Page 54

I make it there first, Ilya right on my heels. One swift kick to the grate covering the duct work, and it snaps clean off, falling to the gravel roof below. I don’t hesitate, sliding down feet first, hearing the metal bang and pop as I go.

The plans showed that there was an intake on the top floor, just over twelve feet from the opening at the roof, and they weren’t wrong. That’s exactly where my feet touch bottom, just beside another vent that I kick off, sliding out onto the top floor and rapping on the metal, indicating it’s clear for Ilya to drop in, which he does immediately, knocking for Cade.

When my brothers are with me, Cade makes hand gestures, directing Ilya to the stairs and me to the door at the end of the corridor. We all unholster our weapons of choice, me my Glock 21. It may not have as high a capacity as Ilya’s beloved Tactical, but the feel is sturdy and comfortable in my grip.

Cade follows me to the door, where we each stand on either side. I ready a smoke grenade in my off-hand while he tests the door, finding it locked. Of course. He gestures for me to keep my eyes on our surroundings before he lands a swift, flat-footed kick to the door, just by the latch, using his Alpha strength to splinter the jamb and fling the door open. I activate and toss the smoke stick inside the room before we pull our breather masks over our faces from atop our heads and lean back into the hall, keeping the walls on either side of the door as cover.

That’s when the first shots are fired, wild and from inside the room, spraying in a wide arc, rounds lodging into the wall across from us.

A pause before the choking starts, and I barrel into the room first, just as another pop goes off, and fire cuts through my upper arm, right below my shoulder. The only satisfaction I give this fuck is a grunt before my fist connects with the side of his face, then again at his temple, and he drops to the ground like a sack of flour.

Cade kicks Miki’s gun away and grabs him by the collar, dragging him into the corridor and out of the smoke inside the tiny room. He gestures to my arm with his chin after pulling his mask off. “You okay?”

I look at the wound, my shirt torn and singed by the round that, thankfully, only grazed me. Hurts like a bitch, but I’m not going to complain. Not when this is about to get so much more fun.

“She’s not here.”

The roar comes from Ilya as he meets us, his words making me seethe at the betrayer at my feet.

“What about the hag?” I demand.

“Nothing. Neither of them are here.”

“Shit,” Cade hisses, pulling his phone from a pocket at the side of his vest and tapping at it. But a moment later, he lets out a growl, and his phone cracks in his grasp. “They shut everything down. All the surveillance. They know it was us.”

“Fuck!” Ilya’s fist punches through the plaster wall beside him, his shoulders rising and falling rapidly. He points down at Miki. “I will do that to his ugly face once he answers our questions.”

“Get in line,” I tell him.

“Don’t shoot!”

We all whip around as one, finding the male Omega we’d seen with Sin several times, someone she’d expressed worry for in the past.

I make sure to keep my weapon low as I look at this frightened young man.

“We won’t hurt you,” Cade assures from my side. “We’re here to help.”

“You’re here for Sin.” His head nods rapidly. “She told us about you. Just the other day.” He swallows hard, his eyes filling with tears. “I saw…” his voice goes rough. “Outside our door. We were all too scared. He took her.”

Rage boils in my veins. “Who? Who took Sin?”

“Bert.”

Anticlimactic.

Who the fuck is “Bert” and how to we murder him slowly?

“We need more information.” Cade is far more helpful than I.

“None of us know his real name. We all called him Big Beta Bert. He’s a fucking monster. Mama would use him to punish us if we made her mad. We think he’s killed some of the Omegas who used to be here.” He looks around, then a flash of realization crosses his face. “Mama’s office. I bet I can find the information there. Maybe even his address.”

“I’ll come with you.” Cade nods at us, then down at Miki, who’s starting to stir. “See if he knows anything. Yes or no, he dies. Painfully.”

My grin grows wild. “Now you’re talking.”

The unhinged laughter that pours from Miki as I snap his third finger to the side like a twig almost makes me respect the bloke.

Almost.