Lost Cause (Killer of Kings 8)

Was she why he suddenly felt uneasy? He was a trained killer. Had lots of hits under his belt. So many he’d lost count. There was a point in the early days of training and killing, building a reputation for himself, where he did in fact keep score.

He’d list every single name. Add up all the kills.

Then, he didn’t know exactly what happened, but he stopped. There was nothing for him to prove anymore.

Gritting his teeth, he stepped onto the floor where his target was supposed to be located.

It was all clear. This was bad. He felt it swirling in his gut. To not encounter a single hit or bullet, or potential attack, told him all he needed to know. Something bad was waiting for him in that fucking room.

All he could think about was Cleo. He loved her with all of his fucking heart. A heart he had thought was long gone. Decimated by everything that had happened to him, and the life he’d lived.

Standing to the side of the room where his life might be ended, he thought about Cleo.

Boss would only ever send him on a mission right now to protect her life. This was for Cleo. This wasn’t about him.

Closing his eyes, he counted to ten, and then he did it all over again.

Love made people do crazy things.

He slid the key into the lock and twisted, and that sound alone had him gritting his teeth. What was waiting for him?

Did he want to die?

He would do anything to save Cleo, so he turned the handle and let the door open. Holding his gun, he paused and frowned.

A man was waiting for him. One he recognized.

Target sat on the edge of the bed. The fucker was covered in blood, but in his hand, he held a file.

“What the fuck is going on?” Priest asked.

Target looked up, and then Priest realized the other man had been playing on his phone. While he’d been having a meltdown on the staircase, Target had been playing a game on his phone, waiting for him to arrive.

He wanted to shoot the fucker on principle. He was tempted. If it wasn’t for Cleo, Target would be dead by now. Priest couldn’t do it. There was no way he’d be able to take away her only living parent. Not now. Even if he would have loved nothing more than to put a bullet inside his fucking face.

He held his gun up, not sure if this was a trap or not.

Circle of Monsters and the Killer of Kings were not exactly friends. Sure, he had no doubt they’d work together for a great cause, but the truth was, they wouldn’t exactly work well. They didn’t have the best reputation. Boss and Viko would struggle to make it work.

“I’m glad you made it. You can put your gun away,” Target said.

“What is this? Why are you covered in blood? What the fuck is going on?” He also wanted to know what was in the file, but he’d already asked a lot of questions.

“I’ve handled it,” Target said, getting to his feet.

“Handled what?”

“The shooter. The hit out on Cleo. The threat, it has all been eliminated.”

Priest didn’t let go of his gun, keeping him in his sights. “That was something we were all supposed to do together.”

Target shrugged. “I’m not one for sitting around finding the right opportunity. My daughter was threatened. I haven’t kept my distance and given her up just to allow all my sacrifices to go to waste.” He stood up.

Priest tensed.

Target held his hands up. “I’m not here to kill you. I’d say I’m unarmed, but that’s not true. I’m very much armed, but I’m not here to cause trouble. Not with you.”

“Then what exactly is this? Because I don’t think Boss would send me here for no good reason.”