MONTHS EARLIER

She moves like she kills.

Swift and deadly.

The shadows bathe me in their essence, the taste of brutality on my tongue as I curl my fingers around her throat, my other hand slicing over her mouth and cutting off any words begging to escape as I pull her into my chest.

Heat sizzles between us as the shadows swallow us whole.

"Fancy meeting you here." I murmur darkly by her ear, the taunt loud in my tone as her hair rustles from the rush of air.

I still abruptly as a sharp prick meets my trousers, slicing through fabric and thread. I step back, looking down at the dagger poised to slice my dick from my body at her command.

"You wouldn't dare."

I let go of her abruptly, my hands reaching for the sharp instrument but the woman only inches it closer.

I freeze.

"Big risk to take, isn't it?" Her fingers flex around the handle, the warning in her body and words clear as crystal. "Or should I say little."

I chuckle, my chin dipping as I murmur lowly, the stubble on my jaw scratching along her skin.

My hand finds itself on her waist without thought, fingers flexing almost possessively before I force them to relax.

"I could show you if you'd like." My voice is husky, the arousal unhidden in the low tones.

"Or I could show you." She snarks back, pushing the knife in further until I feel it whispering along a vein. My hips jerk back, putting some much needed space between my dick and the weapon in the woman's hand.

"If you wanted to be up close and personal." I hiss in her ear, jaw flexing as I keep one eye on the dagger and the other on the other predator in my vicinity. "All you had to do was ask."

"This is me asking."

"How am I to show you I'm a gentleman if you cut off my dick?" I wonder aloud, narrowing my eyes on the back of her blood red locks.

"Hello John." She says sensually, the sound of my name from her lips like a balm to my bruised soul.

"Jane."

I twirl her around, her back crashing into the wall as I look down at her, drawn into those depthless eyes, drowning.

She narrows them at me, gaze tracing the mask hiding my features from view.

Her chest skims mine and my eyes narrow, seeing through her seduction instantly and I lift a brow tauntingly.

I move swiftly, fingers curling around her wrist as I snap it against the wall, the weapon she used to skim my cock now clattering against the floor.

I crowd her into the wall further, pushing her further into the shadows who clasp onto her hungrily.

My thumb caresses her thumping vein, my own heart beating in time with hers before I force myself to stop.

"You've got quite the mouth on you for someone injured." I say to distract myself.

"I can show you what it does."

Both brows lift in surprise at her brazen attitude.

"I might take you up on that offer, but not tonight."

I let go of her suddenly, backing away. She dives for her dagger instantly, her eyes never once leaving mine.

She brandishes it my way.

"Feisty, Angel. But put away the knife. I'm not your enemy today."

"Don't call me Angel." She snaps but does as I say.

"Good girl."

I grin as she narrows her eyes angrily. The emotion beautiful on her.

She swears as she stumbles back, stomach wound pulling. My eyes snap to the injury instantly.

"It's only a flesh wound."

"I know." She replies, monotone. It only makes me grin wider. "Who are you?"

"Right now? The only person standing between you and Death."

"Cryptic. But I don't need your help."

My eyes snap over her shoulder, hearing the tell-tale sign of people walking towards us. I move swiftly, shoving her back to my chest once more as the two men walk into view.

She flails in my arms, and I lean down, hissing lowly in her ear.

"Hush Angel, you don't want us getting caught now, do you?"

I move us both back into the shadows, letting them swallow us eagerly.

A man walks towards an idle car, his salt and pepper hair shining under the garage lights.

"I told you, I'd handle it." He spits.

"And how exactly are you handling it?" The man beside him snaps, his face drawn and withered with age.

"That is classified information."

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even have your research and classified information." The second man snarks, chin wobbling.

"You'll be kept in the loop if I feel it concerns you." The first snaps, his body moving swiftly to duck into the car.

"And what about the vial Tatsumi found in Deluca's throat?"

"I told you, I'm handling it."

"And what about the information I told you about? Someone is on your trail. They are trying to blackmail me."

I reach for the gun at my back, fingers curling around the handle as I slide it from its holster and aim it towards the two men.

"And I said I'd handle it."

"Well handle it quicker, Gordon, because I can assure you. If this gets out, I won't be the only one ruined and I'll make sure I take you down with me."

"I think you've forgotten who you are speaking to, Leroy."

I narrow my eyes on Leroy, breathing out swiftly as I find the trigger.

"Oh, I don't think I have. Sort this out."

My finger tightens on the trigger, the bullet spinning from the weapon and making a home in the politician's skull.

His blood arcs towards the roof, splattering across Samaels face.

The woman in my arm jerks in shock, her head snapping to mine as I flick the safety on once more and tuck the gun away. Lifting a brow back at her.

"What?"

I grab her hand, pulling her along behind me as shouts explode behind us.

"You'll want to move a bit faster than that, Angel." I inform her, fingers tightening on hers.

I trail us around bends and down the ramp, pulling her along beside me the whole way, my heart thumping with the high of the kill.

My other hand reaches forward, shoving open a door before pushing her into it.

"Why the fuck did you just kill him?" She mutters.

I tip my head at her, smirking at her dumbfounded expression, wild red hair stuck to her wet lips.

"Loose end. You look out for yourself, Angel." I wink, chuckling almost silently. "I know I will be."

• • •

I watch the car drives out of the parking garage, a stream of cherry hair flowing in the wind. The bricks behind me dig into my shoulder blades as I notice a man walk towards me, black suit immaculate.

"Any problems?"

Romeo moves to stand beside me, his eyes watching the car become a speck in the distance before he answers.

"One, it's in the car."

I smirk, pushing from the wall and walking towards the car parked along the road, my knuckles rapping along the boot.

A thump echoes back and my lips lift more, a dark chuckle releasing from me as I circle the car and get in the driver's seat.

"Let's go."

• • •

I've never broken someone's knee caps before.

The crunch and hiss that leaves my victims lips assaults the silent air.

Correction.

I had never broken someone's kneecaps before today.

Swinging the bat once more, I let it drop from my blood stained hands to peer down at the haunted eyes below me.

"Who are you?" I muse, twirling the bat in my hand.

And yet, still the man stays silent. Hands tied behind his back as he sits in the chair.

I breathe out roughly, peering up at the floor as I shrug out of my white button up, letting it pool beneath me.

I switch the bat to my non-dominant hand, walking behind the man as I remove a hunting knife from the table.

I flip it in my grip before turning to look over my shoulder at him.

I place the knife back, my fingers curling around the next weapon before I walk to the side wall and grab a chair, dragging it behind me before situating it in front of the man, spinning and straddling it, leaning on the wooden back.

"Who are you working for?" I repeat, my muscles flexing as I hug the chair and lean my chin on the back, peering straight through the man.

"I don't answer to you." The man's gaunt eyes stare straight through me, the depths blank. His voice clipped and strong.

I tut, the weapon in my hand heavy as I lean back, tilting my head at him.

"And who might you answer to?"

The air singes with the undercurrent of threat as I look up from my weapon, raising a brow at the man. He watches me with his blank eyes.

"I don't answer to-"

I cut him off. "Yes, we've been over that. Give me something else to work with." I lift the weapon in my hand, letting him admire it as I do.

I lower it back down, the promise clear.

His eyes snap to mine, void.

"I was tasked with finding her."  He says mindlessly.

"Finding her?" I him, tapping my knee with the weapons. "Then why we're you trying to kill her?"

"I wasn't-"

I raise a brow, cutting the man off.

"Killing her is for the best."

"Except you missed." I sneer, my free hand lifting to prod at the scrape on my forearm, the injury I'd gotten when him and his friends had entered the gala, guns blazing.

I brush the blood between my thumb and pointer finger, before flicking my gaze back up to the man.

"A slight I won't make again."

"You won't get the chance to amend it." I remind him of the weapon in my grip by drawing it across my jawline.

Letting my hand drop until the barrel points to him, my finger playing with the trigger.

The man watches my finger move, his gaze almost hypnotised.

"Who gave you the task?"

"I don't-"

"Answer to me, yes I know." I let my finger tighten, the electrical charge erupts from the end, shooting straight for the man in front of me. His body convulsing in spasms before I let my finger slacken.

"You haven't been very helpful, Anton." I tell him, his shoulders tense as he tries in vain to fix his position without the use of his arm or legs.

"My name isn't Anton." He gasps out.

"It isn't, what do you go by?"

"Adrik."

"Close enough." I shrug, pressing the trigger on the taser again. "Who do you work for, Adrik?"

"He'll kill you if you go after him."

"I don't care." I wave the gun at him in boredom. "Answer the question."

"I don't answer-"

"But you do answer to someone." I cut him off, already knowing the answer. "Don't you? So, tell me their name."

His brow furrows, the slightest depth of emotion. "Why do you care about her?" He mutters, perplexed.

"Call it curiosity." I let the weapon in my hand go, shocking the man until he falls unconscious.

The door above me opens, heavy steps following down the steps.

"You started without me, brother, I'm wounded." I look up at the man wandering down the steps, his tattoos stark under the basement lighting.

I grin back at him, "Can't let you have all the fun."

He shakes his head, wandering closer to the man at our mercy.

He bends over, tattooed hand coming up to pat at the man's cheek and he rouses from his unconscious state.

When he finally wakes, he flinches back from the threat staring at him through twinkling blue eyes.

"Ah, there he is." My brother coos.

"Who else has your boss sent for her?" I question.

The man flicks his eyes to me, and I can see the resignation in his gaze.

He knows he's not leaving here alive.

His eyes flash with an unknown emotion before he spits through gritted teeth, "Anyone who wants the money, but not everyone will take her alive. Even if he did request it."

I clench my jaw, annoyed before my gaze flicks back to his.

He grins back at me before biting down on his back molars.

I yell, rushing forward to try and pry his mouth open and stop him but seconds later foam bubbles from his mouth and his body slackens in his chair, dead.

"Arsenic poisoning, effective. And popular apparently." My brother murmurs.

The door above opens and Romeo appears.

"Keep an eye on the girl, tell me what she does. Where she goes." I say without looking back.

"I hope you know what you're doing brother," Romeo says.

"I don't." I reply truthfully.

"You know what he will do when he finds out." I don't reply to the statement and he breathes out, "I'll let you know." Romeo sighs, moving away from the stairs, his steps fading.

I turn my attention to the man at my side who looks at me with a manic grin.

"I'm not getting in the middle of that."

I roll my eyes, shoving my shoulder against his and turn to face him.

"It's almost over. Just don't get caught."

"I won't, there's just something about her."

"Yeah her ti-"

I swing my eyes to his, glaring.

"Tenacious way of killing people." He finishes, grinning cheekily. "I have to get back, they'll notice me missing soon. I'll see what I can find." He turns for the stairs, disappearing.