if ever. I lowered my hand and started talking, replaying the same details over again. It was the fifth time we’d gone over it. Once last night, twice more this morning while we waited at the vet’s office, and once again when we came back home.

It didn’t matter how many times I went over it. There was still that element of doubt…because anything and everything could go wrong. “I call Killion. Tell him I want to go back in.”

“Demand,” Tobias snarled. “You demand to go back in. That sick fuck owes you. So you make him pay, anyway you damn well have to.”

I swallowed the bitter tang of anger and held Tobias’ stare. “I demand.”

He gave a slow nod, then turned away. Something had broken in my brother. Some innate part that made him the kid I knew. Maybe it’d been worn away for a long time…and maybe it’d never been there all along.

“I demand to go back in there.”

“He won’t let you drive in,” Nick said as he petted the mutt. “That place isn’t open to just any visitors. He’ll want his driver to take you.”

“And if Killion decides to come with you?” Tobias watched me.

He didn’t think I had the balls to carry through with this, didn’t think I had the stomach to do what needed to be done. Only he didn’t know about the things Killion had done to our sister, or the depraved depths I’d sunk to, to stop him going any further. I glanced at Nick, then back. “I’ll kill him, along with the driver.”

“Good.” Tobias gripped the gun he’d had since last night. A gun I hadn’t seen before. He stepped forward, handing it over. “Take out as many of those fuckers as you can.”

I took the weapon and reached around, tucking it inside the waistband of my jeans.

Nick rose and eased the wounded puppy down on a pile of blankets he’d dragged from the closet upstairs. He winced when he straightened, his hand pressing against his own wound. “We’ll be waiting at the fence. All you have to do is get her there…and we’ll take care of the rest.”

“Make the call,” Tobias growled. “I want this night over and our sister back.”

I gave a nod. “As do I.”

I grabbed my phone, scrolled through my contacts, and pressed Killion’s number.

He answered on the third ring. “Caleb.”

“You said whatever I wanted, right?” I glanced at Nick when I spoke.

“Yes.” Excitement turned his voice husky. “Do you have something in mind?”

“Yes,” I answered, my pulse racing a thousand miles an hour. “I want back in…I want one of them for myself.”

I could almost hear him smile. “That’s my boy.”

I SHIFTED NERVOUSLY, adjusted my jacket, and glanced around the parking lot of the nightclub. It was already well past nine. A perfect time for the streets to be busy and for Killion to already have plans. He didn’t say if he’d be accompanying me, even when I pressed him. That made me nervous. Almost as nervous as the gun at my back and the knife strapped to my leg.

Headlights washed over me, blinding for a second until they passed. I winced and turned my head as my eyes adjusted and the limousine pulled up alongside me.

“Mr. Banks,” the driver called, rounding the rear to open my door. “Nice to see you again.”

I just nodded and stared at the opening door as it revealed an empty seat. Relief washed over me as I slid inside and the door closed behind me.

He was behind the wheel in a second, putting the car in gear.

“Are we to pick Killion up on the way?” I asked.

“Sorry, Mr. Banks. Mr. Killion said to say, please forgive him, but he had other plans for tonight. A night at home, he said, and he knew you’d understand.”

I thought of Olivia and winced. I did understand, only too well. I sat back in the seat, sickened and thankful all at the same time. We pulled away from the nightclub and headed through the city, leaving the Lamborghini in the secure parking once more.

Every mile was excruciating. The gun dug into the small of my back, making me shift against the seat. The movement drew the driver’s gaze. Fuck. Every second I was in here, I felt nervous. I swallowed and tried to breathe, but under the suit, I was sweating. I yanked my collar and leaned forward, aiming the vents into my face.

“Did you need the temperature adjusted, sir?”

Shit. I straightened.

I was drawing too much attention to myself. “No, it’s fine…thank you.”

The driver just nodded, sneaking glances my way as we headed out of the city and left the bustle behind. I tried to focus on the road ahead and forced myself not to think about what was about to happen. Every second was torture. I was torn between the desperate need to see her once more and the gutting betrayal I’d seen in her eyes. I turned my head and looked out the window as darkness swallowed the car.

Shortly, the familiar sight of the towering fences appeared outside my window. The limousine slowed at the gates, and the driver rolled down his window. I was thankful I was accompanied, even though I knew what I had to do to have that security. The driver spoke to the guard for a brief moment before the window rolled back up and the gate opened.

We were through in an instant, soon rolling up to the front door. My pulse was booming. The sound was so loud, I knew they’d hear it. Just keep calm…don’t fuck this up. Thoughts raced through my mind. The fantasy of me openly firing at everyone and everything that stood between me and Ryth played out in my head as the limousine came to a stop and the driver climbed out.

I swallowed hard as the door opened. There was a guard there, waiting for me with a stony expression.

“Mr. Banks,” he said as I climbed out. “The Principal has offered his regrets at not being able to meet you tonight. Unfortunately, he was otherwise engaged.”

I adjusted the button on my jacket and tried to keep calm. “I understand,” I murmured.

“He asked me to escort you to the dining room. You can take a closer inspection of the assets.”

Assets…

I winced at the word. Heat rose inside me. Still, I forced myself to nod. “Fine.”

The driver stayed behind. I glanced over my shoulder, then followed the guard inside. The thud of our steps rang out in the quiet. I should’ve felt a sense of relief when I stepped through the door. But I didn’t. If anything, it made this all the more real.

“Sorry we haven’t made more of an effort. We weren’t really expecting anyone,” the guard murmured.

He was fishing, waiting for me to say something. I kept my mouth shut and followed him to the double doors, watching him like a hawk as he stepped close and pressed his access card against the scanner before pushing through.

I counted three doors before the piercing wail of what sounded like a fire alarm rang out.

“Fuck!” the guard barked, and jerked his gaze upwards to the blinking red lights on the sensors. He jerked a panicked gaze my way. “It’s been going off all night and all damn day. There’s no fire!” he yelled over the noise.

I just stepped closer. “If you need to go, that’s fine. Just point me in the right direction!”

Please…PLEASE! Just leave me. 

He looked uncertain for a second, wincing as we stood under the shrill sound, then lifted his hand and unclipped his access card, and my heart all but stopped. “Through those doors, turn right, through the next set, and you’ll find them!” 

I took the card and nodded before I started walking, leaving him behind. My head thumped with the sound of the alarm as I hurried to the set of double doors, then glanced over my shoulder, catching sight of the guard hurrying back the way we’d come with a second card in his hand.

I pressed the card to the sensor and waited for it to turn green before pushing open the door. The sound didn’t stop, if anything, it grew worse. I lifted my gaze, catching the biting scent of something electrical burning and fought the urge to smirk. I needed to hurry…now. 

The muscles of my thighs tightened as I lengthened my stride. The plan was too fucking vague. Get Ryth and get her out of here as fast as I could…without getting either of us killed. I winced and kept walking, my heart booming as I stopped at the next set of doors. The hallway waiting for me through the glass section of the automatic doors seemed empty.

Movement in the glass drew my gaze. An icy touch slithered along my spine. Instinct punched through me as I caught a blur behind me in the stainless steel shine of the doors. A hand clamped over my mouth before I was jerked backwards.

I stumbled and threw out my arm, my fist driving through the air. Fight! That need inside me surged to the surface. But the surrounding hold was weak…and not a man’s.

“You want to see your sister?” a feminine voice hiss filled my ear. “Then don’t fucking fight me.”

I jerked my gaze to the familiar face of the woman who’d protected Ryth last night. “You?’ My voice was muffled under her hold.

“I saw the way you were last night. The way you looked at her, the way you fucking want her,” she hissed. “You made that sick bastard leave her alone. So, the question is, Romeo. Are you here to fuck her, or fuck with her?”

Anger burned as I leaned toward her ear. “I’m here to get her the hell out of here.”

She searched my gaze for the lie, then gave a nod and released me. “That’s what I was hoping for.” One glance at the glass panel of the door and she turned back to me. “We don’t have much time. You need to do exactly as I say, Romeo. You got me?”

“Whatever it takes.”

Her smile was slow and chilling. “That’s my dirty stepbrother…now this is what you do…”