We sit in silence and it’s only then that I realize Ford and I both are covered in blood. Ronnie’s blood.

It’s past midnight before a doctor comes into the waiting room. “Who’s a family member here?” he asks.

“I am,” I say. “She’s my fiancée.”

“Mr.—”

“Shrike. Spencer Shrike.” I can barely meet his eyes. I’m terrified of what they’ll tell me.

“She’s stable, Mr. Shrike. She came in with a tear to the brachial artery—”

I stop listening and sit back down, my head in my hands, wanting so badly to cry with relief. I replay those words over and over in my head. She’s stable. It keeps me from falling apart. It becomes my mantra. The only thought I’m capable of.

Ford takes over, asking questions using words I’ve never heard before. When the doctor leaves, he sits down next to me and puts a hand on my shoulder. “She’s OK, Spence.”

I can’t look at him. I’m so f**king messed up, I can’t look at anyone.

“There’s no nerve damage that they can see so far, the repair went better than expected, and she’s being moved to a room right now. You can go see her in a few minutes.”

Ronin sits on the other side of me and puts his hand on my shoulder too. “The trial is off,” he says.

“What?” I look up at him.

“Yeah, that’s why they cuffed you and we had to call the lawyers. Apparently Agent Abelli is dead. They suspect poisoning, but they won’t know for sure until they get the toxicology back.”

I want to laugh but it’s not funny. I want to feel relieved. Ashleigh belongs to Ford, Tony really is dead now. Veronica was shot, but she’ll be OK. And Rook won’t have to testify next week.

We’re saved.

But if this is victory… I’m not sure I’m cut out for it.

“It’s over,” Ford says, like he’s reading my mind. We’ve been friends for eighteen years. I’ve done everything with this guy. He’s saved my ass so many times. But today… he saved Ronnie. A few more minutes and she would’ve bled to death.

“I owe you, man,” I tell him as he gets up and goes over to the dark window. Just contemplating for a few moments before looking back at me.

We stare at each other for a few seconds and then he smiles.

“No, Spencer. We’re even. It’s over now. Veronica will be fine. Rook will not have to testify. And Ashleigh and Kate are mine. All three threats neutralized.”

Ronin and I look at each other and I know him well enough to read his mind, just as Ford read mine.

Did Ford plan this? we ask each other.

But Ford turns away and just stares out the window. “Ashleigh peed on the stick earlier while she was waiting to play her part.”

We wait for more information but when he turns back to face us, his triumphant smile tells us all we need to know.

Chapter Thirty-Six

MERC

I’m checking out the coffee shop in the historic section of downtown Cheyenne when the call comes in. I answer it through the cigarette in my teeth. “You’re late, ass**le. Report. I got a recon job going.” Tet huffs, a response that tells me he’s just as annoyed at having to report in to me, as I am that he’s late about doing it. “Job ended last night, so shut the f**k up and report.”

“You know he’s dead. I already filed my report with the boss.” He lets out a long breath of air and now I realize he’s smoking. Tet’s a reformed smoker—this is a tell for him. He’s stressed. But hey, if I killed my brother yesterday, I’d be smoking something a lot stronger than a cigarette, that’s for damn sure. “So we’re even now. Call it, Merc. This job is over and my debt to you is cleared. Your buddy got his girl and my backup got the trial canceled. As far as I can tell, you probably owe me a favor now.”

I click my tongue, ready to talk some shit. But then the girl comes out of the bar across the street. “My target’s here. So I’m gonna make this quick. Ford was not happy. At all. No one authorized you to hire a partner. And sure as f**k no one authorized you to hire Spencer Shrike’s f**king girlfriend.”

He exhales more cigarette smoke and laughs. “She swore up and f**king down they were not together. I even asked him, repeatedly, if they were together. He never said a word. So as far as I’m concerned, Veronica was fair game. She was qualified and willing. End of story. It’s Shrike’s problem for keeping their relationship secret. And Ford’s problem for wanting the hit in the first place. Besides, she lived.”

I consider my next move, letting him stew a second. Tet was born into this organization. He’s been in it from the beginning, but from what I can tell, he’s about ready to check out as well. The only question is—will he do it the easy way and let himself be killed off like his brother? Or will he do it the hard way and fight his way to the top, taking the whole thing down as he climbs?

My bet’s on number one.

“Well, I’m tired,” he says, almost answering my question. “They’re sending me to the beach. To relax.” He laughs loudly at this and even I smile. “For some downtime, see if I’m salvageable with a few weeks of rest.”

“Huh. Well, they wanted Tony dead too, so what’s their problem?”

He’s quiet for a few seconds. That’s too long in this business when everything we do is based on quick reflexes.

Tags: J.A. Huss Rook and Ronin Spinoff Erotic
Source: readsnovelonline.net