Desperate Lies (Lies 2)

“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.