The Hit (Team Zulu 1)

He sighed, then laid the dish on the coffee table. “Suit yourself, but this is all that’s on offer today. I’m heading to bed soon. Haven’t slept since the night before last.”

Now that I took the time to pay attention, his fatigue was obvious. His eyes were bloodshot and his footsteps fell heavily on the wood floor. All of this had taken its toll on him, too. So, the beast was human after all.

If what he’d said was true, maybe I should try to eat. After all, I’d need energy to escape. I reached for the sandwich and took a bite of the tasty-looking Reuben. Jesus, it was amazing. Perhaps my stomach had been protesting in hunger because my appetite was back with a vengeance.

A chuckle came from the kitchen. I paused my chewing, turned, then glared at Shep’s infuriating, smug face. My right hand itched to flip him the bird.

I finished everything on my plate and took it to the kitchen sink. He might be my kidnapper, but I didn’t expect any person to wait on me. And besides, I had questions.

Shep sat on a stool at the breakfast bar, staring at the laptop before him. It looked like he was scrolling through a news website. His eyes flickered between my face and the screen when I leaned against the counter opposite him.

“You said earlier I’d be here for two weeks. Is there any way to make it shorter?”

He rested his hands on his solid thighs. “Perhaps, but I have to make some inquiries. Organizing a safe house doesn’t happen overnight.”

My brows shot up. “That’s what you’re doing for me?”

“Trying to with the limited resources I have nowadays. I’m calling in some favors from people I used to work with.”

Shep’s gaze went back to the screen, but I continued to stare at him in surprise. Either he was genuine about helping me, or his bluff was getting more elaborate by the minute. Somehow, I didn’t think it was the latter. But there was one problem.

“The Mob’s after my brother, too, right?”

“They’re looking for him, yeah.”

“I can’t sit around here for weeks while they hunt him down. I need to get to him.”

He leaned back and folded his arms across his burly chest. “Not gonna happen.”

“You helped me because my life is in danger, right? Why won’t you let me help him?”

He held my stare. “Big difference. You did nothing wrong, but your brother has earned his situation.”

“A life is a life, Shep. His is worth as much as mine.” Although debating this with a murderer seemed like a futile mission, it wouldn’t stop me from trying to make him see it from my perspective.

“Not true.” His index finger tapped the counter as he leaned forward. “If a child and a rapist were tied to railway tracks and you could only free one of them from an oncoming train, which would you choose?”

I scoffed. “That’s not what this is.”

“Isn’t it? If you leave here to find your brother, you’d be risking your own life for the sake of his. I won’t let that happen.”

“Do you want to know what I think?” I stared him down. “I think it doesn’t matter what I say. You won’t listen. Refusing to let me leave isn’t about you being concerned for my safety. It’s because you enjoy calling the shots, and my brother isn’t a part of this littlesave the dayscenario you’ve got going on inside your head.”

Shep’s expression hardened. “You think I’m doing this for the glory?”

“Maybe.” I shrugged and feigned nonchalance because that part of my comment was a low blow. Shep’s intentions were unclear, but I didn’t believe he chased recognition.

“And you think your brother is a good guy?”

“Obviously, he makes poor decisions. But yeah, he’s a good person.”

“Not from where I’m sitting. He could have saved you. He could have done the honorable thing and handed himself over to spare your life, yet he chose not to. Your own flesh and blood screwed you over and fed you to the dogs. What does that say about his character?”

Shep’s words were like a kick from a horse. I remained silent. Weak excuses for Justin’s actions sat on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t insult either of our intelligence by voicing them. Plus, my brother’s betrayal hurt so much, my defense would come across as hollow.

None of that mattered. I knew what I needed to do.

“What Justin did changes nothing. He doesn’t deserve to die, and I still want to help him. He’s the only family I’ve got.”