Princess in Lingerie (Lingerie 12)

“I have a key…” The man from the floor pulled out a silver key and tossed it on the floor.

I kicked his rifle away and grabbed the key. I unlocked one handcuff then handed her the gun. “Watch my back, baby.”

“Okay.” She held the gun with her right hand, keeping her eyes on the door.

I worked the second lock until I finally got it free.

Vanessa pulled the trigger, and a body collapsed to the floor behind me.

I didn’t turn around to check. “Good shot, baby.” I finally yanked the cuff from her wrist, enraged when I saw how red both of her wrists were. There wasn’t time for kisses or tears. Pandemonium spread all around us. I had to focus on getting her out of there before I could celebrate.

I pulled her to her feet then unfastened my vest.

“What are you doing—”

“Shut up and listen to me.” I tied the vest around her and secured it, even though it was too big. I put the gun in her hand. “Stay behind me.”

“I’m the one with the vest—”

“Baby.” I burned her with just my gaze alone.

She shut her mouth.

I moved first into the hallway, my shotgun raised. “Crow, I have Vanessa. I’m gonna take her to the front. Pull up so I can throw her in.”

“Copy that,” Crow said, the sound of relief in his voice.

I led the way, my shotgun raised and loaded. I listened to Vanessa behind me; she was breathing loud but kept her gun up the entire time. I moved down the hallway I’d just walked along, and when I reached the entryway, I fired at the two men on the ground floor. I shot the first one dead.

Vanessa got the second one.

We moved down the stairs and out the front door. There were still gunshots everywhere. “Stay behind me, Vanessa. Crow, how far are you?”

“Forty-five seconds.”

I grabbed the loaded rifle from the dead man I’d killed earlier. “We’re ready.”

“Approaching,” Crow said.

I saw the blacked-out SUV approach, and I knew we had to make our move now. “Let’s go. Stay behind me.” We moved out the front door, hustling fast so the gunmen wouldn’t notice us right away.

The SUV stopped, and Cane opened the back door.

I practically threw Vanessa inside. “Take her out of here.”

Vanessa turned around when she was inside, the blood draining from her face. “Griffin, no!”

“Get your ass in the car,” Cane said. “You got your revenge.”

“No. Not even close.” I grabbed the door.

Vanessa was about to jump back out of the truck. “Griffin!”

I slammed the door shut and turned away, heading back into the palace to finish this once and for all. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night until every man in that palace was dead. Only when every single one of my enemies was eliminated would I find peace. They all deserved to die for what they did—for taking my woman.

Every. Single. One.

The son was on his knees in the middle of the room, his guard of men dead around him. Brains splashed across the tile, and men continued to bleed from the holes in their chests. He was bleeding from the mouth where I’d punched his teeth out. His face was so discolored from my punches, he was barely recognizable.

I stood behind him, watching the life leave his body. “I’m going to slit your throat just like I did with all your other men. And when I’m done…” I circled around him, moving to his face so I could stare at his black eyes. “Your wife and two sons will be next.”

“Please…”

“If you wanted to keep them safe, you shouldn’t have touched my woman.”

The fight returned to his gaze. “You killed my father!”

“Who was a murderer and a terrorist. If I didn’t kill him, it would have been someone else. Vanessa was an innocent person. So don’t give me that bullshit.”

“Not my family…”

“You shouldn’t have touched mine, then.” I pulled out the blade, the knife that had killed most of his men that night. “And I will kill them exactly the way I’m going to kill you, the way I executed all the men who surrendered. I put them on their knees, yanked their heads back, and sliced their throats down to the bone. You’re next, asshole.”

He started to shake. “Don’t. Touch. Them.”

“What are you going to do about it?” I kneeled in front of him, holding the bloody knife in my hand. “Huh?”

His jaw was clenched tight as the blood poured down his chin.

“That’s right,” I said. “Nothing. You will do nothing because you’re my bitch now. You will die in the room that used to be your throne. You will be powerless to protect the ones you love. I will never be powerless. Any man who ever touches my family will pay the full price in return.”

“Mercy…”

“You forfeited mercy the instant you touched my woman.”